I filled in as Chaplain this morning at our local hospital and then made a trip to an out of town hospital to call on someone from one of my churches, therefore these musings are coming out much later than normal. As for my musings …

-Yesterday I felt like I was swimming upstream  while I was preaching. It went well, but it felt like it was a struggle. Even when I practiced and preached to the empty sanctuary early in the morning it was not easy. There are days like that, fortunately they are not the norm.

-There are many people in my churches who are wrestling with some major things in their families. From strained relationships, to misunderstandings, to job questions and significant physical problems. The prayer list grows, fortunately God is bigger than all our struggles.

-Last week I got to spend a couple of days learning about and working on church planting. It was a challenging and encouraging time. I also got to spend a couple of days with 4 friends from college. We met our freshman year, have remained friends for all these years and we get together for a couple of days every year. I love those guys and it is awesome to see how God has worked in each of our lives and is still working. There was a lot of laughter, a lot of food, a lot of firewood used as we sat outside around a fire for many of the hours we were together and there were even a few tears as we shared with each other.   

-Last week was kind of a big deal for another reason. My Chicago Cubs won the World Series. I have been a lifelong Cubs fan and the playoffs were awesome and excruciating at the same time. I don’t have any experience in having my team win the World Series (or even be in the Series for that matter) but I am loved it. Wait till next year has a whole new meaning this off season.   

-We had good attendance at my 9:00 church and a little below our average at my 10:30 church and the report I received is the third church had a very good day.

-My son and his family are heading toward their new missionary assignment later this week. We are hopeful to skype with them sometime this week. After they arrive in their new location communication will be sporadic. 3 years is a very long time, that is the length of this term of service and how long it is likely to be before they make it back to the states. Time to pray a little harder.

-Last week I concluded an 8 week study with a discipleship group. This was our second 8 week study and now they are looking for someone to come alongside and guide in following Christ. I loved our discussions and their questions. God is up to something good around here and I can’t wait to be a part of the movement.

-I am struggling this year with my Christmas message series. Usually I have it all laid out by now. Not sure what that means.    

-This Sunday we are making a concerted effort to bring our unchurched friends to church in all 3 of my churches. I am looking forward to what God is going to do this Sunday.

Here’s hoping that you are looking forward to God moving in your life and church this week.

Dennis

Yesterday was a very fun and encouraging day, at least most of it was encouraging.  Yesterday I heard from 4 people from a couple of different churches I used to pastor. They gave encouraging words and reminders of great times. As for my musings …

-The elementary children of my 10:30 church helped us in worship by leading one of our songs.  I am singing the song as I type this and picturing the motions. Loved their energy. I may, or may not, be doing the motions in my office right now.    

-I am going to a church planting training conference this week. I went to one part of it last year and this year will complete the other half. We are praying about starting something in a couple of areas near us.

-My 10:30 church did something each Sunday this month for us and my Associate and his wife for Pastor Appreciation. Then they also had a carry-in meal as part of the celebration. I am so humbled by all these expressions of appreciation. I am a very fortunate pastor with the people I am blessed to serve.    

-Had a very good time of prayer yesterday morning. That always helps the sermon get better.

-I looked around yesterday during worship at my 9:00 and 10:30 churches and was struck by how many people have been going through some trying circumstances recently. I also thought through times of praying for them and in some cases praying with them. I was struck by their perseverance.    

-Yesterday we examined the connection between faith and hope.

-Attendance was down a little at both churches yesterday.

-And my fantasy team lost yesterday. The playoffs are looking like “wait until next year”. On a positive note the Cubs stayed alive in the World Series by winning last night.

-I am encouraged by what I am being told of people inviting neighbors and friends to church and some of these invitations are creating great conversations.     

-Feeling an almost overwhelming burden to see more people live out the faith they claim. This burden has been driving my prayer times recently.

-Yesterday afternoon I participated in an Installation Service in a church in a neighboring town. I was on both the receiving and giving end of the installation. I recently agreed to oversee/lead a 3^rd church. That church will have a “campus pastor” that I will mentor and oversee. It was a real honor to pray over and officially install the campus pastor. We can’t keep doing things the way we have always done them. It is time to get creative in our organization and in our ministries to reach our world for Christ. I have rarely shied away from trying something new. After all, I can rest when my time here on earth is done.

Here’s hoping that you see the new thing God is doing in your life and embrace the change.

Dennis

Yesterday was a very full day with some great moments, some confusing moments and some difficult moments. Let’s get to the musings …

-It was great to be back worshipping with the people in my churches. It was great to be gone last Sunday and it was great to be back. I love my people and I love being their pastor.  

-It was awesome to see several people stand and make a choice toward hope. They stood to commit to reach for the hope that Christ has already provided for them. They chose hope so that they can break out of whatever is keeping them from living as God intends for them to live.

-It was great to have new people attending in both churches.

-In the afternoon my wife and I attended the celebration at another church a few miles away who were celebrating the 75^th anniversary of that church and its ministries. There was a small group 75 years ago who committed to bringing the love of Jesus and the message of salvation to that community and they stuck it out in some difficult times. We won’t know, this side of heaven, all the lives changed because of the courage and faithfulness of that small group in that small town. Wherever you are serving remember that your ministry is not just for those you are currently serving, but also for those who will come in the future.   

-In the evening I met with another church that I am coaching through some church health issues. It was a full day, but one with many moments of encouragement. Just realized that I was in 4 different churches yesterday.

-Yesterday was one of those Sundays where many people arrived late. What the attendance was when the service was about to start was much different than what it was when the service finished. That messes with me.   

-For those of you keeping track, my fantasy football team won this week.

-I was grateful that my daughter and son in law made it back safely from their mission trip.

-My discipleship group is passionately digging into God’s Word and asking tough questions of themselves. I am loving watching them wrestle with things and seeing the growth in their relationship with the Lord.

-I am struggling with direction for our Christmas focus this year. Not sure at this point exactly what my sermon theme is going to be, and I don’t like being this close to Christmas without knowing.

-I participated in a 20^th anniversary renewal of wedding vows on Saturday. That was fun.

-It is time, past time is more accurate, to get in much better physical shape. I had conversations with 4 other pastors this past week who are feeling the same need for themselves. It is time to do something about it. Here’s hoping they will join me and we can help each other.

-I am praying fervently for some people who are struggling with the loss of loved ones. It is going to be more pronounced with the holidays approaching.    

-It looks like I am going to be able to take my regular day off this week. My wife and I will be able to spend the day together. We haven’t been able to do that for a few weeks.

Here’s hoping that you will choose hope this week and that you will share that hope with someone else.

Dennis

Yesterday was a very relaxing and refreshing day. Why? The main reason was that I was on vacation. The secondary reason is that my wife I were in Iowa taking care of (sometimes it was the other way around) 3 of our grandkids while their parents are on a mission trip. The third reason was that I was not worried in the least about my churches because I have such great people serving with me. As for my musings …

-Yesterday I went to church as a visitor. That is always an interesting experience for a pastor. To enter a place you don’t know, of course I had the advantage of having 3 grandkids who knew their way around. It made me realize some things we do well at my churches and some things we need to improve.   

-I really enjoyed the whole worship experience at the church we attended. It is a church focused on the needs of young families and college students. I definitely felt my age looking around the worship center. I loved the music and the message was good.

-The service we went to was at 8:45, yes that is in the AM. My grandkids don’t sleep in, so it was easy to be ready and on time (actually early). The place was packed with college students and young families.

-As much as I needed some time away and some refreshing I still missed the people in my churches.

-I am already working on this Sunday’s message even though I am still on vacation and I am excited to preach this message.   

-I am loving that my wife and I are able stay with the grandkids and help my daughter and son in law go and serve in Africa for a time. But I am not fooled, I know that taking care of a 4, 6 and 9 year old for 5 or 6 days is nothing compared to everyday parenting. I love being a grandparent and I especially love being a grandparent watching my kids and kids in law be such great parents.

-Looking forward to enjoying this special time with my grandkids for another day and a half. Because when I get home my first 5 days are absolutely packed and I am looking forward to it. I love being a pastor.

-It is really easy when I am at another church on a Sunday to go into evaluation mode instead just participate. Yesterday I was able to really worship.

-My prayer list is really growing. Fortunately, God is able to handle all that burdens me and more.    

-It is looking like my fantasy team may lose another one.

Here’s hoping that you find something to refresh your spirit this week.

Dennis

Yesterday was a tough one, but it finished well. As for my musings …

-There was a definite lack of energy in both churches yesterday.

-I did a horrible job preaching yesterday. The good news is that God’s Word still works even when I don’t explain it well. More good news is that God is not dependent on my ability.

-It is a very good thing that I am getting some days away. My wife and I left town yesterday afternoon and are at a retreat with several other pastors and spouses. It is a beautiful setting and the relaxing and refreshing have already begun. I love getting time to just relax with my gorgeous wife.

-The sermon yesterday was on choosing hope in the midst of pain or suffering. I was so burdened to get the message across to my people because it is such a timely and needed message.

-I think my fantasy football team is going to pull out the win this week. My opponent still has 2 players in tonight’s game but my lead is pretty big. If I do hold on for the win it will end a 3 week losing streak.

-My son, daughter in law and 2 grandkids made it back to Kenya safely this week. In just over a month they will move to the Central Africa Republic to begin a new ministry among a mostly unreached people group.

-Attendance at both churches was very low.

-Had a great time of discovery and discussion in my discipleship group this past week. I love that group.

-Heavy hearted over the burdens that many people in my churches are carrying. Some of them are carrying their own and others are carrying burdens of those they love. The prayer list grows.

-Very thankful for people in my churches who give their time and efforts so enthusiastically and generously. I am more appreciative of them than I can possibly express. Without them our church would grind to a halt.

-I loved the weather this weekend. It was long sleeve weather in the mornings and shorts in the afternoon type weather. Unfortunately it makes trying to get the church building’s temperature at an acceptable level very difficult.

-This is going to be a little shorter than normal as I head out of for the retreat time with my wife and as well as some great friends.

Here’s hoping that you have a great week full of hope.

Dennis

Yesterday was a good, but difficult day. There were wonderful moments, there were great conversations, there was a tremendous time of worship and there were still sobering moments as well. As for my musings …

-Started a new sermon series yesterday entitled “I Choose Hope”. In this time of so much uncertainty, turmoil and torrent of words of despair rushing at us we need to know that there is hope. Hope is real and available but you need to choose to live in this hope.   

-We had a special moment of the presence of God in the worship at our 9:00 church. I stopped what was planned and asked those who needed a touch of God in a difficult situation in life to stand and we had a meaningful time of prayer. God is moving and trying to get our attention.   

-The time of singing in my 10:30 church was powerful and I really felt the touch of God as people sang with conviction.

-It is beginning to get very real that my son, daughter in law and 2 of our grandkids are heading back to Africa very soon (tomorrow). It has been great to have them in our house even when we weren’t doing anything together just hearing and seeing them has been a blessing. It has been a blessing to look out on the congregation and see them worshiping with us a few times. I am excited for them as they obediently follow God’s call to reach people with the Gospel, but humanly I struggle as I watch them pack and return.  

-My fantasy team lost again. Yes, I still have a player playing tonight, but I am too far behind for a kicker to pull out the victory.

-There have been some special blessings from several people in the past few days. Words of appreciation and encouragement. There have been some special moments of talking with people in both of my churches as they have shared what is happening in their life.

-Yesterday morning was a very rushed morning.   We had some technical glitches again and because of how busy the week had been there was a fair amount of last minute hustling to get everything ready for the day. In spite of those things God showed up and moved in our worship times.

-I have been encouraged by some conversations with some other pastors recently. I have been lifted by some and I have been able to do the lifting with others. It is great to be able to share with others who serve as pastors.

-Really looking forward to a few days away in the coming weeks.

-Excited to watch, or listen to, some playoff baseball beginning this week.

-Really burdened for many people facing some difficult decisions.

-Very excited to teach my next discipleship lesson with my group on the subject of accountability. I don’t know if they are excited or not.

-Praying for sensitivity this week for people who need to know that there is hope for them and whatever they are facing.

Here’s hoping that you will choose hope and pass it on this week.

Dennis

Awesome! Yesterday was full of awesome moments. It was a day of new beginnings, a day of celebration, a day of new life, a day of encouragement and a day of powerful worship. Before I give everything away that happened yesterday, here are my musings …

-We baptized 4 in my 10:30 church and then in the afternoon 1 from my 9:00 church was baptized. Hearing each of them share their personal testimony was so powerful. I bounced from tears to joy to cheers. Then I got to have the best position in the building as I baptized each of them and saw the joy on their face as they came out of the water. I am still pumped this morning as I think of each one. I love baptisms.   

-I was very encouraged by the number of people in attendance at the invitation of those being baptized. Every one of them got to witness the baptism celebration. Everyone who was in attendance heard the gospel through the testimony of each one who got baptized. Those words likely had a stronger impact than anything I said. Praying for fruit from the witness of all who shared.

-I love the cooperation developing between my 9:00 and 10:30 churches.

-There were a couple of people who made a decision to accept Jesus in worship at my 10:30 church. Time to schedule another baptism service. There were 2 other people who told me that they would like to be baptized after witnessing the baptisms yesterday.

-I administered a church health survey at another church in a nearby town yesterday evening. I love being a part of churches that want to make a difference in their community and the world.  

-This coming Sunday will be a very special day. My son and daughter in law will be speaking at both my 9:00 and 10:30 churches. They will be sharing about the ministry they have been involved in for the past 3 years in Kenya and about the new ministry they will be starting as they return to Africa. The new ministry will be in Central Africa Republic.   

-I had the honor of praying with a family as they went through the final hours of a loved one’s life in my role as Chaplain at the local hospital. That is 3 times in 4 weeks. It is difficult but also an honor.

-My fantasy football team got beat yesterday.

-We had very good attendance at both churches yesterday.

-As I listen to a family cleaning the church this morning, I am reminded that we have many people who volunteer every week.  Some of what they do is seen by many and a lot of what people do is seen by very few and yet they continue to serve. That is backbone of the church.   

-I have been encouraged by the number of people telling about friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates and family members that they have been inviting to join them in worship.

-I loved overhearing someone telling a new family about the exciting things taking place in our church.

-Yesterday we had 7 youth in Small group/Sunday School at my 10:30 church. That is after having 9 last Sunday. For us that is a really big deal and a sign that we are finally beginning to get something going with youth. We also had about 25 (not exactly sure of the number) children in attendance during worship.

Here’s hoping that you recognize some things to celebrate this week.

Dennis

Yesterday was another day of great contrasts. The key is what I choose to focus on as I evaluate the day. As for my musings …

-The spirit, and obvious presence of the Lord, in my 10:30 church was awesome! There were moments of people spontaneously coming to the altar to pray or praise. There were moments of people moving toward others to encourage them. There were powerful times of prayer. The congregation was very engaged and seemed very attentive during the message. There were also those who left the service well rested.  

-We had a great time of sharing communion at my 9:00 church. One person told me afterward that they had a very powerful God moment while receiving communion. Can’t ask for much more than that as a pastor.

-Loved seeing some new people getting involved in serving.

-My fantasy football team won this week. I know that there are still a couple of games left in the week but I already have it wrapped up.  

-I received a text over the weekend that a group of people from my 10:30 church were going to start meeting in the sanctuary for prayer early on Sundays. Yes, yes, yes, that certainly encouraged me. Nothing but good things can come from this happening.

-We had 5 in our 5:30 am prayer time today.

-My TV service went wonky yesterday and kept going out sporadically. The first Sunday of NFL was not a good time for that to happen.

-We had 9 youth in Sunday School/small group yesterday in my 10:30 church. That is a significant number for us and at 9:30 in the morning to boot.

-Had some moments of frustration in realizing that some people have a very different agenda for the church than has already been agreed upon. Comes with the territory regularly as a pastor but it is still frustrating. Time to put on my big boy pants and carry on while fiercely loving those people. The frustration is not that we don’t agree on everything, we will never agree on everything. The frustration is that after ample discussion in the past there was an agreement from all concerned and now there are questions and seeking to change things they just agreed upon.

-This coming Sunday I get the privilege to baptize people in both of my churches. I love baptisms. I love hearing people’s faith journey and witnessing the joy on their face as they come out of the water. There are going to be some cheers going up around here next Sunday.  

-My wife once again came through in a major way when someone didn’t show up for a major commitment. She changed her schedule and stepped in and served well. She is awesome!

-My heart is breaking over the sudden death of a fellow pastor and someone I have known since college days. Gone way too soon, in my opinion. I am praying much for his wife and daughter and for that church in this loss.

-I am currently working on some additional discipleship material and am excited to share it and see those people pass it on.

Here’s hoping you sense God’s presence and His pleasure today.

Dennis

Yesterday was a great day of worship, meaningful communion, people at the altar, new people in attendance, fun fellowship at a fantasy football draft, a challenging time of vision planning and a pleasant meal at a local park with my beautiful wife. What a great day! As for my musings … 

-At my 9:00 church we had several at the altar and many coming to support and encourage them in prayer. God is moving in people’s hearts in Canton.

-At my 10:30 church we experienced a very meaningful time of worship and concluded our worship sharing communion together. Yes, God is definitely moving in people’s hearts in Canton.

-We had a couple of new people in attendance at my 10:30 church.

-We have had to add another children’s Sunday School class/Small group at my 10:30 church. A room that had become a storeroom was cleaned out last week so this could happen. From birth through elementary school we had 2 groups 2 years ago, now we have 4!!!  

-A group of 10 guys from my 10:30 church gathered for a Fantasy Football draft at noon yesterday. It was a very fun and lively time. Looking forward to the season and the conversation (otherwise known as “trash talking”) as the head to head competition begins. I am fearful that my team might need some divine intervention.

-Later in the afternoon I had a surprisingly encouraging meeting about some vision planning. God sure does move in some surprising ways at times. I love that serving God is never boring and is always worth it.

-We have had 2 weeks in a row of glitch free sound in my 10:30 church. The issues in my 9:00 church continued but we think we know the problem and should have it improved soon.

-We had my son, daughter in law and their 2 youngest with us for 4 days last week. That was so enjoyable. They are now on a 3 week tour of some churches sharing about their ministry in Africa and seeing some family and old friends. They will be back here and sharing in my two churches at the end of the month. Then a week later they will be headed back to Africa for 3 years.

-The month of September is really full of great things taking place in my churches. Every Sunday has something significant taking place.

-Yesterday after everything was finished my wife and I grabbed some food and headed to one of our local parks to eat. We sat at picnic table where we could see a lake and near a walking path so we could do some people watching as well. We had a wonderful time of talking, relaxing, engaging with people walking by and it was a great finish to a very busy week.  

-Looking forward to a couple of days with nothing scheduled.

Here’s hoping you find some time this week to rest, reflect and refresh.

Dennis