Archives For Ministry

Sunday Review | 2010.12.12

12.12.2010 — 4 Comments

On this third Sunday of Advent we emphasized the word “JOY” and the Christmas story as recorded in Matthew 1:18-25.

Sermon audio here.

Yesterday was our first LOVE SHIP opportunity. Our first LOVE SHIP event included passing out 288 double-rolls of Scotch tape at various locations around Shippensburg. We included one of our “connection cards” with each of the tape-packs and wished passersby “Merry Christmas”. We’re already brainstorming what our next LOVE SHIP event will look like!

I’ve added here the images that I showed on-screen during the opening illustration regarding the instruction manual for raising children:

In General, Images, Ministry
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Sunday Review | 2010.12.05

12.5.2010 — Leave a comment

Advent week number 2 today. With it came week number two of our Advent Series, “Come Together”. The message was simply entitled, “Peace” and revolved around the story of the message of peace as it was delivered to the shepherds.

Sermon audio is here.

Right after church we attempted a family-photoshoot utilizing our Christmas-decorated stage. I haven’t yet seen the photos that were taken by one of our church-friends, but I’m hoping that a one or two turn out and we can share it with the world!

I announced again this morning our “Love Ship” opportunity that we are embarking on this coming Saturday afternoon. I am excited to see how the Lord uses us in a unique way!

In Family, General, Ministry
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Sunday Review | 2010.11.28

11.28.2010 — 4 Comments

This morning was the first Sunday of Advent and as such we began our Advent series entitled, Come Together. I preached the first message entitled, “Take Hope” and we learned from the interaction between Mary and Gabriel that we have a hope that can get us through the hopelessness that our culture focuses much attention on.

This morning’s sermon audio is available here.

It was also an exciting morning to reveal our sanctuary Christmas decorations. The sermon series “Come Together” made me want to transform our sanctuary into a place where we come together around Christmastime. What started as a brainstorm quickly transformed into some chicken-scratches on a sheet of paper. I shared the vision/ideas with a few people and they helped me transform our stage into a real-life living room!

I am VERY proud of what we were able to come up with!

I filmed another time lapse video of our sanctuary-decorating, too:


I’m looking forward to the next 3-Sundays as we continue the Advent season and anticipate the coming of Christ!

In Images, Ministry, Videos
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Sunday Review | 2010.11.21

11.21.2010 — Leave a comment

We had a great morning at Shippensburg First Wesleyan. I delivered a message entitled, “Christian Wish List” and focused on 5 gifts we should be asking God to bless us with – not just around the Christmas Season, but at all times.

The text was from Paul’s letter to the church at Colosae: Colossians 1:3-14.

In my Sunday School class this morning, our DVD study discussed Jehovah’s Witnesses and we had some interesting dialog surrounding their beliefs and previous interactions some of us have had with them. I created a booklet-style handout for everyone in the class from some of the materials I had. I’m including that here in PDF format for anyone who may be interested.

After church we enjoyed a restful afternoon and then began decorating for Christmas early this evening here at home. We got our pre-lit tree in the beginning-stages of “together” before we realized it was a lost cause and had to put our 6-year-old tree out for the trash. A quick-run to Wal-Mart with Ella netted us a brand-new and better-looking tree that will hopefully last us at LEAST another 6-years if we take good care of it.

Our yearly tradition of recording our decorating process and family prayer via timelapse video was carried on again this year and it will be available here soon!

In Family, General, Linkage, Ministry
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Sunday Review – 2010.11.14

11.14.2010 — 1 Comment

Today was our 18th Sunday at Shippensburg First Wesleyan! I don’t know why the number 18 is significant, but I was excited to celebrate 18 today!

I preached a sermon entitled “Life Rhythm” this morning based on God’s design for us to live in rhythm and command for us to take Sabbath.

I am learning again and again how quickly I can over work and overwhelm myself with busy-work, but that in order to be a healthy Christian, husband, father and pastor, I need to remember to take time for recovery just as Jesus practiced and taught!

The last thing my family or this church needs is a burned-out Stevan! The lesson is for all of us and we as Christians need to live lives of rhythm: not always on or always off!

I’m heading into a very busy week and will need to deliberately make time for rhythm this week. On Wednesday I’m leading the Bible Study at my dad’s church, Jess and I have pastoral-training on Thursday all day and on Friday I’m speaking at a youth rally in Hyde, PA. I’m looking forward to the heavy schedule and travel-miles, but need to make time to accomplish a list of other things AND stay refreshed and renewed for the sake of myself, family and church!

In Family, General, Ministry
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