Change – part 2

As I reflected on my frustration with the changes going on at the store – rearranging everything – I thought about how uncomfortable it is for some people to adjust to little changes that happen in a worship service on Sunday.
We will move to a “Blended” service during the summer months.  Now some members last [...]

Last Night

I am always astounded by the liturgy of our Maundy Thursday Tennebrae service.
There is no sermon after holy communion.  We only read the gospel lessons from the last hours of his days.
The lights in the sanctuary go dim.
They all eventually go out accept for the candle on the communion table.
Then I read Christ’s cry of [...]

Lenten Worship

 
Last night we concluded our Lenten Bible study with a brief worship service.  I gave each participant a candle.  Then we all went to the altar to light our individual candles from a “Christ” candle saying the phrase, “I take my light from you, Lord.”  We read scripture and prayed and then went back to [...]

Slick

I drove to church this morning over snow, ice and flooded intersections where the sewer grates were covered with snow and the rain had no where to go.
We had a great early service with the youth praise team leading us and a member, Mia, was baptized during the service.  Many commented that it was the [...]

Give Up…

GIVE UP grumbling! Instead, “In everything give thanks.” Constructive
criticism is OK, but “moaning, groaning, and complaining” are not Christian
disciplines.
GIVE UP 10 to 15 minutes in bed! Instead, use that time in prayer, Bible
study and personal devotion.
GIVE UP looking at other people’s worst points. Instead concentrate on their
best points. We all have faults. It is a [...]

When is it too LOUD?

It’s a contentious issue in many churches today. You have a small group complaining that the worship music is ‘too loud’, while another group wants you to crank it. Who do you listen to? And when IS the music too loud? Here’s a synopsis of some great points from Rick Muchow’s The Worship Answer Book [...]

Communion Set For Zion

After Thanksgiving I went out to visit Gordon Krause at his Fireworks Pottery studio.  He has his studio on the farm his daughter and son-in-law have in Cleveland (north of Sheboygan).  It is really a neat setting.  He was willing for me to commission him to design and throw a pottery set for Zion Covenant [...]

All Saints Day

Today in the church year is “All Saints Day.”  It is a day to remember all those who trusted in Jesus during their earthly pilgrimage and now dwell in heaven.  Today I began to count my loved ones who have died and who now wait for me among the angels:  First, my dad because his birthday [...]

Kids have their own perspective…

I received this email from a mother of one of our Sunday School kids.  Priceless 
“Carson is certainly learning some interesting things in Sunday School………………………..
Last Sunday they were talking about Noah’s Ark; Carson eagerly shared with us how big it was. He told us it was “5 books high”. Chad and I, a bit confused at [...]

Hip Hop Worship

Last Saturday night was a first for Zion.  We had Phil Jackson and his 3 MC’s lead us in a hip-hop style worship experience.  They are from ”Da House Church” in Chicago.  My role for the evening was mixing and matching the Cd’s and the sound board.  There were five different Cd’s in our player and [...]