All services at MCC on regular schedule for Sunday January 31st!!!

A short update for MCC-ers…

Hey everyone. Just wanted to give you a few updates about things that are going on at MCC:

First, as of today, we are planning to have both services [9/10:30am] regardless of the weather Sunday. If you wake up on Sunday wondering if both services are still happening then check back here or our website.

Second, we will be having our first membership class of 2010 on Sunday February 7 right after the 10:30 service. Lunch will be provided. You can sign up on Sunday, or call the church office.

Last, we will not be having New Community on February 3. Instead, we will be having a special “Ash Wednesday” service at 7pm on Wednesday February 17. See the Weekly Connection this Sunday for more info.

Thanks everyone. It’s an awesome time to be part of MCC!

Josh

P.S.  Small group sign-ups will continue this Sunday!

re:Focus week 2: Transformation

Yesterday at MCC we continued our “re:Focus” series by talking about one of our values that will enable us to live out our vision: Transformation.

We looked at a verse in Romans 12, where the writer [Paul] challenges disciples of Jesus with these words:

² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Don’t simply go with the flow of this present age…instead, as disciples of Jesus, live your lives now as if God’s kingdom has already come on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus’ disciples are people who live today in anticipation of how things will be at the “renewal of all things.”

Which means we can’t give in to the “pattern of this world,” but instead we must be transformed.

Transformation is a process. It’s like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly or learning to ride a bike. There are steps,  it isn’t an instant occurrence.  It’s a journey.

We don’t have to hope or wish we could be different. God has given us the tools to be transformed, as his Spirit enables us to use them. Scripture, prayer, worship, serving others, and generosity are only a few of the disciplines that help move us along on the journey of transformation. But we must do them. We cannot simply wait on God to make us generous or compassionate. But as we do them, he shapes our hearts to be more like his.

So…

What disciplines are you engaging in, right now, that lead to transformation?

re:Focus

Last Sunday at MCC we began a new 5 week series, which I have been excited about for the last 6 months or so! This series, “re:Focus”, is about who we are and how we live out our vision. Every relationship, team, or organization needs to take some time to step back, reflect, and refocus to ensure that it is moving in the right direction and accomplishing its purpose. MCC is no different. We must, from time to time, be reminded of our identity and goals.

In order to help move us toward Jesus’ call for us to be “disciples who make disciples,” our leaders have crafted a new mission statement. This statement is VERY simple, yet I foresee us pursing this vision for years and years [probably until Christ makes everything new!] to come.

So, without further delay…here is who we are, where we are going, and who we hope to become:

Morgantown Community Church exists to empower people to take the next step on their journey with Christ.

Simple, right? But loaded with meaning.

There are two words that really shape this vision:

empower- we hope to give people the tools to become mature in their faith, and take responsibility for where they are in their journey.

journey- we all aren’t at the same place on the journey. And that’s ok. Wherever we are on the journey is ok. It’s just not ok to stay there forever. Journey implies movement. We must be moving, taking that next step toward Christ.

Over the next four weeks at MCC, we are going to learn a new value that will give shape to our pursuit of this vision. This Sunday we are going to talk about something that is absolutely essential, but also often misunderstood: Transformation.

For more on “re:Focus” check out John’s [Student Pastor] blog…

Yesterday and Tomorrow…what’s missing?

When I turned 13, I couldn’t wait to be 16. When 16 came, I was anxious to be 18. From the day I turned 18, I was waiting on 21. When I turned 21, I couldn’t wait to be 25, so more people would take me seriously [I don't know why I thought that was the magic age]. When I turned 28, I wished I was still 25.

I have noticed that I tend to do that with a lot of things in life. I wish the time away, or I wish that I could send time in reverse. Lately, I have started to wonder if I am ever really present in the “now.”

“In a couple years then…” is often on my brain.

What about right now? What about enjoying and celebrating and being right now?

What am I missing by being in yesterday or tomorrow? What is God up to today, trying to teach me right here and now?

I know it is a gift to dream and hope and anticipate. I want to always do those things. But, I want to do them with an appreciation for where I am now and what God is doing…now.

I guess I am being challenged to just be…now, not tomorrow.

I will still dream and hope and anticipate. But I will do so still present in the now.

Where are you? Yesterday? Tomorrow? Now?

And the winner of Battle Pumpkin is…

Yep, that’s right…this year’s winner is pumpkin #1 carved by…ME! The vote tally between facebook, twitter, and this blog what a close 11-7…but I finally prevailed.

I’d like to thank God, the academy, and all of you.

Peace.

me, you, them, and we…

Last Sunday at MCC we talked about what it means to be part of the Church. There were three specific images/metaphors we looked at, two of which were pretty familiar:

the Bride of Christ.

the Body of Christ.

and one may not be so familiar:

the one new humanity.

This idea of a “new humanity” comes from Ephesians 2, where the writer is reflecting on Jesus’ death on the cross. The assumption [which is true] that most people have is that Jesus died to make peace between God and us. And he did.

But if we stop there, we miss the full weight of the cross.

Jesus died to make peace between you and me.

^“14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” [Ephesians 2v14-16 TNIV]

Jesus died to tear down the walls that we build up…not just between God and us…but the ones we build to separate ourselves from each other.

The Church is about the “new humanity.” It’s about a group of people who have their differences…yet they come together around the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

In Jesus Wants to Save Christians, Rob Bell says about the “new humanity”:

“People who previously had nothing in common discover that the only thing they now have in common is the one thing that matters.”

Church is a place where the political, social, economic, racial, and any other way we carve ourselves up from others, is rendered void.

Jesus has brought us together.

So, if you are part of a church, then you can’t really talk about us and them…or those people…because you are getting to know one of “them”…you are joining “those people” to advance the Kingdom and change history.

So, are you a part of the “new humanity”? What does it mean to you?

Battle Pumpkin

It’s that time again!

Every year my wife Carla and I each carve a pumpkin. It’s always been a little contest…and a lot of fun.

Last year I posted the pictures of our carved masterpieces for you all to vote on…and you overwhelmingly chose Carla’s.

Thanks.

So this year, I am looking to even the score a bit.

Below are the pictures of our pumpkin creations. To vote, just post a comment with your choice. The winner will be announced on Saturday October 31.

Bragging rights are on the line!

Thanks for helping us out!

#1

#2

Only 65 more shopping days until Christmas!

Okay, so I know it may be a bit soon to be talking about Christmas. After all Halloween is still over a week away. Then there’s Thanksgiving, but I digress.

The reason I am in such a festive mood today is because I have been working on our upcoming Christmas/Advent series: Christmas can still change the world.

It seems the older I get the more Christmas becomes a chore or a to do list. We are so busy shopping and buying and preparing for it, that we don’t have the time to let the story speak to us.  But, the Christmas story still has significance, it still has something to say to us today.

So, from November 29-December 24 at MCC we will enter in to the season of Advent with the conviction that Christmas can still change the world!

Do you have a complaint mode?

I have a problem. I often catch myself drifting off into complaint mode.

Do you have that mode?

It’s when I look past all of my blessing, and choose to make what didn’t work, what didn’t go the way I hoped, the most important thing.

In complaint mode, I fail to see all the good gifts that God has so graciously given me.

This week, so far, I have been in complaint mode.

A few things haven’t been what I had hoped they would be.

There are things that I would like to change.

And so far, that’s all I’ve been able to see.

The only way to defeat the complaint is to focus on the blessing.

So, I thought that I would share something I am thankful for, just to help me leave behind my complaint mode.

I am thankful for…

my wife and our family.

good friends.

my job.

more than enough food to eat.

my needs are met.

hope that tomorrow will be better than today.

grace to meet my failures.

the promise that Christ never leaves me.

…I am so blessed.

Ok, it’s your turn now.

What are you thankful for?