Tulsa Workshops, etc.
Hello all,
I finally remembered how to sign in to the Blog. It has been a while. I kept checking for entries to read, though. Well enough on that.
We were blessed to attend the Soul Winning Workshop this year. I now understand Dan's and Tim's enthusiasm about it. Excellent speakers, excellent singing, etc.................................................
I ran into Garreth on Friday evening and Sharon and I got to talk with him for a while. We spotted Jerry Hill from Timothy Hill Children's Ranch on Saturday evening and he set with us during the Worship time. I wish you guys could have made it. We live approx. 20 minutes from the Expo Center.
We are plugged into a church family now. We kind of avoided this church because of its history and some words of other people. But a funny thing happened! We had an ice storm the week after Thanksgiving and Collinsville church of Christ was the only church in the entire area that did not cancel worship. We went and were surrounded by people. You would have thought that we were former members returning after a long absence. Well, we decided to give it a try and have dug in roots. Sharon has helped with the young kids chorus as they readied for a leadership conference where they earned several awards. I have so far not said yes (but the day is coming) to the numerous attempts to get me to teach a class, but do lead singing about every fourth Wednesday evening. We participate in the small group ministry (not really small, more of a fellowship group).
I think the thing that is most impressive about the congregation is the ministry to the community. They have a food pantry that is open several days a week to anyone in need. The local schools and even some other churches (including the Catholics) donate can goods to the cause. The church hosts the Good Samaritan Van once a month to provide free medical care to those needing it. We have neighbors down the street that had medical difficulties (Emily has cancer and peter had a car wreck) recently and an elder and his wife stepped in to provide food an rides for them. The church had a "clothing and stuff" give away a couple of Sundays ago and it made such an impact that they opened again on Friday and the local paper wrote an article to advertise it for free.
I talked with a police officer last night in my driveway (he is from Maine and saw our Massachusetts plates when we first moved in and introduced himself) and the conversation turned to church. I told him where we worship and he said he is very impressed with what the church does for the community. He is Catholic and his wife is pentecostal so he doesn't worship anywhere right now. I told him he would be welcome at our church and would not be judged because he comes form a different denomination. He laughed and said, " yea isn't funny how different groups decide everyone else is going to hell." Then his radio beckoned and he had to go. Who knows where it will lead.
I say all of this as encouragement that if you get involved in ministering to the community people will notice. It does not have to start out as a big thing. It just needs to start meeting unmet needs in the community to have an effect. It may be joining with another church to accomplish something, or making up baskets for battered women. It just needs to be something.
Collinsville was a small church with mostly old people less than ten years ago. They started praying for young families while serving the community and now the congregation is 200 strong with a lot of younger families and kids. We have six men with preaching/ministry degrees. We have four elders and four other former elders. We are starting a building fund to house the growth and the first contribution toward the fund was $38,000 in cash with another $15,ooo in pledges for the year.
I really believe that when the church becomes the blessing to the community, that God intends, He will bring growth to sustain that blessing and possibly grow it. I have no idea what plans you guys have at present, but if you will focus on the needs of the community, then you will become a sustainable blessing in West Springfield.
"nough said"
God Bless!
Alan
P.S. I think Alan Middleton may be in Africa on a mission trip right now - WOW!
I finally remembered how to sign in to the Blog. It has been a while. I kept checking for entries to read, though. Well enough on that.
We were blessed to attend the Soul Winning Workshop this year. I now understand Dan's and Tim's enthusiasm about it. Excellent speakers, excellent singing, etc.................................................
I ran into Garreth on Friday evening and Sharon and I got to talk with him for a while. We spotted Jerry Hill from Timothy Hill Children's Ranch on Saturday evening and he set with us during the Worship time. I wish you guys could have made it. We live approx. 20 minutes from the Expo Center.
We are plugged into a church family now. We kind of avoided this church because of its history and some words of other people. But a funny thing happened! We had an ice storm the week after Thanksgiving and Collinsville church of Christ was the only church in the entire area that did not cancel worship. We went and were surrounded by people. You would have thought that we were former members returning after a long absence. Well, we decided to give it a try and have dug in roots. Sharon has helped with the young kids chorus as they readied for a leadership conference where they earned several awards. I have so far not said yes (but the day is coming) to the numerous attempts to get me to teach a class, but do lead singing about every fourth Wednesday evening. We participate in the small group ministry (not really small, more of a fellowship group).
I think the thing that is most impressive about the congregation is the ministry to the community. They have a food pantry that is open several days a week to anyone in need. The local schools and even some other churches (including the Catholics) donate can goods to the cause. The church hosts the Good Samaritan Van once a month to provide free medical care to those needing it. We have neighbors down the street that had medical difficulties (Emily has cancer and peter had a car wreck) recently and an elder and his wife stepped in to provide food an rides for them. The church had a "clothing and stuff" give away a couple of Sundays ago and it made such an impact that they opened again on Friday and the local paper wrote an article to advertise it for free.
I talked with a police officer last night in my driveway (he is from Maine and saw our Massachusetts plates when we first moved in and introduced himself) and the conversation turned to church. I told him where we worship and he said he is very impressed with what the church does for the community. He is Catholic and his wife is pentecostal so he doesn't worship anywhere right now. I told him he would be welcome at our church and would not be judged because he comes form a different denomination. He laughed and said, " yea isn't funny how different groups decide everyone else is going to hell." Then his radio beckoned and he had to go. Who knows where it will lead.
I say all of this as encouragement that if you get involved in ministering to the community people will notice. It does not have to start out as a big thing. It just needs to start meeting unmet needs in the community to have an effect. It may be joining with another church to accomplish something, or making up baskets for battered women. It just needs to be something.
Collinsville was a small church with mostly old people less than ten years ago. They started praying for young families while serving the community and now the congregation is 200 strong with a lot of younger families and kids. We have six men with preaching/ministry degrees. We have four elders and four other former elders. We are starting a building fund to house the growth and the first contribution toward the fund was $38,000 in cash with another $15,ooo in pledges for the year.
I really believe that when the church becomes the blessing to the community, that God intends, He will bring growth to sustain that blessing and possibly grow it. I have no idea what plans you guys have at present, but if you will focus on the needs of the community, then you will become a sustainable blessing in West Springfield.
"nough said"
God Bless!
Alan
P.S. I think Alan Middleton may be in Africa on a mission trip right now - WOW!
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