A Stone's Throw

I remember that week very well.  It seemed that everyone spent hour upon hour watching the tragedy.  Praying that people would be found.  Praying for those who hadn’t heard from loved ones.  Watching the dedication and honor of the rescue workers.  I can remember one of my first statements in my sermon on 9.16.2007.  I said that I feel totally exhausted from watching the horror over and over.  It was amazing that we would stay up until the early hours in the morning just shocked with the pictures and video.

I remember using Isaiah 25 as the text of my message.  An unbelievably powerful message of restoration and hope.  Here are some excerpts: Continue reading

We had an awesome Sunday yesterday as we had our first KidStuf! It went really well and I think it did all that we wanted it to do and more! We really just wanted it to be a “promo” for our church family to see first hand what it was about and invite people to the next KidStuf. We had a really great crowd about 120 people in the sanctuary, not including those in the nursery! We were talking this morning, I think we are going to have some space issues on October 7th!! What a great problem to have!

All of the actors, hosts, dancers, singers, and kids did an awesome job! I can’t be more proud of the production!!

• The set looked awesome! Margaret Dollarhite did an excellent job cutting and sewing yards and yards of black fabric for the curtain!!
• Patrick Chandler and Jim Price helped us frame in the door! Great job guys!
• Eric and Kris did an awesome job in hanging the curtain and signs.
• Josh Harrold did a great job running the computer. He came for the tech rehearsal on Thursday night to “watch” and learn for next time! But because of some schedule problems, he needed to do it on Sunday morning!! He did an awesome job in such a short amount of time. The learning curve is quite steep on that stuff and he did a great job.
• The drama was excellent!! Chris Jones, Mark Wofford, and Kalynn McMurray did their best presentation yet! I was so proud of them!
• Chris Hatley has grown so much in the past 3-4 years since they have been here at CFC! I was teary when Kenzie was so proud of her daddy! Chris, you did such a great job teaching us the Bible!! Awesome!!
• Jenny had the singers ready to go–Great job Wes, Jill, Becky, and Jenny. It sounded like the background vocals on a professional CD! I got “ants in my pants” just thinking about it!!
• Kim Scott and the dancers have worked so hard and it showed! The routines were awesome!! Great job Schawo, Eric, Tracy, Tabby, and Katy (and Wes on one song).
• It is always great to see people laughing and enjoying being at church of all places. I know that God smiles when His people are telling others about His Son–and having a great time in the process!

A huge thanks to EVERYONE who had a part in making this first KidStuf a HUGE success! I know I am forgetting some people, but I am so proud of EVERYONE! You will want to see next month’s production–it is going to be “off the hook” as the kids say!

One tease . . . Gordo returns to make his actual KidStuf debute! Get your pocket protectors ready and invite your friends and family to the next KidStuf, October 7th!

I was reminded of the 9-11 tragedy again last night as MSNBC had the day “as it happened.” I can still remember sitting with Jenny and Taylor (about 5 months old) in the living room before leaving for church. At the time I left for church, the towers had not yet collapsed.

I remember that event quite well because it matches up with my calling to plant this church. We had been struggling with a calling to start a new church that would be focused on those outside of the church–not necessarily ignoring those inside the church, but basically reaching those who don’t have a “place” in the current church landscape. Continue reading