Commitment to Christ: Financial Giving

Good Afternoon Church and Online Community!

Well, it is here, Hurricane Sandy. The winds are gently beginning to pick up and the rain has been coming down all day. It's odd that we here in Western Pennsylvania can be hit with such magnitude of a storm. It is my prayer that all are safe and that no more lives are lost to this horrific storm. Be safe everyone. Pray for our national guard, and all of our first responders, EMS, Fire and Police. I am posting the following from our Western PA UMC:

Preparation Alert for Western Pennsylvania United Methodists
Early Response Teams; If needed, teams of individuals who have completed early response training will be formed to respond within and outside of the Conference when the time is right. Rick Nelson and Calvin Cook, Conference disaster response coordinators, will communicate through Volunteers in Mission coordinator Diane Miller with those people who have completed Early Response Team training. 

If you have been trained, now is the time to prepare, to let Rick know of your availability in the next month, and to wait for further word. Rick Nelson cell phone: 724-651-6155.

In some circumstances, Nelson said other disaster response volunteers may be called on.
Our Disaster Response Coordinators are connected to the Red Cross and other groups that will be responding. We will use email as our primary means of communication. As the storm develops check your email regularly for how you might plug in as a volunteer.

Diane Miller
Mission/VIM Coordinator
Western Pennsylvania Conference
United Methodist Church
140 Boone's Way
Kennerdell, PA  16374
814-498-2308 (o)
diane.miller@wpaumc.org

If you were with us yesterday at church, we celebrated another Sunday of our Commitment to Christ. This Sunday's focus centered upon Financial Giving. I'd like to thank Boyd and Sharon Brewer for their story as they shared with both worship services their joy of giving. I'd also like to thank Jill Todd for a profound reading on Extravagant Generosity by Bishop Schnase.

In Schnase's Book, "The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations," we read the following: "People who give generously to the church do so because they genuinely desire to make a positive difference for the purposes of Christ and because they want to align their lives with higher purposes. They give in response to the Spirit's urging and feel a soul-sustaining satisfaction in the sense of meaning and connection that comes with generosity."

My wife, Jennifer and I do not give under compulsion, but we tithe because we receive a soul-sustaining satisfaction that God is doing great things through the ministries of this church to the community and to the world. Our vision is loving people, loving God! When we claim the vision and can see it and dream it, then through our giving and God blessing that cheerful heart of giving, we see ministry blossom and flourish!

I am praying for you this week as you will receive a letter from our stewardship team. May you prayerfully discern where God is calling you regarding extravagant generosity. We will bring our commitment cards to worship this Sunday, November 4 and will celebrate the many things that God is doing in our life as the church here at Christ Community! Thank you for your prayerful discernment.

Last night our youth hosted Trunk or Treat! We had families from our community join us for a night of fun! Thanks to Cherie and the youth for leading such a great night! All the canned goods will go to New Hope Soup Kitchen, on the Northside of Pittsburgh.

A night of fun in Oz Hall with the Youth and Kids! 

Butler Dad made a special appearance! His hair grew too! 

Have a blessed week church and be safe. It is a honor to serve and lead as your pastor.

Commitment to Christ: Witness

Good Afternoon Church Family!

I pray you are enjoying some incredibly beautiful weather today! 70+ all week long! How awesome! Take time to revel in God's creation!

Yesterday was Laity Sunday throughout The United Methodist Church and our laity here at Christ Community did an outstanding job of leading worship! A special thank you is extended to Larry Kretzler, who shared the message at both services and to a host of other laity who participated in many ways! Our laity's gifts and graces are a joy to watch in action!

Our focus yesterday was on Commitment to Christ: Witness. Following worship, Larry invited everyone to place your commitment cards for witnessing on the plate in the rear of the sanctuary. Here are the results of your prayerful consideration of witnessing:


Commitment Cards - Week 4 - Witness

No, Today I am not ready to make a commitment. 0%
Not now, but maybe someday. 0%
Not now, but I want to with all my heart. 0%
Yes, I will share my faith sometimes. 13%
Yes, I will share my faith frequently. 25%
Yes, I will look for daily opportunities to share about Jesus.   43%
Yes, and telling others about Jesus will become a priority in my life:   19%

May the Lord continue to use you as a witness to the joy and love that is ours in Jesus Christ. May you be a light to the world!

Mark your calendars! November 4 is Ministry Celebration Sunday! We will celebrate the ministries of our Church! We will also take time to remember, with a grateful heart those lives from our church who have entered the church triumphant over the past year. I invite you to be a part of the day at the 9:26 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. worship services.

Yesterday, we celebrated the Blessing of the Animals! A special thank you is extended to Cheryl Livengood and her mom, Mary for hosting the day for our church and community! It was a beautiful day and all the pets sort of... got along!

Check out these pictures! Thanks to Mary Livengood and Alayna & Abby St. Clair for their photography!

Click on pictures to enlarge

Have a blessed week church and online community! It is an honor to serve and lead as your pastor. 

Commitment To Christ: Faithful Worship Attendance

Good Morning Church and Online Community!

Blessings to each of you this day! I hope you had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the weekend. It was such a beautiful time to enjoy this time of year. Worship was a great part of the weekend! In worship, our Committed to Christ series centered us upon Faithful Worship Attendance.
Our text came from Hebrews 10:24-25.
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Our focus was on the importance of the body never neglecting the opportunity to meet together. The necessity of stirring one another to love and good works is essential in the life of the church. It is vital to encourage one another and be present, not only physically, but in mind and spirit too. Mary Spence shared her story as to how at a moment in her life, worship was not always a priority, but when she came to Christ Community awhile back with her son Tim, the church here embraced her, stirred her to love and good works and she and Tim used their gifts in ministry to encourage each other. We thank Mary for speaking and also speaking for Tim, who had a previous engagement.

Below are the percentages our church is willing to make towards a step in commitment to faithful worship attendance! The percentages are promising! If you have not considered this commitment, I ask that you prayerfully consider taking a step forward in faithful worship attendance.

Week 3: Worship

Today, I am not ready to make a commitment 0

I will attend worship three to six times a year 0

I will attend worship once a month 0

I will attend worship twice a month                 2%

I will attend worship three times a month 2%

I will attend worship four times a month 30%

As my health permits, I will never miss worship 24%

Worship will be a priority in my life, growing to include the following… 41%

I will be passionate about worship as a true priority of my life. Bad weather, sports, or holidays will not keep me from at- tending worship. I will prepare the day before, so that I can arrive at worship without last-minute rushing. I will warmly greet those who sit around me. I will surround my friends and family with worship. Through worship I will seek to find strength, power, and direction to face the week.

Church, next Sunday is Laity Sunday and our theme will be, "Witness." 

Also, make sure you go to saribari.com this week to bid on the quilt our church ladies made! All proceeds go to Sari Bari. Thank you ladies for your effort! 

Pat McClellan spoke yesterday regarding his grandson Carson's golf outing on October 29. For more information regarding the golf outing, go to
God's Hand on Carson's Care Golf Outing 

Were you able to watch Felix Baumgartner yesterday? The world got to see history being made from the edge of going into space! 

Baumgartner, according to preliminary data, had an exit altitude of 128,100 ft, a free fall of 4 min 20 seconds. for a distance of 119,846 feet. Baumgartner achieved a maximum velocity of 373 meters per second, 833.9 miles per hour, faster than the speed of sound, or Mach 1.24. World records in many areas! Such a sight to see. Felix was passionate about his pursuit of this endeavor! 

Church, may we share the same kind of passion to stir one another to love and good works and never neglect the opportunity to meet with one another! It is a blessing to serve and lead as your pastor! 

Committed to Christ: Bible Reading

Good Afternoon Church Family,

Today was an incredible day of worship as we celebrated Worldwide Communion Sunday. At the 9:26 worship, our time of communion lifted the ministry of Kenny Hiser, missionary to India from our church. Kenny facebooked me this week and shared some of the breads that are common to the people of India. I thank Jill Todd for arranging the breads to be shared in communion! Next Sunday's Red Church offering will go to support Kenny Hiser's mission in India.

At 11:00, we celebrated the sacrament around the rail as we gave thanks for God's indescribable gift, Jesus Christ. We welcomed April Cox today on her first "official" Sunday as our new choir director.

In our message today, we centered upon 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Scripture is God-breathed and used for teaching. We connect with God in reading of the Scriptures and our able to share our hope and our salvation through the reading, hearing and sharing of God's Word.

We thank Larry Kretzler for sharing his story of the importance of Bible Reading with us at both worship services. Many of you turned in commitment cards for a life journey of Bible reading. Here are the results:


Week 2 Bible Reading

No, I am not ready to make a commitment today     0%  
No, I am not ready to start, but I want to with all my heart     0%
Yes, I will read the Bible sometimes       12%
Yes, I will read the Bible frequently      24%
Yes, I will read the Bible daily and I am ready for a structured plan of Bible reading  24%
Yes, and today I will begin reading the entire New Testament       3%
Yes, and today I will begin reading the entire Old Testament        3%
Yes, and I will sign up for a weekly small group to study the Bible together     5%
Yes, and I will look for additional opportunities to join a Bible study       7%

Reading the Bible will be a priority in my life, growing to include the following:
I will strive for my daily life to reflect the teachings of the Bible.  I will surround my family and friends the Scripture.  Through reading the Bible I will find strength, power, peace and direction to face the week.   20%

I am praying for you this week as you have committed in one or more of the areas above.

On another note, I am proud of our youth and its leaders after spending most of Saturday in Pittsburgh serving on the Northside at New Hope UMC. Great work Cherie, Kevin and youth!

It is with a sad heart that we accept the resignation of our Christian Education Director of 14 years, Mel Alston. Mel has been an integral part of the Christ Community Church staff sharing her many talents with children/youth/and adults during her time here. Mel has taken another position outside of the church and will be traveling quite extensively with Al and their son Jake, as he is being recruited for football by many colleges. We wish Mel God's greatest blessing as she journeys in a new direction and are grateful for her love and devotion for Christ Community over these last 14 years as our Christian Education Director.

Have a blessed week church family! It is an honor to serve and lead as your pastor.

Sabbath Rest

I normally take Friday's as my Sabbath. Today, I had an open day. Kids were off to school, Jenn was off to work, and I had some time to enjoy God's creation in it's fullness! Can't resist the opportunity to share what I saw at McConnell's Mill and Moraine State Parks. Great day for a hike and some kayaking!

click on the pic to enlarge

The Small Things in Life...

This past weekend allowed some quality family time. Saturday night, I got to go to the "surprise" Pirate game with Abby and on Sunday, following worship, we traveled to Deer Lakes for a cheer competition to see my niece, McKenzie from Connellsville cheer.

Following the Pirate game, Abby and I were walking to the car and Abby said, "Daddy, this was one of the best surprises of my life." Thank God for those brief moments in life that bring a lifetime of memories.