It was a good service this morning. We talked a bit about missionaries to day, mostly that we are considering supporting (or helping support) a missionary heading over to Japan. We also had a short video about the pastor training academy we help support in the Philippines. We're still a pretty young church, but we're starting to get more involved in evangelism and missions, and that's good.
Today was the church picnic, but I missed it to spend time with my brother. He lives a couple hours away and occasionally comes into the city and we have supper together or something. It's a nice chance to catch up and build our relationship. I like having family this close. Now if I can just get the rest to move out this way! My dad, my sister, and a couple of the kids are coming out this way in a month or so; maybe I can convince them to stay.
Sunday 25 June 2017
Friday 23 June 2017
A Story for You
When Mum was visiting, she brought me a pile of stuff from my childhood, including some stuff that I had written in grade 7. I thought I should share, so I bring you this amazing piece of literature:
The Kangaroo
The kangaroo was very vain. Now you may wonder what he had to be vain about, because he wasn't very pretty, or smart. But he was vain. You see, the kangaroo was the best jumper in the jungle. Now, everyone knew that because he was always bragging. Even at the rabbit's wedding!
"You may get married, but I can hop faster," he said.
Finally, the rabbit went up to him and said, "I think you brag too much."
The kangaroo just gasped, and lunged at the rabbit. The rabbit hopped as fast as he could, but the kangaroo went faster. Ahead was a wall. The rabbit jumped up, and what he saw made his heart miss a beat. Down he jumped, barely missing the wall, and what was behind it.
Up came the kangaroo, and sailed over the wall. Splash! [in the original, I drew water drops around the word Splash!] He landed in an alligator pool! The rabbit hopped over the wall again, while the kangaroo splashed around wildly, and full of fear. When he got out, he never bragged again.
Moral: Look before you leap!
There you go: amazing literature from a younger me. Can you believe I only got 8.5/10 on that? It may be because there are no jungles in Australia (although there are rain forests). There are also no alligators in Australia. I probably lost marks because of geographical confusion.
The Kangaroo
The kangaroo was very vain. Now you may wonder what he had to be vain about, because he wasn't very pretty, or smart. But he was vain. You see, the kangaroo was the best jumper in the jungle. Now, everyone knew that because he was always bragging. Even at the rabbit's wedding!
"You may get married, but I can hop faster," he said.
Finally, the rabbit went up to him and said, "I think you brag too much."
The kangaroo just gasped, and lunged at the rabbit. The rabbit hopped as fast as he could, but the kangaroo went faster. Ahead was a wall. The rabbit jumped up, and what he saw made his heart miss a beat. Down he jumped, barely missing the wall, and what was behind it.
Up came the kangaroo, and sailed over the wall. Splash! [in the original, I drew water drops around the word Splash!] He landed in an alligator pool! The rabbit hopped over the wall again, while the kangaroo splashed around wildly, and full of fear. When he got out, he never bragged again.
Moral: Look before you leap!
There you go: amazing literature from a younger me. Can you believe I only got 8.5/10 on that? It may be because there are no jungles in Australia (although there are rain forests). There are also no alligators in Australia. I probably lost marks because of geographical confusion.
Sunday 18 June 2017
Sunday Notes
Today was good. It's always a bit strange to switch to "summer church" since we leave over a hour later (for most of the year, Sunday School starts at 9:30 and the service at 10:45; for the summer, we keep the service time by don't have Sunday School). It makes for a longer pre-service morning. I wonder if anyone showed up at 9:30 for Sunday School this morning?
The service was good. We're still in 1 Corinthians 7, but we're switching things up for a while starting next week. Pastor Mike will take over, and he's going through Ephesians. He's going to be preaching for 8 weeks, and then the new missionary we plan to support will be here for a Sunday. It will be late August/early September before we get back to (and finish) chapter 7. I've been loving it, of course, because it's about marriage without glorifying it, and about the benefits to singleness. It's about so much more, as well: about being content where God has put you; about being Christ-focused instead of world-focused; about looking at all of what Scripture says about a topic instead of just what you like.
We just started talking about planning for Sunday School, because it's been a whole week since we finished! It seems like the work never stops, but the truth is that I'll do some stuff this month (mostly wrapping things up and talking to people about teaching in the fall), and then let it go for most of July. Then in August, I'll start ramping things up again for our start in September.
And now it's just a quiet afternoon.
The service was good. We're still in 1 Corinthians 7, but we're switching things up for a while starting next week. Pastor Mike will take over, and he's going through Ephesians. He's going to be preaching for 8 weeks, and then the new missionary we plan to support will be here for a Sunday. It will be late August/early September before we get back to (and finish) chapter 7. I've been loving it, of course, because it's about marriage without glorifying it, and about the benefits to singleness. It's about so much more, as well: about being content where God has put you; about being Christ-focused instead of world-focused; about looking at all of what Scripture says about a topic instead of just what you like.
We just started talking about planning for Sunday School, because it's been a whole week since we finished! It seems like the work never stops, but the truth is that I'll do some stuff this month (mostly wrapping things up and talking to people about teaching in the fall), and then let it go for most of July. Then in August, I'll start ramping things up again for our start in September.
And now it's just a quiet afternoon.
Sunday 11 June 2017
Sunday Notes
Today was the last day of Sunday School, and now we're on our summer break. I gave the kids their final exam. The rules are that they must answer all questions correctly, and they can't ask anyone over 15 for help. Then, after explaining that, we did most of it together and I wrote the answers on the board for them. It was fun. We wrapped up with a nice snack of worms in dirt (in honor of Martin Luther and the Diet of Wourms) and now we're done. I love my class, but I'm also looking forward to a break.
Today will also be the last Bible Study, and last Wednesday was the last counseling class. Things are winding down for summer, and I'm already planning for fall!
The sermon was really good today, and just what I needed. I'm going to have to listen to it again this week (maybe more than once).
This is why I like expository preaching over topical sermons (although I don't mind the occasional topical sermon): eventually, James (or Mike) will preach on exactly the passage I need that day (frequently, actually, because all of Scripture is useful and because God is good and uses my pastors for our growth and His glory). If they didn't preach through books, I think a lot of topics would be missed. This way, eventually they will preach on everything (although it will take years to get through the Bible!).
Here is a hymn for today:
Today will also be the last Bible Study, and last Wednesday was the last counseling class. Things are winding down for summer, and I'm already planning for fall!
The sermon was really good today, and just what I needed. I'm going to have to listen to it again this week (maybe more than once).
This is why I like expository preaching over topical sermons (although I don't mind the occasional topical sermon): eventually, James (or Mike) will preach on exactly the passage I need that day (frequently, actually, because all of Scripture is useful and because God is good and uses my pastors for our growth and His glory). If they didn't preach through books, I think a lot of topics would be missed. This way, eventually they will preach on everything (although it will take years to get through the Bible!).
Here is a hymn for today:
Monday 5 June 2017
Sunday Notes
Yes, yes, I know it's Monday. Yesterday sort of got away from me. I meant to write in the afternoon, but got distracted by things. Then I had a family from the church over for dinner and to spend the evening. It was a lot of fun, and I totally forgot after that I hadn't written anything.
Yesterday ended my Reformation lessons. We talked about John Calvin. At the end, he was ill and had to be carried to church to preach. The students wondered how he could preach if he couldn't stand, and I pointed out that he could sit to preach; standing wasn't a law or anything. It's just easier to preach if you're standing because then you're higher than the congregation (and you can be seen and heard better).
This led to a discussion about how our pastors could sit to preach. The seat would have to be very high, and they would need stairs to reach it. Or, one student said, the chair could be lowered from the ceiling, with the pastor on it. I'm not sure what the pastors would think about that!
There's only one more Sunday School left before we break for summer. I have mixed feelings: I love teaching and there's so much left to teach them. At the same time, I'm ready for a break.
This hymn was new to me this week, Enjoy!
Yesterday ended my Reformation lessons. We talked about John Calvin. At the end, he was ill and had to be carried to church to preach. The students wondered how he could preach if he couldn't stand, and I pointed out that he could sit to preach; standing wasn't a law or anything. It's just easier to preach if you're standing because then you're higher than the congregation (and you can be seen and heard better).
This led to a discussion about how our pastors could sit to preach. The seat would have to be very high, and they would need stairs to reach it. Or, one student said, the chair could be lowered from the ceiling, with the pastor on it. I'm not sure what the pastors would think about that!
There's only one more Sunday School left before we break for summer. I have mixed feelings: I love teaching and there's so much left to teach them. At the same time, I'm ready for a break.
This hymn was new to me this week, Enjoy!
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