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SEP / OCT 2014 EDITION

Fairview Heights Campus


Sunday - 8:30am, 10:30am, 6:00pm
Wednesday - 6:30pm
Saturday - 5:00pm
Collinsville / Maryville
Campus
Sunday - 10:00am
Millstadt Campus
Sunday - 10:00am
Scott Campus
Sunday - 10:00am
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 NIV
Id love to say that I am not an anxious person when stress hits, but
that would be untrue. Recently my husband and I received a phone
call stating our son, Joshua, was hours from death due to a spider
bite and in the ICU at a hospital in Florida. While I was making airline
reservations to fy out as quickly as possible, my wonderful husband
headed to church to pray with those awesome people that attend the
Going Deeper Wednesday night service. In answer to the prayers
of my fellow brothers and sisters at Christ Church, God calmed my
nerves and gave me His peace. I could sense the power of prayer
as I few to Florida, followed by a fast drive to the hospital to be with
my son. God answered our prayers and had mercy upon my family.
Joshua is recovering well and knows that God saved his life. Praise
you Lord for your mercy, grace, power of healing and mighty love.
Next time you are hit with stress and fear, lift your prayers to the One
who has the power to save!
In His Mighty Name,
Donna Harrison
Editor
donnaharrison@mychristchurch.com
Senior Pastor: Rev. Shane Bishop
Associate Pastor: Rev. Troy Benton
Editor: Donna Harrison
Proof Reader: Barbara Germany
Design: Justin Aymer
Cover Photo: Mike Creagh
For a complete listing of the Christ Curch Staff
and to learn more about Christ Church please
visit: www.mychristchurch.com
The Flame Online:
Get The Flame Magazine online. Free pdf downloads. Email reminders of new editions.
Visit www.mychristchurch.com/thefame.
Mission Of The Flame:
Be inspirational through biblical articles and devotions. Be informative in the announcement
of future events that connect people in ministry.
Questions about the Flame?
Contact Donna Harrison at: donnaharrison@mychristchurch.com
The Flame Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine published by Christ Church. 2013, Christ Church. All rights reserved.
A Note
from the editor
Contents
3 - Should A Christian Pray For Gods
Vengeance?
4 - What About Holy Hands?
5 - The Proper Way to Pray and
Worship
6 - Something Beautiful
7 - The Challenge of Certainty
8 - A Priceless Gift
9 - Getting To Know You
10 - Worship
11 - Adventures in Prayer
12 - Face Forward, Eyes Wide Open
14 - Musings
15 - God At Work
O
ne of the frst challenges to the modern reader when
foraying into the Psalms are the prayers for Gods
vengeance upon the writers enemies. I am talking
about the knock out their teeth, drive them into the
dust and strike them dead kind of prayers. Surely Psalm 58
represents such material well.
These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they
have lied and gone their own way. They spit poison like deadly
snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen, ignoring the
tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play.
Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O
LORD! May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make
their weapons useless in their hands. May they be like snails
that dissolve into slime, like a stillborn child who will never see
the sun. God will sweep them away, both young and old, faster
than a pot heats on an open fame. The godly will rejoice when
they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood
of the wicked. Then at last everyone will say, There truly is a
reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who
judges justly here on earth. Psalm 58:3-11
To say at least, this isharsh. When we read such material, we
must fnd the courage to face the obvious question, What are
we supposed to do with this stuff? I think there are essentially
two options: 1) Determine it to be Pre-Christian Material (which
it is) and render the really disturbing stuff in the Old Testament
(there is more) null and void due to the advent of Christ and the
New Testament. The problem is that if we begin to do theology
this way, there is not a place to stop. Before long, in our efforts
to adjust those few Biblical passages we cannot reconcile,
we give away the whole of the Authority of Scripture. Or 2)
Determine the whole of the Bible contains Gods Word and work
through the diffcult parts. I choose door number two!
I really like the Psalms; they are honest. In many ways, the
Psalms are an affront to our attempts to appear better than we
are. The authors think things you are not supposed to think,
say things you are not supposed to say and express feelings
Rev. Shane Bishop, Senior Pastor
facebook.com/revshane
@RevShaneBishop
Should A Christian
Pray For Gods
Vengeance?
By Rev. Shane Bishop, Senior Pastor
you are not supposed to express. When I read Psalm 58, I must
confess to the times I have felt that way about my enemies and
thought, said and felt similar things. I am not proud of this reality,
but it remains a matter of fact. So the question before us at such
an inglorious moment is, What now? What do I do when I feel
like I shouldnt feel, think what I shouldnt think and say what I
shouldnt say? Theologian Walter Brueggemann offers that we
have three options: 1) We can act out those feelings. Indeed we
see this in acts of violence all over the world today. 2) We can
deny those feelings knowing that repressed things come out in
unexpected and often unhealthy ways. Or 3) We can give those
feelings over to God. Brueggemann suggests that in prayers for
vengeance, the author says their piece to God and then leaves it
with God. Paul reminds us in Romans that vengeance is Gods
to administer, not ours. Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.
Romans 12:19
It might be good and well to leave our discussion there, but I
dont think we can in a Christian context. Somewhere we must
factor in what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount about
loving our enemies and praying for our persecutors. But how
do we get from here (prayers against enemies) to there (prayers
for enemies)? For me, the answer is simple--one step at a
time. Christian prayers for our enemies may start out much like
Psalm 56, but if we consistently pray for our enemies, Christ will
simply not allow them to stay there. Through consistent prayer,
we slowly (even glacially) begin to see others through Jesuss
eyes; what was despicable turns to pitiful and what was evil turns
to lost. Through prayer, the Christian disposition begins to shift
from punish them to save them. In this incremental swing, we
move from our will toward our enemies (that their lying tongues
turn green and begin to swell) to Gods will for our enemies (that
their lives be transformed through life, death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ). We move from prayers of damnation to prayers for
salvation.
So should a Christian pray for vengeance upon our enemies? I
would suggest it is a terrible place to end but it may be the only
place many of us can start.
3
O
ur Flame editor has challenged me once again to
attack a topic of some controversy. What about
Holy hands being lifted in church for worship? Is it
appropriate? Is it expected? Is it something people
connected with Christ are called to do? If I dont raise my hands
in church, does it mean I dont worship God fully? I think its
helpful to explore the lifting of hands in other contexts to consider
those questions.
Its very natural to raise our hands in celebration for a victory in
the arena of sports. I have observed this to be especially true
in recent World Cup soccer action. Every goal scored results
in hands lifted high on the field and in the stands. It happens
spontaneously. Nobody questions raised hands at a sporting
event. Somehow wanting to celebrate with a victorious team is
an occasion for lifting hands.
As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were
winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites
were winning. (Exodus 17:11)
Another clearly appropriate act of raising hands is the act of
surrender. Surrender is a voluntary willingness to submit to
authority when defeat appears inevitable. Throughout the history
of warfare, an expression of empty lifted hands has signaled
a plea for life in conditions where failure to surrender will likely
result in death. Somehow wanting to surrender is an occasion
for lifting hands.
Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my
hands toward your Most Holy Place. (Psalm 28:2)
Remember being in school and wanting to ask a question or
contribute to the discussion? What did you do? The teacher
looks for raised hands as expressions of willingness to
participate and contribute with either questions or answers. We
are taught at an early age a want for recognition warrants the
raising of hands. Somehow wanting to be heard is an occasion
for lifting hands.
I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I
meditate on your decrees. (Psalm 119:48)
What About
Holy Hands?
By Dave Merrill
Dave Merrill
facebook.com/davemerrill819
What about lifting a hand to help others? We have an inborn
desire to protect those whom we love from danger and steer
them away from sin. We protect one another with systems of
accountability, mentoring, and encouragement. When we lift a
hand to help another we are fulfilling Christs command to love
our neighbor. Somehow a desire to help others is an occasion
for lifting hands.
If you say, The Lord is my refuge, and you make the Most High
your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come
near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to
guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so
that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:9-12)
Perhaps my favorite lifting of hands became obvious to me as a
father and a grandfather. My children and grandchildren raised
their hands even before they were able to walk or talk as an
expression of wanting to be held. They intuitively knew to reach
out results in an embrace of love and acceptance. Somehow
wanting to be loved is an occasion for lifting hands.
Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little
children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore,
whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my
name welcomes me. (Matthew 18:3-5)
Do you look for a way to celebrate the joy of victory in a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you called to surrender your
life to the Lord of Lords without whom death is inevitable? Do
you want to be heard and understood by our teacher and
counselor, the Holy Spirit? Are you prepared to encourage,
love, and help others? Do you desire to be loved and held by a
heavenly Father who cares for you? We do all these things as
acts of praise to God. LIFT YOUR HANDS!!
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up
my hands. (Psalm 63:4)
4
C
ount the number of hairs on your head. Multiply that
number by 1000. The answer will begin to come close
to the number of correct ways to pray and to worship.
However, there is just one purpose for both: to be in
relationship with the mighty God who stands by to lead me in the
fulfillment of His purposes in my life. Worship draws me into His
throne room where I am free to sing and shout my love. Prayer
draws me to His side where He can put His arm around me,
incline His ear, and say, Yes, my child, what is on your mind?
A single purpose with tens of thousands of ways to draw near.
I hope you will allow me to share some experiences in prayer
and worship with this understanding: Any true act of prayer and
worship is the proper way. Any word(s) or any song(s) that takes
you into Gods court is the one for you. I am disturbed when I
hear people say they do not know how to pray or how to worship.
The purpose is to be in relationship with a mighty God--not in
how you do it. Worrying about whether I am doing it right is of
the world, not in a desire to relate to the King of Kings.
I am reminded of the parable of the widows mite. While others
around her gave much (and bragged much), the widow gave
generously of what she had. Prayer and worship work that
same way. Give generously of yourself. It is not about the
words or the beauty of the music. It has everything to do with
the condition of the heart. I have experienced just about every
imaginable type of worship. I have seen worshipers with one
hand or two hands thrown into the air, heads back, and tears
streaming down faces. I have witnessed dancing, jumping,
pacing, and falling over. I have sung in my soul, Surely the
presence of the Lord is in this place. I have seen His mighty
power and His grace.
I have been in worship when there was no singing and no
preaching yet God was so close I could feel His breath on
the back of my neck. At other extremes I was thrust into
His presence through the powerful chords of an organ in
a reverberating cathedral space. I will always remember
how close I felt to God as I listened to a choir rehearsing for
Christmas Eve mass in St. Peters basilica in Rome. But I
have felt just as close in my little clapboard country church with
its Spartan trappings. When Virginia sang as she played a
somewhat out of tune piano, she worshiped and I was able to
worship with her.
My prayer experience follows a similar pattern. I have prayed
with one hand or both hands held high because I wanted to
open myself to my mighty God. I have felt so hurt and lost that I
buried my face in my pew seat. I have prayed with my eyes wide
open; driving a car with my eyes closed in prayer is not a good
thing. My prayers in the car are just as valid as the times I have
been in a church house with my eyes closed, hands folded on
my lap, and my head bowed. I have prayed in silence and with
soft music in the background. I have even laughed as I prayed.
I have prayed with my arms around a group of men while tears
flowed and my nose ran. I have thrown myself on the floor
before the cross, every time feeling Gods presence.
Not every experience was a mountaintop one. There have been
days when my prayers clattered to the floor empty of meaning
and energy. There have been days when I have attempted to be
in an attitude of worship when I yawned and nodded. I walked
away feeling empty and thinking myself to be a phony and
unworthy of Gods love for me.
Through it all, I believe my worship is genuine. I believe I am
free before a grace-filled God. Jesus has set me free when He
called to me, Come and dine. There is nothing sweeter than
Gods love being poured all over me as I pray and worship.
During those times I am abandoned in His presence. I get the
good-all-overs. Let go and let God has meaning when there
is less of me and more of Him.
And so, my friends, when you worship and pray do not worry
about anything: instead pray about everything. Tell God what
you need, and thank Him for all He has done. (Phil. 4:6) Fix
your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and
pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are
excellent and worthy of praise. (Phil. 4:8) There is nothing to
fear, nothing to block your way as your spirit joins hands with His
Spirit as you let go and let God talk with you as you pray and
worship.
The Proper Way to
Pray and Worship
By Bernie Kneale
Rev. Bernie Kneale
Email: bkneale@accessus.net
5
Something
Beautiful
By Shannon Peiffer
O
f all the hymns I have sang over the years, the one
I most relate to is Something Beautiful. I cannot
make it through this song without sobbing, as it just
means so much to me. It reminds me of the greatest
transformation God has made in my life. As in Isaiah chapter 61,
the Lord created beauty from ashes by taking this broken soul
and making her whole again.
At the age of 13 I accepted Christ as my savior. I spent the
next four years carrying a Bible to school with me and pouring
over scripture. Unfortunately, I made some decisions that led
me down a path I had not anticipated. Not unlike many young
girls, I got wrapped up with the wrong man. He claimed to be
a Christian, but produced no fruit. Matthew 7:16-18, You will
recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn
bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good
fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot
bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. He
lied to shield my nave eyes from his drug problem and made
me accomplice to his thefts. I found myself falling deeper into
the wrong crowd. I was embarrassed and ashamed at who I
had become, but I had no way to get out. I had lost all hope of
rescue.
I began to pray that God would liberate me from the mess I had
made, but I never projected what He would do next. I finally
found the courage to take a step in the right direction. Five
years into the relationship and a year and a half into a marriage,
I was a different person. I fled in search of freedom, but what I
found was redemption. For the first time in my life, I was on my
own. I still prayed every day and read my Bible, but I was certain
there was nothing left for God to use. I gave up my hopes and
dreams of being a vessel for Him. For six months, I explored my
freedom, until I felt God calling me home. Immediately, I set out
on packing my things to pursue what God had in store.
The day I was heading home, there came a knock on my door. If
the phone had not rang, I would have missed it, but Gods timing
is perfect. I opened my door to the man who would set in motion
every event that would subsequently change my life for the glory
of the Lord. It was a huge turning point. This Christian man
helped me undo all the bad that had been done. His goodness
encouraged me to be a better person. His love gave me the
courage to keep going strong. He showed me God loved me
and that I had a chance to start anew.
Once my only dream had been to be a wife and mother in a
strong Christian family; a dream I had never believed had the
hope of becoming a reality. Now my dream has come true. I
am a home schooling mother of three strong boys, who have
a father who loves and honors God and his family. I have
everything I had ever truly hoped for out of life, but never thought
possible, because God never gave up on me.
Something beautiful, something good, all my confusion, He
understood! All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife,
but He made something beautiful of my life. If there ever were
dreams that were lofty and noble, they were my dreams at the
start. And hope for lifes best were the hopes that I harbor down
deep in my heart, but my dreams turned to ashes and my castles
crumbled, my fortune turned to loss. So I wrapped it all in the
rags of my life and laid it at the cross. Something beautiful,
something good, all my confusion, He understood! All I had to
offer Him was brokenness and strife, but He made something
beautiful of my life.
Thank you, Lord, for seeing me as something worth redeeming.
Shannon Peiffer
facebook.com/shannon.peiffer.5
6
The Challenge
of Certainty
By Troy Benton, Associate Pastor
T
his month, those of us privileged to write for The Flame
were given a series of questions to tackle. Heres the
one I pulled: How can we know we are hearing from
God and not following our desires or being deceived by
Satan when we pray for direction in our lives? As I began to
grapple with the question, I thought in to myself, Id love to read
the person who has figured this one out! I further remembered
my humanness and reverted to watching basketball again. I was
certain I held no ability to answer this daunting question. My life
experiences did not provide any insightsor does it?
There are a ton of people who know the whats. They know
what job they will be doing, the what of how many kids they
will have, the what city they will live in, and other whats that
speak of functions in their lives. Whether the whats of ones
life are clear, the whys that provide the backdrop to the first
part of this theorem makes all the difference on how a person
accepts the truth of their lives. I have not met anyone who has
held prior knowledge of what the future fifty years of their lives
are going to release-reveal-reset with specifics like a puzzle they
have put together a million times before I have however, met
some who had begun to have a good view of at least what the
puzzle of life was to begin to look like for them.
These persons, these mentors hold who hold an outlining view
of their walk and work in life, have used one resource to discern
or clarify or identify what they heard about the elements of their
lives as direction from God or deception from the enemy. Here
are a few insights from these persons:
AN EVER-LIVING PRAYER LIFE is the key! These persons
insist that a constant prayer dialogue with God is the doorway
God uses to help tell truth or reveal deception on all matters of
life, especially the direction and proper requests of ones life.
This tool has brought forth the following:
A BIG RULER! Using the right ruler in the right way is also
a key. Discernment is not for trivial matters. Dont attempt to
discern which tie to buy or whether you should spend another
thirty minutes with friends; decide. Discernment in prayer
discipline that is focused on life matters, not living details of small
nature. Dont get super-spiritual about stuff that is only about
superlatives.
BIG RESULTS! Discernment will deliver evidence that ones
request will glorify both God and neighbor. This one requires
careful handling. Everyones life will not affect tens of millions
of lives outwardly. Get comfortable with the truth that you may
not be the person who will be the best-known in history! Your
request for direction or some resource must be for the purpose
of having big results for God and those who you are doing life
within context. Chill. Be good being you!
BIG OPPORTUNITIES! How many new doorways does your
request invite you to peek your head in? Discernment is about
life-change. Deciding whether it is Gods will, the enemys
tempting, or your own ego will bring forth good or bad. Ready
yourself and those who do life with you for whatever the results
bring and prepare to embrace them. Either way, they will offer
new insights to who you are and what God is preparing you to
be. We are never finished being formed until we are before God
in heaven.
BIG BLESSINGS! Discernment has refined each one of
these persons/mentors. Each person I asked about their use
of discernment stated they would never have become the
person they are now without implementing this tool. Between
growing in some areas, and growing out of others, discernment
pruned them into better people. Each one said that discernment
leaves no one as a child of grace, but a seasoned citizen for
the Kingdom of God. Anxiety is replaced with contentment,
discomfort is replaced with determination, and confusion is
replaced with a carefully built faith in God that is like bedrock.
Each who offered insights pointed to the words of the Apostle
Paul in his letter to the Roman church (chapter 8) as the best
instruction on how to use this tool. You put this tool into play
by engaging in frequent prayer, informing your prayer life with
Gods word to reshape how you view and hear Gods voiceor
something else.
Finally, gaining skill of the use of this tool can only be achieved
by practice. You will, just like all of us do, make mistakes in
gaining clarity. Practice doesnt make perfect in this action, but
it does present us as better in the process of discernment. Get
goingNOW!
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern
what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 8:12, NRSV
Rev. Troy Benton, Associate Pastor
facebook.com/tmbenton
@revtroy 7
A Priceless Gift
By Matt Denny
M
y wife and I bought our daughter a Rainbow-Loom
for Christmas this last year. The loom allows our
daughter to make bracelets, necklaces, and belts
out of penny-sized rubber bands. For the next few
months after Christmas, every member of our household would
receive gifts from our daughter in the form of about a dozen
bracelets a week. (My wife and I received the additional gift of
learning how to spot tiny rubber bands in the carpet before you
use the vacuum.)
These bracelets are nice, but essentially worthless. The rubber
bands cost roughly half a cent apiece. My daughter can crank
out a bracelet in less than 10 minutes. If someone paid her
minimum wage to make them, she would earn about $1.00 per
bracelet. That brings the price of a single bracelet to $1.50. Like
I said . . . they are basically worthless.
A funny thing happened to me when my daughter started giving
me these bracelets thoughI started wearing them. I wore them
to work. I wore them on Sundays when I would lead worship. I
would go back into the house to get 1 (or 2, or 3, or 4 . . .) if I got
in the car and saw my wrist was naked. I even started asking
my daughter if she would make bracelets with specific color
combinations. I said earlier they are worthlessso why did I
love them so much?
If you are a parent, you know the answer. I love those bracelets
because I love the person that made them, and I know she
made them because she loves me. Each bracelet my daughter
made for me was an expression of her love for me. The gift
itself had no monetary value (and actually kind-of hurts to wear
sometimes), but it is a tangible symbol of the love someone
has for me. It is an amazing example of something worthless
becoming something priceless because of who it was made by
and who it was made for.
If we are being honest, kids cannot give parents anything they
need, yet we cherish every gift they give us. I think this reality
paints a picture that allows us to understand how our worship
can mean something to God. The Bible tells us God is our all-
knowing and all-powerful Father. There is literally nothing we
can offer Him that He does not already have. Yet throughout the
Old and New Testament, the people of God are called to offer
Him worship. What makes our worship pleasing to God? How
are we supposed to do it?
I want to get at this by looking at it backwards. In other words:
What does the wrong worship look like? We get a good look at
the wrong worship in the book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 1:11-17, God
essentially tells His people to stop worshipping Him. He informs
them that their offerings, services, and prayers have become a
burden to Him. He doesnt want them anymore. Why? They
were not authentic. They were not gifts given from the loved to
the lover. Israel was going through the religious motions and
living the rest of their lives apart from God. God goes on to tell
the people their hands are full of blood, injustice reigned in their
land, and no one was looking out for the oppressed. At best the
peoples worship had become an empty ritual; at worst, a bribe
aimed at placating God.
In the same way I cherish gifts from my children, God delights
in the worship of those who love and delight in Him. If you
authentically love the Lord, He delights in your worship. It
doesnt matter how well you sing. It doesnt matter how eloquent
your prayers are. It doesnt matter how much Gods tithe and
your offerings are. If they are gifts from a heart that loves God,
He delights in them.
Thankfully, the Bible gives us guidance so we can know if we
authentically love God. Christ told His disciples that if someone
loves Him, they will obey His teaching. (John 14:23) When
Micah asked what he should bring to the Lord as an offering,
the answer was not thousands of animals or gallons of precious
oil. In Micah 6:8 2 we are told God wants us to, act justly, love
mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
The precious gifts you offer up to God (that is, your worship) are
not precious because of what they are. They are precious to
God because of who you are and because of who He is to you!
Authentic worship, offered from a heart in love with God, is what
God desires.
Matt Denny
facebook.com/mattmistie.denny
8
Getting
To Know YOU
Name: Carrie Gaxiola
Job Title: Welcome Ministries Coordinator
Job Description: To lead and inspire Welcome Ministry
volunteer teams to minister to guests and members through
dynamic, engaging and radical hospitality.
What made you decide to attend this church?
We had been attending a church where we werent getting
connected and were looking for a new church home. My
husband pastored a church in Sparta several years back and
knew Pastor Shane and Fred Bishop. They would have No
Greater Love board meetings at our church. One of our kids
suggested we visit Christ Church. When we pulled up to the
doors, I introduced myself; Shane stuck his head in the car
and addressed my husband by name after several years of not
seeing him. It was just what we needed after a long spell of
church diffculties. We have been here ever since.
What extremely difficult life situation have you
overcome and how did you do it?
Over a period of about a year, I lost 3 babies through miscarriage
(Ive had 5 miscarriages altogether) and we lost both of our
mothers. That was a rough one, but constant crying out to God
and worshipping Him in the dark places is what carried me
through.
When you think about God what is the first thing
that comes to mind?
Unlimited love and peace
What super power would you most like to have,
and why?
What do you mean? I have 8 kids...I already have super powers!
Where are you from?
I am a born and raised Valley Girl. Southern California! Born in
North Hollywood, raised in Burbank and graduated in Anaheim.
I spent Grad Night at Disneyland and my summers on the
beaches, then went in the Air Force in 1978.
What drives you crazy?
Laziness and lying. And when my kids argue with me. Yep, that
sums it up.
What jobs have you done?
I worked at a Pup N Taco in high school (yes, hot dogs and
tacos), a daycare, I was in the Air Force for 12 years (drove a
truck, Medical Technician and Medical Admin), Census Bureau,
clean houses, was a Field Supervisor in the Pick Your Own
department at Eckerts, Pastors wife and retail. I have been a
stay-at-home mom for the larger part of our marriage and thats
the best job I have had! And now am privileged to be working for
Christ Church.
If you could live anywhere in the world for a year,
where would it be?
Italy. My family tree has a lot of Italians. My second choice
would be anywhere with a beautiful beach.
If you could change places with a Bible character,
who would you choose? Why?
I would choose the guys on the road to Emmaeus. They got to
talk with Jesus after He was resurrected. They reasoned with
Him over the scriptures. Their hearts burned within them as they
walked along the way with Him. I want my heart to burn within
me over knowing Jesus and learning from Him.
What would you do if you didnt have to work?
I would sleep in till 9 a.m. (I usually get up at 6 am) I would
make sure I exercised every day. I would help my kids with
anything they needed. I would help young moms. I would make
food for other people whether they were sick, overwhelmed and
stressed, had a new baby. I like to cook for others. If you have a
meal on your table for your family, it takes away some stressors
of life. Then, if I did all that, I would ride a bike along the beach
with my husband and enjoy the sun and sand.
What drives you every day?
My family. I grew up in a very dysfunctional home and I longed
for peace and stability. Obviously without Christ, we couldnt
have that. When I married my husband, we agreed that our
family would center on Jesus and the Word of God. We havent
had a cake walk, by any means, and lots of heartache over the
years, but we always have that foundation we stand on and Id
say we have established a new generation. I love my family and
would do anything for them.
9
By Rev. Don Frazure, Pastor of Worship Arts
I
ve just returned from a mission trip to Honduras where I got
to spend some time leading and observing worship at our
sister church in San Pedro Sula. Experiencing worship in
different settings and cultures has always been intriguing
for me. This time, since it was my second time to lead worship
there, I was able to pay more attention to the way people
worshipped instead of focusing on the fact that we didnt speak
(or sing) the same language. Here are a few of my observations.
First, when they show up for worship, they really show up. I
mean they are 100% there in mind and spirit, not merely
physically in the building. I also didnt see them check-out
during the service. Whatever circumstances and distractions
they have seem to disappear when worship begins. They focus
entirely on singing, clapping, dancing, prayer, giving, learning
and loving each other throughout the service.
Next, Hondurans also arrive expecting something special to
happen. They come to worship ready to meet God. They begin
worship fully engaged with the presence of the Holy Spirit who is
already in the house. There was no warm-up period, no pre-
worship lets ease into this worship time. They stepped right
into the enveloping atmosphere of the presence of God.
Also, time did not matter. Whether it was the start time for
the service or ending, neither was important to them in any
case. The length of the service was also unimportant to them.
Worship began and ended on Gods time, not by the clock on
the wall. Sure there were distractions such as kids running
around, outside noise, the HEAT - but maybe those were only
distractions to me.
It can be easy for me to oversimplify the experience by
dismissing their worship as that of third world people who really
have nothing better to do. If I did that, then I would miss the
point of my observations entirely. Regardless of the world we
come from, worship should be the only thing that we have that
is indeed better to do. So with these observations, Im trying to
look at how I worship and see if I can learn a thing or two.
Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every
nation. I will be honored throughout the world. Psalm 46:10
Worship in the moment
I fnd that if Im not careful, I will show up to worship, even to lead
worship and though Im physically present, my mind and spirit is
elsewhere. Work, family, fnances, relationships all compete for
my attention and that doesnt stop during times of worship. Ive



begun the practice of beginning my Sunday mornings by quieting
my mind just as the Psalmist reminds me to do. To be still and
center on God.
Worship with abandon
How often are we more concerned with what people around
us might think if we just abandon ourselves to worship - raising
our hands, clapping, singing, dancing (it can happen). When
I think that way, Im reminded of Davids retort to Michal about
his display of worship when he said in 2 Samuel 6:21-22, I
was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father
and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the
people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. Yes, and I am
willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated
in my own eyes!
We have every reason and even more to celebrate each time we
gather together. Our Savior is alive and His love is greater than
anything in this world. Now I want to be authentic in my worship.
I want it to be from the heart and not just for show. However, I
sometimes think Im more concerned about what people think
about my worship rather than being more concerned with giving
it to my Lord.
Expectant Worship
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with
them. Matthew 18:20
How often do we come to worship expecting to meet God? Do
we anticipate that? One of the things I pray for each week with
the worship team before we step out on stage is that we will
experience something special during worship. Something that
is only a product of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Worship
is not just a gathering of people of like faith to go through the
motions of worship. It is a gathering of the people of God, to
collectively express their adoration, confession, thankfulness and
supplications to a living and present Holy God.
As you think on worship, be sure to remember that although
we gather together as a group for corporate worship, it is also
between you and God. I think that if we focus on worship,
abandon ourselves to worship and are expectant in worship,
then the times we gather together will not only be inspirational,
but life-changing events that connect us in deeper ways to Jesus
Christ.
Worship
(San Pedro Sula Style)
Rev. Don Frazure, Pastor Of Worship Arts
@donfrazure
10
By Debby Creagh, Parish Nurse Coordinator
W
here do you experience God the most? In
solitude? In worship? In studying the Word? In
relationships? In prayer? In conversation? In
nature? In music? When do you feel enveloped by
Gods presence? What are you doing when that happens?
For me, being in prayer in any form is when I feel closest to
God. However, He also uses nature to speak to me of His
majesty and presence in my life. I remember going through a
tunnel into the grandeur of Yosemite Valley in California. The
huge granite mountains, lush green valley, fowing river and
waterfalls, beautiful, crystal clear blue sky, huge trees, the smell
of the woods, all combined to give me a sense that I had just
entered Gods throne room! Majestic splendor, awe-inspiring,
overwhelming evidence of Gods creation were all around me.
It was hard to even breathe! Okay, that may have been the
altitude but, it drew me immediately to my knees in my heart in
worship. The handiwork of God was everywhere! Prayer, on the
other hand, lets me experience God on a much more intimate
and personal level. It is in those moments that I know that I am
utterly dependent on God for every aspect of my life and totally
loved. He made me and wants a relationship with meHe gets
me! Weird sense of humor and all.
God creates
us all uniquely.
Each of us is
the only one
He made with
a distinct set of
DNA. It only
makes sense
that we all have
a one-of-a-kind
relationship
with God. He knows each of us intimately and wants to be
in communication with us. How cool is that!? Just like any
relationship, it takes time to get to know a person. God knows
us intimately, but it is a lifelong process for us to know Him. We
do that through reading the Bible, studying, prayer, worship,
fasting, life experiences, and relationships with other people.
At a fundamental level, prayer is the ongoing, two-way
conversation with the One who loves us the most. There are two
basic parts, as with any communicationspeaking and listening.
Some authors on the subject of prayer that I have read think
listening is the key to our lifelong relationship with God. Our
heavenly Father is much more concerned with our being rather
than our doings. The busyness in our lives often crowds out



the time we need to be quiet and let God speak. We will ask
for things, but do we listen for the answers? Hearing God is
often a case of our having an attitude of being open to Gods
answers to our prayers. In his book, Hearing God: Developing a
Conversational Relationship with God, Dallas Willard states that
after he asks God to speak to him, I devote the next hour or so
to some kind of activity that neither engrosses my attention with
other things nor allows me to be intensely focused on the matter
in question. He gives examples of housework, gardening, and
doing errands as those activities. The object is to keep listening.
Sometimes the answer is immediate, and sometimes it has to be
asked again. Each of us needs to fnd where, when, and how we
best hear God. What works for me may be completely different
for you.
At the beginning of the article I asked a series of questions. As
you think about what your answers are, realize God wants to be
in communication with you. God says in Zephaniah 3:17 that
as His child you are greatly loved by Him and He rejoices over
you with singing! If you are not sure when you most feel like
you are in Gods presence, try some different things and ask
God to show you what pleases Him in your time with Him. As
Dallas Willard states, it takes practice and experience to know
Gods voice. To hit the mark, set a simple goal to spend 5-10
min with God each day however it is that God leads you to do
with no distractions. I should add a warning here: being in Gods
presence and hearing His voice is addictive! How could it not be
in the presence of His perfect love for you? Do we deserve it?
No. Do we need it? YES! My experience is that in short order,
5-10 minutes will fy by and you will fnd yourself wanting and
spending more time with the Lover of your soul!
Need help getting started? Read a good book on prayer, read
2-3 verses in the Bible and ask God what He wants you to know
about them and reread them, go for a walk and take God with
you, play some worship music and open your heart to hear God.
Still having trouble? Ask a Christian that you know has a strong
prayer life for some suggestions. Its up to you to experience
and build your relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Go for it!
May Gods love and grace surround and uplift you as you seek to
know Him with all of who you are. Amen
Adventures
in Prayer
Debby Creagh, Parish Nurse
debbycreagh@mychristchurch.com
11
W
hat kind of worship does God want? It isnt hard
to find that people have many conflicting views on
what makes for an appropriate worship service.
In preparation for this article, I found highly
opinionated discussions online arguing many topics, such as
music, scripture, ritual, frequency of service, marble and gold,
statues and symbols, and even the carpet color! But are those
questions what we really should be focused on, or do we still
struggle with the basics? Are those debates what keep people
from understanding what worship should really be about?
Jesus made points of argument against the worship practices of
the church leaders of His time. In Matthew 15:8-9 for example,
Jesus says These people honor me with their lips, but their
hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings
are but rules taught by men. You could likely find such people
at any church; perhaps even you have personally drifted back
and forth in your worship sincerity sometimes. I know I have.
Thankfully, there are a few points that I can quote which should
help answer these questions.
First point, you have to show up. For where two or three gather
in my name, there am I with them, says Matthew 18:20. No
different than any other task, there is strength in numbers when
we unite for a common cause. The best comparison I can think
of is my love of St. Louis Blues hockey. I really love the game! If
you have ever experienced it, there is a huge difference in going
to a game at Scottrade Center and watching it live, compared
to watching a game on TV at home. Its about the cold, and the
smell of the ice, the sounds of the crowd, the camaraderie of the
fans surrounding you. Instantly you become friends with people
sitting nearby as you discuss an amazing shot or penalty call.
You are there, in the moment, with the team a few feet away and
youre in it to win it!
Every Sunday morning, I choose to come to Christ Church.
Some sing, others dont. Some pray, some dont. Some feel
Jesus presence, some dont. But we are all here together,
Face Forward,
Eyes Wide Open
By Matt Rygelski
united for a common cause, and were in it to win it. We need
one another for support in this spiritual journey. We need people
around us who challenge us to think about our beliefs. Saint and
sinner sit side-by-side, just like we allow Chicago Blackhawks
fans to sit in our arena every once in a while. Its a fellowship, a
communion table, that God invited us all yes, even those who
arent hockey fans.
Second point, according to Jesus radical teaching, we have to
surrender and put God first. Worship puts us back into proper
alignment. Working in the IT industry, an analogy that comes
to mind is that its like backing up all your important data and
updating your virus protection software every Sunday. We
are human beings who love to create distractions, and those
distractions often lead to more distractions, and before you know
it your life is filled with nothing but distraction.
Worship brings humility by acknowledging that you are human.
You are not perfect, but you are in good company of imperfect
people who embrace and work to understand the teachings of
Jesus to live a more enriched life. Its a life that is full of sounds
not muffled by the distractions, the depression, the hollowness of
going it alone. When you surrender to the idea of living in the
past or anxiety about the future, jump in to the experience of that
moment when the worship music strikes a chord in your heart or
the sermon resonates with an ongoing struggle of yoursliving
in that moment is when you might catch a glimpse of the face of
God.
Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God
like a little child will never enter it. Mark 10:15
Our 19-month old son allows me to remember what worship is
about. In his eyes, I see wonder and amazement. His favorite
phrase is What is that? as he explores his world and points at
random things. It is then I realize I have no idea what half of the
things we own are officially called. How many times I walked
past that object and didnt give it a second look, but my son calls
12
Matt Rygelski
facebook.com/mrygelski
me out on it as his What is that? is less of a question as to its
name but more of a question of Why do you own that? So
much junkso much distraction. A 19-month old is teaching me
how to see.
Third point Jesus tells us, its a thanksgiving. In the Bible, there
were only a few references to worship styles that I could find and
it was this one that I believe best summarizes what is expected
of the followers of Christ:
Above all these put on love, which binds everything together
in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be
thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and
admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to
God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through
Him. Colossians 3:14-17
A friend of mine posted a story on Facebook this week. Dr.
Steve McSwain has written a few books on spirituality and he is
a distinguished speaker. His world recently was turned upside
down. Last week, he experienced a heart attack. When he
posted this event to his 500+ followers, the comments rolled in
with apologies and sympathies. After thirty or so, he responded:
Right now Im somewhere 39,000 feet over Georgia looking out
the window from this comfortable seat and I cant keep the tears
from flowing. The lady next to me must think I just lost my best
friend or something. What she does not know is that these are
tears of sheer joy, bliss like Ive never known. I am freer today
than Ive ever been. Im free of me. I am so grateful for all that
has transpired in the last week. I do not think God sent this to
teach me a lesson, but oh what Ive learned is more valuable to
me than all the gold of Fort Knox. Ever heard of the miracle of
Jesus walking on water in the midst of the raging storm? The
real miracle was Jesus capacity to live fully in this moment, no
matter how the moment appeared. Even in the midst of a storm,
He was present with it, embracing, accepting, and living into it,
rather than trying to escape from it.
What kind of worship does God want? We organize regularly so
He is praised.
13
Carie Bradshaw
(618) 593-3258
carie@cariebradshaw.com
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Musings
By Pat Mace
I
t is hard for a Christian to know how to think and act in
todays world. We are told that the answer to our problems
is more energy. But it becomes hard when we look at what
kind of energy, for what use and at what cost to whom. The
Christian understands the greed, the voraciousness, the evil
which seems to be turning the world toward destruction, but
he or she also understands the possibility of a redeemed and
redemptive humanity at peace in a good earth.
Should Christians side with the doomsayers or with the
utopians? What kind of a tomorrow should the Christian want
and work toward? How should Christians live in the face of the
obvious needs of their fellow creatures, both human and non-
human?
One answer stresses the separation of the church from the world
and even from the earth. Today those who hold this view stress
the evil of technology, the corruption of the political process, etc.
The other response is made by those who see the institutions
and the abilities of humans as gifts of God. Clearly, we can
all see powers misused in exploitative trade relationships,
destructive mining, and devastation of the habitat of non-human
creatures. But that power also confirms the second answer,
we can see in the technology which can be so destructive, a
potential to care for, and steward the earth. We represent the
best and finest of Gods creation, for we alone can see the
natural beauty of the world, appreciate it, learn from it, weep for it
and seek to conserve and protect it.
How then should Christians live on the earth?
New Members
--------------------------------
June 2014
James T. Evans
Janice Evans
Willard (Bud) Evans
John Schilling
Jean Smith
Jim Smith
Matthew Staszewski
Angela M. Yuhas
Christopher A. Schwertman
Karie A. Schwertman
Amber Schwertman
Bill Kampmeyer
Kathryn (Kate) Kampmeyer
July 2014
Lisa K. Dixon
Logan M. Beck
Member Passing
--------------------------------
Thelma Charley June 12
Norma Elizabeth Osborn Soeteber August 5
Weddings
--------------------------------
Joshua D. Veath & Justine M. Lunte
June 20
Christopher M. Monroe & Jennifer R. Mueller
August 2
Baptisms
--------------------------------
June 2014
Hailey M. Hindman
July 2014
Logan M. Beck
Attendance
--------------------------------
July Worship Avg = 1,933
July Connection Avg = 466
2014 Avg Worship = 2,029
Finances
--------------------------------
Tithes & Offerings - $1,486,872
Expenses & Mortgage - $1,475,216
Remaining Debt - $5,247,808
(Financials are as of 06/30/14)
100,000 Hours
--------------------------------
The people of Christ Church have
committed to serve our community with
100,000 hours of service.
We have served: 44,025.55 hrs
(as of 03/01/14)
Log your hours at
mychristchurch.com/100k
God At Work
15
Scott Campus Exterior - Under Renovation
Christ Church
SCOTT CAMPUS
Coming Soon! Sundays - beginning September 14th
Adult Sunday School
9AM
Nursery & Childrens Ministries
KIDS
Worship Service
10AM
Scott Campus Worship Space - Under Renovation

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