UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!!!!

Due to the departure of Dave Bjorlin (webmaster)to seminary this section is under construction.  You are free to continue to post.  We will respond as we are able.  Thanks for a job well done Dave!

Fifth Sunday Service!

Last Sunday we discussed the spiritual discipline of service, and I don't think it could have come at a better time for the church.  With the flood damage all around us, hearing about service is something we could use.  And already our church has responded.  Many people have individually helped, but we also sent out a group of people last Saturday to work in conjunction with United Way.  It's exciting to be putting hands and feet to the gospel.

And just on the heels of a message on service we are once again arriving at our Fifth Sunday Service, a chance where we get to leave the four walls of our church and bring the Church to our community!  This Sunday we will be meeting at 9, having a short time of music and scripture, and then go out into the community to help clean up after the flood, lead a service at Kentucky Ridge Assisted Living, and sing at the Alzheimer's unit of Good Shepherd.  We will then meet back at the church to share.  So, come and serve Christ as we serve our neighbors in the community!

Serving

I think this is an apropos time to be touching on the spiritual discipline of serving.  I mean, not only is this idea one of the central themes of the life of Jesus ("be a servant to all"), but it comes as such a pivotal time for our church family here at First Covenant.

First, we have had the floods that came through.  While we did not receive the damage that places like Cedar Rapids or Iowa City, the Mason City floods have left many homes damaged and almost 80 completely destroyed.  We believe that this crisis is also a perfect opportunity to serve our community.

And then, this week, we have been in the midst of VBS week (Which may explain the spelling errors if there are any here...it's been a great, tiring week!).  The theme of VBS was "God's Big Backyard," and the kids learned how to serve their friends, family, neighbors, and community as part of serving God. 

So this seems like the perfect week for us to discuss the spiritual discipline of service.  Come this Sunday and hear more about how we can become more like Christ in the area of service.

Fasting

On Sunday, Pastor Tammy discussed how fasting helped us rely on ourselves less and God more, and I found it interesting that after a message like that we would find ourselves facing the severe weather and flooding that we did.  Now, I don't think God sent floods so that we could have a sermon illustration, but it is another reminder of why we do need to be leaning on God for support at all times and how fasting helps us do this naturally.

So in the midst of all the seeming chaos that this week might entail for us, I encourage you and myself to take the message of fasting seriously, to give up something, (besides running water, which obviously wasn't given up by choice) like food up to remind us that we are not in control, to remind us that God is the Bread of Life and those who eat of it will never hunger again.

Continue to also be praying for those affected by the flooding, and all those who struggle both here and around the world with the affects of weather disasters and shortages of food and water.

Simplicity

This week we discussed the spiritual discipline of simplicity.  We discussed how Jesus' life modeled simplicity, and how it is so essential to try and live simply in the U.S. because we are so surrounded by consumerism and advertising telling us that we need more and more stuff to be truly happy and fulfilled.  In fact, true freedom comes when we reject what the kingdom of this world tells us we need and we follow what the Kingdom of God says is important: love, mercy, justice, peace, kindness, grace.

Living simply allows us to say no to the tyranny of status and also helps us to be able to share our resources with those around us in need.  So, we discussed seven ways to simplify our lives:
1. Buy things for their usefulness instead of their status.
2. Reject any addictions.
3. Give things away.
4. Learn to enjoy things without owning them.
5. Minimize debt.
6. Shun anything that keeps you from seeking God's Kingdom first.
7. Avoid anything that causes the oppression of others.

In this way we can begin our journey on simplicity.  Next week we will have a time of sharing to discuss one thing we did this week to simplify our lives.