E-Note From Pastor Andy 3-5-15

March 5, 2015

Dear Eastridge Church,

This week Josh and I have been traveling to Hutchinson each day to attend meetings for pastors.  The meetings have been pretty intense and lasting all day with homework.  Needless to say I’m pretty tired but one of my homework assignments was to share a vision for our church.  Here is what I shared today

I have a dream...

To see the church, experience the healing of God’s transforming Grace to become one family, Jews and Gentiles under one Lord King Jesus.

I have a dream to see the church reflect the community where we live. 

I have a dream to see Sunday morning NOT remain the most segregated time in America.  Over 90% of American churches draw 90% of their people from one ethnic group and only about 8% of American churches can be called multi ethnic or multi-racial.

I have a dream like the apostle Paul who laid down one of the most brilliant lines in the history of mankind, which reveals God to grand social experiment called a church.   These lines reveal what God wants the church to be and therefore how the Christian life is to be understood.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile (ethnic),

Neither slave nor free (social or socio-economic class),

Nor is there a male or female (gender).

Why is there no ordering of life on the basis of ethnicity class or gender?

(Because) you are all one in Christ Jesus.  Galatians 3:28

I have a dream to see the "differents" gets connected, to see the “unlikes” form a fellowship and the formerly segregated become integrated.  They are to be one in Christ Jesus who holds the "differents" together.

There are different cultures, there are different socioeconomic classes, and there are different genders.  And there are different educations, incomes, kinds of work done, and preferences in music and art, worship style and sermon length.  And they are all together at the table, thrashing it out with one another.  That thrashing it out is what the church is about — and that is what the Christian life is all about: learning to love one another, by the power of God’s grace, so we can flourish as the people of God in this world.  

May our church be questionable, may our lives be questionable as we live out this new community dream (1 Peter 3:15).  Let’s be the church that God has called us to be!

Prayer

On Saturday morning at 9am Pastor Daniel leads a prayer meeting.  On Sunday morning at 8:30am Pastor Josh will lead a prayer meeting before the morning worship service.

Movie Night

Pastor Daniel and Gloria are having a movie night at the church where they are showing Courageous on March 7^th at 5PM

Board Meeting

Sunday afternoon at 4:30 we will have our monthly board meeting.

Easter Egg Hunt/Easter Breakfast

We are planning on having our annual Easter Egg Hunt at the church on Easter Sunday, April 5^th.  We will need small wrapped candy donations again and this year we are going to make the plastic eggs available for you to take home and fill the eggs with candy.  This will cut down our time stuffing eggs.  On Saturday March 28 at noon Stephanie will be serving lunch while we gather to stuff eggs with candy.

The Stewards are planning on having an Easter Breakfast before the morning service at 9:15-9:45.  We will have more details in the next few weeks.

Easter is one of our big four outreach events to invite people to attend the services who do not have a church home.  I encourage you to pray about who you may invite to join you on Easter Sunday this year.

Prayer request

Diana Haworth had surgery yesterday where they discovered tumors on her liver baseball and golf ball size.  We need to continue to remember Diana and Pastor Will in prayer.

I received word this week from Larry Arnett, here is what he reported: Judy has water on the lungs with cancer present in the exterior lining; cancer showed 10- quarter size spots on the liver; numerous nodules on/across frontal and side portions of the abdominal cavity; and some spots on the right pelvic bone area.  The doctor was “shocked” at how fast this occurred. 

Prime Time Banquet

On April 24^th 6PM at Wichita First Church of the Nazarene, The Burchfield Brothers will be in concert at the banquet.  The cost for the tickets is $13/per person. 

MNU Night at Worlds of Fun

MNU Night at Worlds of Fun is Friday, April 24th, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.  This event will once again be one of the many fun-filled activities of our MAX event.  Join in the great times of fellowship and support for MidAmerica Nazarene University to make it a wonderful 41st year!  By attending this year’s MNU Night at Worlds of Fun, you will not only have fun, but will help present and future students attend MNU.

Visit www.mnu.edu/worldsoffun to order your ticket online.  Online tickets are printed instantly from your home or office, so be sure to have a printer handy. No refunds or credit will be issued for unused online tickets.  Online tickets are $26.50 (plus tax) prior to Wednesday, April 4, and $30.00 (plus tax) after April 4

Favorite Quotes of the Week

“Faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain. Imagine what it can do in your marriage.” – Tony Evans

“May today there be peace within.  May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.”  - Teresa of Ávila

I’m looking forward to worshipping with you on Sunday,

Pastor Andy