5 Plus 2 Equals 5000

It is mid-May. Not only is the sun shining, the grass is greening, and the flowers are ready to be planted outside (well, almost – frost warnings are still on for tonight), but it is now only 4 months to Launch for New Day UMC. Starting the week of Sept. 12-13, we will have regular, weekly worship services, followed shortly thereafter with regular programs for children, youth, and adults. It is exciting, and yet overwhelming, to realize this. Thank the Lord our Launch Team has developed to the point of tackling more on their own; I have faith we will accomplish many of the items on our Pre-Launch To Do List. (If there are any others out there who could lend a hand, please let us know – we need you!)

But right now, the challenge which is just as big as getting projects done is raising the money to fund the projects which need to be done. For the most part, these are projects which coaches and church-planting experts have taught us need to be in place in order to make a solid first impression when people come to check us out those first launch months. With many people, you only get one chance, and first-time guests, we are told, often make up their minds if they are coming back again within the first 7 minutes after arriving. If that is true, what needs to be “ready”? Well, consider these...

SIGNAGE: along roads pointing the way ($500 - $2500), out front of the building ($400), above the door ($3000), on the door itself ($500), and inside the entry ($50-250)... TOTAL ~ $5,500

GATHERING SPACE: living-room style furniture ($2500 - $3000), computerized guest registration station ($2000), flat-screen announcement monitor ($1200)... TOTAL ~$6000

CHILDCARE AREA: rolling toy shelves ($2100), age-appropriate toys ($400), closet organizers ($300), tables and chairs ($3,500) TOTAL ~ $6300

WORSHIP AREA: projection equipment, sound systems, band instruments, microphones, etc. etc. etc. TOTAL ~$12,000 - $24,000

OK, you get the idea. Long before I stand up to share a life-giving God message, our guests have decided to return or not based on appearance, environment, and how well we have satisfied their family’s needs to this point. We get it. The frustrating part is knowing what needs to be done, but not having the money in-hand to get it done. We will obviously need to prioritize and make do with whatever we have at that moment.

Nonetheless, it’s like looking forward with sails hoisted, ready to catch the wind of the Holy Spirit, while an anchor temporarily keeps the ship locked in place.

Perhaps I am simply another product of our instant gratification society. Perhaps my worrying about tomorrow should be replaced simply with prayers of thanksgiving for today. Perhaps all of this is simply another exercise in faith, in relying on God to work through the hearts and minds of others to collectively achieve what I am unable to accomplish on my own. Perhaps I am like the disciples who looked out on a crowd of hungry people (over 5,000 to be exact), and felt overwhelmed by the expectation to feed them all with so little in the treasury. Perhaps I should simply trust Jesus, who takes the smallest of offerings from the least among us, and satisfies the needs of all.

Sigh. All right, Lord. I turn all of this over to you.

Is there anyone out there willing to share your 5 loaves and 2 fish with the thousands of spiritually hungry folk here in Big Lake? If so, I believe Jesus will make it an abundant blessing for many. Thanks for sharing!

[Contributions to the ministry of New Day UMC can be made by contacting Pastor Jim via their website or by simply leaving a message under “Comments” below]

Mother's Day Blessings

Greetings!
Although chilly, the sun is shining and God's love is abounding! I sincerely hope that all the moms are having a blessed day, knowing the abundant love you have for your children is just a sliver of the love God has for us all. Amazing Grace, Amazing Love - WOW!

New Day's 2nd Preview Service this morning was uplifting, joyful, full of spirit, fun and meaning! Rejoice and Praise! It seemed that the small (35) but significant congregation were touched by God; and Jim and I certainly felt the humble joy of sharing just a bit of His grace today. It was a one-man band, as Jim lead praise songs on his guitar; other music came from CD's. The borrowed projector and screen worked perfectly and the untrained amateur running it, (me!) managed to get most of the slides up when needed! Jim had the congregation create a bouquet of "tributes to mom" - each person was given a carnation when they arrived and then were asked to come forward and share a sentence or two about their moms and place the flower in a vase. The words spoken were so wonderful; a precious time of sharing. Jim's message was about doubt (scripture from John about Thomas), and he had interaction with some of the congregation and visual aids that kept everyone engaged. The service ended with communion and the smiles that carried out the door warmed my heart!

I've put pictures on the website (http://www.newday-umc.org/) - many thanks to Karla Vieau for some great shots!

Next worship will be Sunday, June 14, 10:45.

We'll be starting two small group classes in two weeks (Bible Basics and Discovering Your Spirituality Type). Please pray for people to attend and for meaning to be found in these small groups.

The "call" for the grant money to be provided by the United Methodist Metro-West Builders Assoc. was mailed out last week. Please pray for those folks who are receiving the brochure to be generous. To be ready for full launch by September, New Day has some very significant needs which we're praying this "connectional ministry" will help provide.

As always, your support and prayers are such huge blessings to us and this new, young community. Bless you all!

With much love,
Janet :->

First Service

Last Saturday evening we held our first service ever at New Day UMC. A month ago, I told my Advisory Team that I was worried – worried we’d have too many people show up. How many do you think might be there? Well, I told them, 50 weren’t out of the question, and in my mind I was thinking 75. A week ago, I was approached by the local newspaper wanting to do an article in anticipation of our first service; I am probably the only church planter in history to turn down this free publicity, but I was worried we’d have more people than we could handle. How many do you think might be there? Well, I told them, the space holds 100, and in my mind I was hoping 110. Saturday night came along, and I was right – adults and children totaling just under 150 people showed up! We were filled to the walls and out into the gathering space ~ it was fantastic!

Representatives from 8 of our 14 partnering churches were present to help bless our inaugural service. They symbolically carried forward the lights of Christ to our darkened community and prayed that this would be a place where Christ’s spirit would shine. Blessings were also posted and shared from others in the family of believers, from as near as Becker to as far as Nashville, TN; over 40 prayers, well-wishes, and notes of encouragement surrounded those first gatherers in this new space of sanctuary, silently giving witness to the saints from all times and places who continue to bless us. One woman we discovered, has been praying for this particular church for over 25 years.

But the baptisms were the most spiritually touching for many. This celebration of God’s love was poured or sprinkled on the heads and hearts of three babies, one pre-schooler, and one senior high student. The three-year-old was my assistant for the entire ritual, helping me to pour the water, show off the babies, and announce loudly when his name was read “That’s Me!” “Alleluias” rang so loudly through the air at the conclusion, they practically knocked me over. The mood spilled over into the parking lot and carried people home with Easter joy.

Now, what I haven’t told you, of course, are all those things that kept Janet and I tossing and turning all night long afterwards: Things not said. People not talked to. Rituals that did not go as planned. A sermon that did not flow in its expected order. Childcare that was ... Wow! Does that need work! Staging that blocked the projected prayers from half the crowd. A lack of sound equipment which kept God knows how many people from hearing what was being said. Passing-of-the-Peace near the end which spontaneously turned into Forget-the-Last-Song-Announcements-and-Benediction-cuz-That’s-All-Folks! Flowers which did not get gifted to the partnering churches....... Need I go on?!

But a wise friend reminded me come Monday, “But practically everyone went home with excitement, a big smile and having experienced a very holy time. Forget the little stuff. The big stuff happened, and that’s what matters.”

So, that’s my advice for you as well ~ whenever your best-laid plans keep you up at night, ask yourself if this is the big stuff or the little stuff. If the holy has been experienced and sent people home with blessings, then just forget everything else. What matters most has been achieved.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Matthew 6:25
But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Philippians 1:18

Counting the Blessings

(from Janet, Pastor Jim's co-church planting wife)

Whew!
Being human, and in the "over 40" crowd, our feet hurt, our backs ache, and we are exhausted! Being also God's humble servants, our spirits soar, our gratitude is immense and we are praising God for enormous blessings!

The move-in was such a great day! Throughout the day about 16 of us vacuumed, washed windows, hauled and wiped down tables, chairs and platforms, and just enjoyed being in the new space. It looks soooo nice! Still many things to finish up, but after yesterday, and help from our son and his girlfriend with hanging the desk cabinet, the list we had made on Saturday is pretty much checked off. Blessings!

Also on Saturday, one of our launch team informed us all that she had found about 200 white coffee mugs that will be donated to New Day by one of the local restaurants! Blessings!

After worshipping and hanging the cabinet with Adam and Amanda yesterday, the remainder of the day was spent preparing for and attending the Metro West Builders event. We set up a display area similar to the one we had at the Expo and spent about 2 hours giving out planting kits and talking to people about New Day. Following this came the program and dinner, then Jim was able to give a short presentation to the whole crowd, which went VERY well! The group voted immediately afterward to make New Day the spring call!!! Blessings!

On top of all those blessings, before her benediction at the end of last evening's event, our former district superintendent (the one who had contacted Jim initially about this new church venture), asked those present to "throw something into the pot" to help supply some hospitality items for New Day's first preview service in April. Jim and I were so surprised by this totally unexpected gift, and so humbled by the response of over $500. WOW!!!!!!!! God continues to amaze us by the generosity and love pouring forth from so many sources. We are blessed, and more blessed, and MORE BLESSED!!

It's another busy week ahead! Prayers for stamina and wisdom would be great. Also, the next fellowship event is being mostly planned and implemented by one of the launch team members. Families will be invited to come to New Day and spend an hour or so, Sat. morning, March 28, planting seeds, singing songs and sharing fellowship. Please pray for Tammy and Bonnie (the organizers) and this event. Getting the word out is always one of the greatest challenges!

Starting From Scratch

In just over a week (on Saturday, March 14th), we will be moving into our new space. I have been joking with people that the move shouldn’t take too long, because we have nothing to move in! Being a brand new church plant, we are starting from scratch, of course. This was dramatically apparent when we started hosting our first community events last fall, and we didn’t have a table to set things upon, didn’t have pens for people to use to take surveys, and didn’t have the basics which used to be at our finger tips in an established church setting. The absence of ministry resources was surprising, but God provided.

I’m sure we’ll move in next weekend and again be surprised by the absence of a pastor’s desk, the lack of over-stuffed chairs and love seats in the Gathering Area, and (heaven forbid!) the nonexistence of a coffee-maker and mugs. No altar? No pulpit? No music stands even? None right now, but God will provide.

Aside from the absence of things, we started from scratch in terms of relationships as well. We came to Big Lake alone. We had no history here, no small group of mission-minded families to bring with us, and none who considered us their friend. And because we are reaching out to those who are disconnected from God and church, we also found ourselves starting from scratch with people in terms of church knowledge, devotion to the cause, and experience with spiritual stuff in general. No congregation at all?! No trust? No commitment? No prayer life? None right now, but God will provide.

What has been amazing is how much God has provided in just over a year: buyers for our home (in less than 45 days); a relatively quick response from the bank to buy a foreclosed home (in less than 45 days); 60 new chairs; 24 sets of curtains; 14 beautiful wooden tables; a desk set; copy machine; computer server; Inkjet (color) printer; a Wireless router; and more!

But more importantly, God has provided us with connections to the wonderful people up here. As a point of illustration, last weekend was the Chamber’s Business Expo. A year ago, the Expo was the first event we volunteered at in the community. We didn’t know a soul when we walked into the High School gymnasium to help set up last year. This year, we walked in to set up our own booth, and before we had three things in place, I probably gave away a dozen hugs and warm greetings to my Big Lake friends. My, how God provides!

Stuff like tables, chairs, trust, and commitment all take time when you start from scratch. At first, we feel the lacking when we notice what we don’t have. Then we feel the coveting when we see what others have. But if we can have eyes to see and ears to hear what God is providing, then lacking turns to abundance, and coveting turns to generosity. Everything and everyone become gifts of grace from God above! For it is written...

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV

Come Grow with Big Lake's Newest Church Plant!

(from the Pastor's wife, Janet)

Jim and I and two of our launch team handed out about 400 little planting kits yesterday at the Big Lake Expo! The best news is that about 170 registered for the drawings for the prizes and of those, 31 requested more information or were interested in keeping updated with New Day's progress!! Yeah!! This Expo is the first event that Jim and I volunteered at a year ago (when we didn't know anyone and were just getting started), and it was heartening to be back this year and recognize so many people.

The other really fun thing that happened last week was a call from a young couple (engaged) who we had met at one of the picnics last fall. They have been wanting to get connected, but just hadn't taken the time to contact us. They came to the class we held THAT NIGHT (Discovering Your Spirituality Type)!! I thought it was pretty brave of them to come to our home, entering a group of unknown people in a class that had already begun (this was the 2nd in a series of 6)!! The group is a mix of ages, but it warmed my heart to see the younger couples so open and excited to grow in their faith and connect with others on this journey. It reminded me so much of Jim and I in our early years and I pray that these folks will be blessed with experiences to build relationships like we had, that have sustained and nurtured us throughout our journey.

I have been pretty much totally focused on getting the website built this past week or more. What a job! Please visit and send your feedback: http://www.newday-umc.org/. I am so grateful to niece Kristi for sending the proper format of the logo (3 times, since I couldn't make up my mind which version was best!!) and to son Scott for technical support via phone and helping improve the first draft IMMENSELY!! It is a work in progress - we'll be tweaking and changing things as time goes on, but for now at least we have something! Let me know especially how your computers handle the links, etc. - or if there are any problems you have getting into anything...

Please pray for our next community event to be held at the new church, Sat. March 28. It's a family planting time - families will plant flower seeds to take home, to share with the community and to decorate the gardens at the new church! Music and story-time included. It should be fun! Also, prayers for the 1st preview worship service -- an Easter Eve Vigil. You are all welcome to join us - Sat. April 11, 7:00pm. Jim will be starting to really focus on getting this together. May God's spirit guide all the preparations and our hearts...

Granted, It's Just Money

(from the pastor's wife, Janet)
Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!
Here's the latest news from Big Lake...

The first exciting news is that New Day UMC will be receiving a grant! Our application was 1 of 10, nation-wide, that was selected by Path1 of the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church! YEAH!! It is a media grant which could cover things like marketing research, a billboard, TV ad, internet ad, etc. all in preparation for our launch this fall. We don't know how much will be granted, but anything is better than the nothing we started with!! Having some professional advice from the larger church is the best part. So, we're celebrating that gift!!

We also will be receiving a donation of around 20 small wooden tables (card table size) that will be wonderfully versatile to use in our new sanctuary/fellowship hall! These came from Love INC Heartland - you may remember Jim's involvement in starting this wonderful ecumenical non-profit organization that reaches out to the needy in the community. We toured their new space in Delano just yesterday, and were inspired by the growth and the numbers of people (almost 16,000 needs addressed last year!) being served by this great organization after only being in existence for 5 years! Sure gave us hope and encouragement for New Day Church! Terri Harris, the director of Love INC Heartland, also said that everything at their new space has been donated. That, too, was inspiring as we begin the process of furnishing New Day's new space. We were reminded to have faith and to be open to the gifts that God will choose to send... look what He has provided already! AWESOME!!

The New Day Church building is changing each week - front doors have been installed; sheet rock hung, taped and painted; they are working on the ceiling and electricity today. Exciting!! Jim has been showing EVERYONE the progress; anytime you want to take a road trip to Big Lake, we promise a tour!

We've had several small group meetings at our home the past few weeks: launch team, baptism class and Discovering your Spirituality Type class. So far we've learned: 1) that the dog is best shut in his kennel, in the garage, in the back of the car, 2) the cat is best shut in the guest bedroom, and 3) our home is not conducive to child care!! (Ha, ha!) It has been a wonderful blessing, really, to finally open our home to these great people. It is heart-warming to connect in fellowship and learn more about our awesome God and our spirituality together. We are humbled and uplifted by their presence and their openness and willingness to join us on this new church adventure.

Preparations for the Big Lake Business Expo on March 1st are progressing. We're really excited about this opportunity to get the word out about New Day Church! Since we're a new church "plant" we've decided to go with a gardening theme and will be giving away seed packets (sunflowers or pumpkins) each with our new logo on them, clipped onto small peat pots, with peat pellets that expand when watered. (A little family growing project!) A refrigerator magnet/clip holds it all together. And our theme will be something like - "Check out Big Lake's new church 'plant' - Come GROW with New Day United Methodist Church". We have 2 Grand Prizes to give away: one including a "$50 off any room" certificate at the Holiday Inn in St. Cloud, and the other including a $100 gift certificate to Dan & Jerry's Greenhouse in Monticello. We hope to add a few more items (gift cert. to a kid-friendly restaurant, gardening tools, etc.) to each prize package. We'll have drawing slips with contact info - and a box to check for those who want more info about New Day Church. Pretty fun!

Hope you all have a wonderful, love-filled Valentine's day! Remember, you're not loved because you're beautiful; you're BEAUTIFUL 'cause you're LOVED.

Looking ever forward to a NEW DAY in Christ,
Janet :->

And They're Out of the Gate

(from Janet, the pastor's wife)

Well, the Launch Team is launched!!! We had a great meeting on Saturday with 8 of us (including Jim and me) with at least another 2 who are committed, but couldn't make the meeting. YEE HA! It was wonderful to have these people meet each other and the enthusiasm, excitement and brainstorming was really exciting for us to see. A couple of follow-up e-mails from some of the participants were especially uplifting. And I was amazed by the immediate offers of help - both time and possible donations. I feel a sense of relief that we truly are not alone in this venture, but also sense the challenges of now channeling and coordinating a group of very enthusiastic volunteers. Please pray for this process; that all (including us) will have open hearts allowing God's spirit to be our guide.

Hugs to all,
Janet :->

Unrevealed Until its Season

I am getting so excited! Things are really starting to get going around here! God’s timing may not have been my timing, but the timing feels perfect. Here’s what’s been happening or is coming soon for New Day UMC:

10 of our 14 Connectional Churches gathered together for an update on events last Saturday. 30 clergy and lay folk were 1) affirmed for all their support thus far, 2) informed and motivated by presentations from our District Superintendent and our Director of Congregational Development, and 3) inspired by testimonies from a colleague, a lay person, and a real live Big Lake family. We wrote prayers of support for the people of New Day, and we gasped at Wish Lists that are definitely beyond the capacity of any single church (but not beyond the capacity of God working through all of us!). The light of the world (a Christmas votive) was sent back with each church as a symbol of our hope, unity, and connection together. Please pray that all of these other United Methodist congregations may be used and blessed in mighty ways as they commit more of themselves to reaching out for Jesus.

This coming Saturday (1/24) will mark the formal start of our official Launch Team. For 6 months I have struggled over pulling this group together. But relationships cannot be rushed, and commitments cannot be forced. Calls this week have miraculously revealed that NOW the time is right. So far, 7 people have stepped forward from the community to take on the intense, messy, exciting challenges of launching this new faith community. Please pray for these first faithful responders as they answer this call of Christ’s.

Our space received the city council’s nod-of-approval earlier this month, and so build-out has begun. We’ve been choosing carpeting, paint, lighting, doors, and much more. The basic framing has gone up like a magical outline of what will be. In two short months, we may be ready to move in! Please pray for all those “temple builders” and the holy work that will take place within those walls.

Our first Pre-Launch Service has been scheduled as an Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 11th. We will mark the start of New Day with a celebration of the resurrection itself. Baptisms and a consecrating of the space will bless this budding community, and the extended Christian community will be invited to witness to their support. We’ll then be ramping up the worship schedule through the summer, with regular, weekly services kicking in right after Labor Day. Please pray for vibrant worship to be our norm, and encounters with the living Lord to be commonplace at these services.

All of this and more has me ........ well ........ excited! And I hope it has you excited too! I feel like the song on page 707 of our UM Hymnal is talking about us: In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree; in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody; there’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me. From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. (Hymn of Promise, words and music by Natalie Sleeth, 1986). Wonder and awe fill me as I witness these divine promises emerging before my eyes. A new day IS dawning from the darkness, and I AM filled with hope. How about you?

What's a Christian to Think?

Wondering what the rest of the story is on the fighting in Gaza these days (OK, so not the entire rest of the story, but at least more than what you hear on the news)? Here's a well-done article on the background of the conflict from another United Methodist pastor in Kansas City, Rev. Adam Hamilton. It is called, "Making Sense of the Gaza Strip" and is on the website known as http://www.ethicsdaily.com/. I haven't read anything else on this site, but I liked the article by Adam. It's worth knowing, plus it throws in a WWJD perspective at the end. What do you think of the whole Middle East fighting situation? And what do you think Jesus would do or have to say about the situation?

Seeing the Dawn of a New Day

A new year is on the horizon. I can hardly wait! How about you? Who knows if all of our hopes, dreams, or expectations will all come to pass, but I sit on the verge of 2009 eagerly waiting for the New Day to dawn! Want to see what I see? I now see 5 dedicated families emerging from the crowds, indicating a connection to this new faith community. But I also see 5 becoming 10, 10 becoming 20, and so on and so on... I see a rainbow of God’s children coming together and a new sense of family dawning!

I now see 60 stackable red chairs, 16 risers, 4 bookcases, 2 rolling carts, 24 sets of merlot-colored curtains, 1 desk set, and 3750 square feet of sheetrock, electrical wiring, and insulation being readied for construction. But I also see a space that will soon confirm for families that we will take care of their children and we will take care of their everyday concerns. Within a renovated office building and within people’s hearts, I see new temples of God dawning.

I now see people with limited understandings about the Bible, limited involvement with Christian practices, and limited experiences with the living Christ. But I also see a growing interest in spirituality, a growing hunger for authentic community, and a growing need for direction with all of life’s struggles. I see people encountering Christ in dynamic ways and new commitments to the spiritual journey dawning.

I now see gifts of $20, $200, $1275, and $15,000 being deposited for the work of kingdom-building; I see an annual budget of $250,000 already more than half covered. But I also see hundreds of people eager to support the rest so that the Holy Spirit can change lives. In spite of financial woes, I see a new abundance of resources dawning!

I now see 4 infants being baptized at our first Preview Service this Lent/Easter, and representatives from our Partner Churches surrounding them with their promises of support and love. But I also see one service, then one more, then one more, until we are gathering to praise on a weekly basis in the Fall. I see hearts surprised that God has become so real for them and a new spirit of worship dawning!

2009 is dawning for all of us. What do you see ahead for New Day UMC? What do you see ahead in your future? May God bless the visions inspired within our souls!

New Year's Greetings!

(from the Pastor's wife, Janet)

Just wanted to greet you all before New Years and thank you once again for your wonderful support these past months. Your prayers have been a warm blanket of love, and sharing through these electronic updates has been a joy and a comfort to me. Connecting with many of you through the "written word" has been such a blessing! The computer has it's limitations, but the blessing of communicating with all of you on a regular basis, makes up for many of its downfalls...

Both the pastors' lunch and the New Day open house the week before Christmas went very well! And the prep for those really moved along some of the house projects which was exhausting and satisfying. Basement living area, curtains, and the slate floor smoothed and sealed were the biggies. The list is finally dwindling away - YEAH!

There were about 20 of our potential New Day community and 6 other helpers who joined us that Sunday in spite of the awful snow the day before and the bitter cold! The best part was introducing 3 families to each other - each with 2 kids, babies 3-4 months old and toddlers age 2-3. It was so great to watch them interact and connect. We had met with one of the couples this fall about baptizing their baby, and after Sunday it looks like one of our preview worship services in the spring may include not 1, but 3-4 baptisms!!! (We laughed when we discovered that the baby girls are Cameryn and Kameryn born 16 days apart!) The comment that touched my heart was how few people they know in Big Lake and how nice it was to meet other families. That reinforced our belief that the need for fellowship and Christian community is great in these young families in this area. Motivating and challenging at the same time!

May the hope that comes from celebrating our Lord's birth bring you peace and joy this Christmas and through the new year...

The Emptiness of God

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas ... our freshly-cut balsam is up; the greens have been strategically hung above the cupboards; the snowman cookie jar has come out from hiding; but something is missing ... We found the straw, the manger frames, and even the star (which we hang with clear fish line from the ceiling), but where is the rest of it?! Where are the ceramic nativity figures: Mary, Joseph, the shepherd with his sheep, the kings, the camel? Everything else made the move with us over the summer; how could the plain white box (slightly bigger than a large pizza) nestling the precious holy family not be with the rest of our junk? We’ve gone through every square inch of our house about ten times, called everyone who helped store/transport pieces of our lives last summer, and even dreamed about it in our sleep, but to no avail. Help! We’ve lost Baby Jesus!

My outer world is often a reflection of my inner world. These days, my soul feels remotely satisfied with my Advent preparations, but it is also fighting off the stress of this world, this season, and this job. Doubts, inadequacies, and frustrations creep a little wider into my soul, like the ever expanding hours of darkness of Minnesota Decembers. And even though I am exercising more (thanks to my wife and our new membership at Anytime Fitness), my spiritual exercises have temporarily gone into sleep mode. Where is the light of the world for my spiritual winter? Help! I think I’ve lost Jesus!

In his book, Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives, Wayne Muller reflects on my condition in this way: So when we see Jesus withdraw from the press of the crowds and retreat to a place of rest, he is not simply taking a well-deserved break from his useful but exhausting ministry. He is honoring a deep spiritual need for a time dedicated not to accomplishment and growth, but to quiescence and rest. His disciples cannot comprehend his leaving – there are still lepers to heal, blind that need to see, and the hungry to be fed. When Jesus slips away, they run about in search of him -- doesn’t he realize there is much good work to be done?
Soon enough, Jesus rests in death. Like a seed planted in fertile ground, he must die to bear fruit... And so Jesus dies, and lies dormant for three days. Without this dormancy, the resurrection of new life would be impossible.
If God raised Jesus in three days, surely he could have been raised in two, or one, or even been made invincible. So why sentence him to death for three days? Because everything, even the anointed of God, must rest, even in death.
Unless the grain falls into the earth and dies, there will be no harvest. These three days are necessary dormancy of a Sabbath, an emptiness in which Jesus may be reborn, and take on a new form. All form is either arising or falling away. And between falling away and arising again, there is an inevitable dormancy, the ein sof, the emptiness of God. (pgs. 58-59)

And so, I give you no reports on accomplishments of late, nor visions of events to anticipate. Instead, today’s blog gives us permission to be empty of God and spiritually distant from Jesus for a time. For who knows? Perhaps all of this is part of God’s spiritual rhythm, part of the preparation of Advent itself. May a necessary dormancy take hold of your life so that in the emptiness, Baby Jesus may be reborn, and what for a time was lost can again be found.

Church Building

This week I had breakfast with a clergy friend in the next town. Over basted eggs, sausage links, potatoes and English muffin, I shared a longing for something more (and not just more coffee). After months of community events and meeting lots and lots of people casually, I am longing for more spiritual depth and connection. I’m missing those conversations that go deeper into people’s thoughts, feelings, and lives. I miss journeying with others through significant times and issues of faith. Church planting has certainly been challenging and rewarding and significant, but there is something missing for me in not regularly leading classes on spiritual living, or preaching on eternal concepts from God each week, or being able to share soul-deep prayers back and forth with others. It’s not that I’m tired of meeting, greeting, and serving; I’m just hungry to go deeper with these new friends.

At our last meeting, my coach helped Janet and I to realize that everything we do in these preparatory months need not be about gathering together large crowds at safe points of first contacts. Four or five of these might be sufficient in the first year. These then need to be offset with small group times: times to build friendships and community; times to share stories, beliefs, and values; times to journey together, encounter Christ, and grow in faith. This is a refreshing thought for me at this point.

Here is another point of refreshment ...

Last night we received some good news. The lease on the space in which we have been hoping to set up shop was approved by the conference Board of Trustees! After eight months of searching and discerning, six versions of build-out drawings, twelve pages of legal dissections, and hundreds of prayers from people like you, the nod was given to move ahead. The contractor predicts readiness for occupancy to be in March. Now we can truly begin to put visions-for-ministry into actions-for-ministry.

And yet, I remind myself that the church is not a building, it is the people. Although a space to call our own will make ministry easier and more effective in some ways, Christ and people are the essential building materials. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he writes, “God is building a home. He’s using us all – irrespective of how we got here – in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day – a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home (Ephesians 2:20-22 MSG).”

Therefore, even though I am excited to be building structures without, I am hungrier to build souls within. I feel we are about to move into another phase of this church-planting adventure. Please revise your prayers and keep them coming!

TREATS4U Recap

(Reflections from the Pastor's wife, Janet)

Happy November and Daylight Savings!
As the saying goes, I have good news and bad news, but Jim and I decided yesterday that even the bad news could have been so much worse! So, here's the story...

First, the candy bar hand out at Coborns last weekend went very well, although it was a bit exhausting! As it turned out, Saturday was a BEAUTIFUL fall day which was perfect for standing outside and greeting people as they came to shop. However, the manager thought the weather also kept the usual number of customers low. So after about 5 hours, we still had a couple of baskets of candy bars left, but were tired and losing a bit of the enthusiasm needed to continue. So, we quit for the day.

As those of you in MN know, Sunday dawned cold and SNOWY! Not so nice for standing outside! The Coborns manager graciously let us stand just inside the doorway to greet people and we managed to get all the candy bars into people's hands in a couple more hours Sunday afternoon. The response we got from the people we actually talked to was very positive and the candy bar was a great means of getting the word out. It was also really fun to "treat" people - it felt like handing just a little bit of God's grace to some! I spent the majority of the time in front of the entrance near the gas pumps and it was very interesting how many people (especially the men) started to give a donation. It took me completely by surprise the first time! They were often shocked to hear that the candy bar wrapper was an invitation and the candy itself, a gift - no strings attached!

So, the week flew by, and by Thursday night most everything was prepared and ready, except the number of volunteers. Many of the "maybe's" had turned into "no's" and even many of the "yes's" were delayed and couldn't arrive for the set up time. There were enough, however, to make the event happen and we just trusted that things would work out.

Halloween arrived, warm and sunny, and we packed up our two vehicles to the brim and with a prayer and a few deep breaths, off we went! Well, (here's the first bad news!) we arrived at the school by about 3:15 and by 3:25 our main adult volunteer (Jacob, manager at Caribou Coffee, who had been helping with a lot of the prep and ideas and was so excited about this event), sliced open his finger while hauling in the popcorn maker. UGH! The poor guy! I saw it happen and was trying to tell Jim that "We have blood, there's blood!" without getting too hysterical and (being Halloween) he thought I was talking about an unwanted prop or something!! Anyway, the photographer volunteer arrived at just that moment, so she took him to the hospital and (see, it could have been worse ☺) he did make it back later in the evening after 4 stitches and a tetanus shot!

The set up, however, was suddenly a bit more stressful than planned - with just the two of us and 3 youth! However, 39 hay bales got hauled in and set up, blow-up pumpkins and straw scarecrows and welcome arch and lights and fog machines all were displayed, candy and other treats were prepared for trick-or-treaters, photographer, games and Charlie Brown video were set up in the center room, hot cider, apple juice, coffee and popcorn were all ready to be served and, although it wasn't perfect, by 5:00 we had people waiting at the door and so, with another prayer and no time for a breath - it began!!

We were still missing a couple of volunteers, and Paula, the lady from Community Ed who was our link to renting the space in the school, graciously pitched in and manned the popcorn machine. Paula is what I call tangible grace as (here's the next bad news!) by 5:20, between the popcorn machine and the fog machines, we had set off the fire alarm! YIKES! And it was this moment that Jim was standing in his underwear in the men's room trying to change into his costume! Good grief! Fortunately, (see, it could have been worse - imagine sprinklers and WET hay, firemen and sirens, naked pastor running the halls, etc.! - and here's the grace) Paula immediately called the fire department and the custodians called Honeywell Security to let everyone know that it was a false alarm and within just a few minutes, without any major fuss, everyone was back inside and we continued on - fog and popcorn moved outside!! (Thank goodness for the nice weather!) And thank goodness for Paula's presence!

By 7:30, by counting the pieces of candy in my basket, we figure we had seen about 120 kids and nearly all had parents along - over 200 people total. We were blessed by the presence of at least 15 spirit-filled volunteers at various points throughout the event whose energy, enthusiasm, joy and laughter filled the space with God's love. And we also received several candy donations from various sources which allowed us to be very generous with treats. I would venture to say that nearly all who attended had fun, felt the warmth of God's love (whether they identified it or not) through some aspect of the event and left with a little more info (and positive impression) about New Day UMC. Whew!

The struggle, once again, comes in comparing our visions and expectations to harsh reality. And sometimes even our two (Jim's and my) expectations don't coincide! Trusting God that the harsh reality is exactly what was needed at the time, regardless of our individual expectations, can get tough when we are faced daily with so much "unknown". It will be helpful to gather a community of more "committed" people (hopefully in December) to get a sense that we are "succeeding" in truly impacting lives and to get some meaningful feedback on our attempts to reach out. It's a slow process which we know in our heads; our hearts just need a little encouragement! We do believe, Lord, help our unbelief...

The other thing that keeps surprising us is that many of the people we are meeting have few expectations, since most of what we're doing is totally new to them. (Seems like "old hat" to us!) Many have not experienced the blessings of vibrant, alive, meaningful, loving faith and fellowship, so even the little bit we are trying to provide seems to make a bit of an impact for those whose hearts are open and who are seeking deeper meaning in their life journey. That's what truly gives me hope - and I pray that God will lead those open hearts to intersect our path, that His love can be shared and His kingdom come...

And so, as these events take place, I find that I can't think too hard about what's happening at the moment - only go with the flow relying on God's love through me to encounter all that transpires. And laugh A LOT - thank goodness for a sense of humor and God's grace to use it!

May you find the humor and the blessings on your journey,

Janet :->

Halloween Fun for Families

New Day UMC is hosting another event for the Big Lake community.

Because Halloween can be uncomfortable for many families, we thought, “Why not offer an indoor Halloween trick-or-treat path, where games and candy can be provided in a safe, warm environment?!” So, here you go ...

Bring your little princesses, cowboys, ninjas, and ghosts (found this photo online and just couldn't resist!) over to Independence Elementary School (enter through Door J by Community Ed.) any time after 5:00 pm on Halloween night, and we’ll have a completely non-scary Trick or Treat Path all laid out for them. You get to relax with a cup of Caribou coffee or hot cider while your little ones run down the hall from station to station, gathering candy, stickers, and other treats. A photographer’s corner will be set up to capture all their cuteness (bring your own camera or we’ll send you a free copy); a face-painting booth will be available to add a little Halloween extra to their costume; and a game room will offer some simple challenges that can be completed in (almost!) any costume.

We’ll also have more info about our new method, along with a little write-up on the background of this rather weird holiday tradition (did you know that Halloween actually has its origins in the church?!).

Please come on by and invite your friends to join you. We’ll be outside Coborns this Saturday (10/25) inviting people ourselves with Hershey candy bars for the parents; here's a look at the special promo we wrapped around each one!

Finally, anyone who'd like to get in on the fun of helping out should give us call or send us a comment at the end of this post; we'll be awarding prizes to OUR VOLUNTEERS for best costume, best treats, and best decorations.

We look forward to seeing you there!

We Stand at the Door and Knock

The invitations continued to go out ... come join us for a free neighborhood lunch ... just down the block from your house ... food and games, along with some optional Family Stations for you and your kids. Although the results were not as dramatic the last two weeks as they were the first two weeks, we felt good personally inviting people over and offering these Picnics in the Park as a service to the Big Lake community. All told, we served around 120 dads, moms, and children and sent them home with countless more smiles. Sometimes, however, it’s the volunteers who receive the greater blessings; here is one such story of transformation...

This lady was coming all the way from Chanhassen on the final Saturday. Reluctantly, she says, she dragged herself out of bed that morning; some physical “discomforting ailments” delayed her by 45 minutes, but she shook off the urges to make excuses and stay home. Joyful determination slowly overtook her as she met and invited person after person with the love of Christ. One gruff, older gentleman might have scared others away, but not her (he did end up coming to lunch AND he invited another neighbor to join him as well!). Absolute enthusiasm radiated from her when she left for home at the end of the event, and reports are that her sharing at church the next morning was inspired!

Janet and I felt very blessed by her and all of the support we received in order to pull it all off. 57 volunteers stepped forward over the four weekends (several repeats but many new faces each time); 9 other United Methodist churches contributed in some way to the happenings; 3 businesses provided free or discounted items; and $555 was donated to help offset a portion of the expenses! Without a doubt, we would not have been able to do any of this without the wide-spread support of so many who care about reaching out to those who are presently inactive in a faith community. Without a doubt, we wouldn’t have been able to do it without the love of Christ to surround, strengthen, and propel each of us forward with enthusiasm.

I hope you will continue to pray for the people of this area. Pray for those who came forth and shared lunch with us; may these first steps lead to even greater steps of faith discovery. Pray also for all of those people who received the invitation but did not come; may they at least know that there are people out there who are thinking about them and care for their well-being. Finally, pray for those who refused to even answer the doors upon which we were knocking for Christ; may their skepticism, fear, or whatever held them back be overcome so they might experience the abundant life of Christ which is available for all. The Bible reflects on each of these groups when it says:

“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!” Matthew 6:22-23 The Message

Our eyes are now open to the future to which God is calling us. In the next couple of months, we look forward with wonder to the things Christ will do through our small group gatherings, our Indoor Trick or Treat Path on Halloween night, and our holiday outreach events. Actually, we are still looking for a creative activity or two for the holidays, so if you have any great community-building activities that revolve around helping others in need, please let us know (just hit the word “Comments” at the end of this posting). In return, we pray that the power, peace, and wonder of Christ are blessing you these days as well.

(PS: I will be leading worship at Blessed Cross UMC in Zimmerman on Oct. 19 if any are interested in attending)

Experimenters Discover Unpredictability

For two Saturdays now, we have been out at the neighborhood parks, inviting people to join us for a mini-adventure in thankfulness and a free picnic lunch. The hot dogs were a-roasting, the floats were a-fizzing, and the kids were a-laughing! Those who came seem to thoroughly enjoy meeting their neighbors and playing as a family of God. The theme was Power Lab, but all has not been an experience of predictability, more like an experiment in faithfulness! Let me explain...

We were ready to rumba the first week, with beautiful blue skies and a thoroughly prepared program. But nobody came. And nobody came. And still nobody came! For the first hour, we fought off discouragement with prayer and playfulness, and then took on-the-spot action. Out to the houses, pairs of us went to personally knock on doors and invite the neighbors to lunch. An hour later, people started venturing over for food, family, and fun. Believe it or not, 50-60 people eventually came by (with 80% or more of them there only because of our invitations); like our Christian story itself, defeat was transformed to victory!

This experiment in outreach taught us a few things: 1) you have to invite (with face-to-face contact) not just attract (with signs and decorations); 2) you have to be flexible (willing to change on the spot) and adaptable (responding to what the people are doing or not doing); and 3) every volunteer’s positive spirit is essential (even one whiner would have drained us this day!).

On the second Saturday, we came with a better strategy: do away with the formalized program, set up optional Family Stations, and double the number of inviting teams. Again we were prepared, the team was positively spirited-filled, and decorations were toned down to be less intimidating (who knew lab coats could be scary?!). This time, 45 new families were given personal invitations to lunch, but again, predictability was not to be. Drizzle in the morning gave way to steady rains by lunchtime. Faithful volunteers warmly greeted the 12 who came, and made the best of a soggy situation. Lessons learned this week: 1) you can only control your actions and attitude, not the outcomes or the weather; 2) water-based artwork doesn’t like even a little rain; and 3) count success by people touched, not hot dogs served!

There are still two weekends to go ~ we can’t wait to see what powerful lessons in thankfulness God will teach us next. See you at the park (then again, that isn’t predictable is it? Better to say, “You’ll see us at the park this Saturday; come on over!”)

Power Lab is Coming Your Way!

Thanks for checking out our Power Lab details. Till the website for our new faith community is developed, we’ll keep you updated here. Please note, this blog has been intended to keep our supporters updated on our new church start progress, and so other posts may give you a flavor of what our journey has been like, and my style as a pastor-type, but they weren’t really written with you, the general audience, in mind. Enough of the disclaimers; here’s what our mini-Power Labs have to offer your family:

Our goal with these one-day events is to let you check us out safely and comfortably as a possible new faith community for your family. A lot of you have little kids, children in K-6 grades. If you haven’t been active or connected at all to a church in the past, we understand how uncomfortable it can be to get started. At the same time, young families often need help instilling healthy morals, a sense of faith, and life-giving attitudes (like thankfulness) in their children. We are here to help. These Saturday mornings are just for you!

No need to commit to anything but one session.
No need to go further than the neighborhood park near you.
No need to know anything about God, Jesus, or church-stuff in order to participate.
No need to be afraid – we’re not into guilt, judgment, or shame.
Come as you are, wherever your family is on your faith journeys together and we’ll help you to take a simple step forward together, and hopefully have a great time doing it.

The topic of the day will be THANKFULNESS. We do the exact same program all four weekends, so you can choose whatever weekend works best for your family. Here’s how the morning is laid out:

9:00 am Registration and Refreshments
9:20 am Sonic Sing and Play
(fun songs, skit, & introductions)
9:45 am Breakout Stations
(Station 1 Wacky Works Crafts – Station 2 Bible Blast)
10:15 am Test Tube Treats
(snack, thankfulness challenges, parents’ time to learn more)
10:35 am Breakout Stations
(Station 3 HyperSpeed Bubble Games – Station 4 Science Experiment & sharing)
11:15 am Fusion Finale
(more songs, wrap up talks, Great Geyser experiment, and more)
11:45 am Neighborhood Lunch
(a freebee for everyone as long as the hot dogs & floats last!)

The morning is really designed for families to do together. If the adults are working, no problem, but try to hook up your son or daughter with another family for the day. Got little, little ones in the mix? Might be better to plan for a childcare swap with one of your friends, but we will be doing our best to also offer a pre-schoolers program if we can. If we can’t, bring ‘em along and they can go around to the stations with you.

Registration forms can be obtained in advance or filled in on the day of the event. Cost is $10 per child, which primarily covers costs of everything they get to take home. There will be free Caribou Coffee for the adults each morning, and other things for you to take home too! And don’t forget to invite your neighbors to the free picnic lunch after each event.

All of this is coming to you from New Day United Methodist Church, a new church to the Big Lake area. However, United Methodism is not new; we are actually the third largest denomination across the United States. To learn more about us, check out our links on the left hand side of this blog. New Day has not started worship services yet – look for those in 6-12 months; till then, look for us to be listening, responding, and creating something new for you!

Future Plans:
If 15 or more families indicate they’d like more events like these, we’ll start pulling together possible follow-up sessions focusing on helping others, being brave, living forever, and more.

Watch for more ways to try us out throughout the year. We’re going to be calling it The Good Life Series, and basically, these are going to be short-term courses to help address other needs in your lives:
Good Cents (practical help on money matters)
Good Heavens (spirituality and faith basics)
Good Grief (disaster, death and dying concerns)
Good Sex (dating, relationships, and love for both singles and married couples)
Good Times (community building events for good Christian fun)
Good Neighbor (hands on projects of Christian service for everyone)
And more!

Obviously, we hope your kids will come away feeling happy, more thankful, knowing more about the power which Jesus gives, and wanting more. We hope you’ll come away with a positive family experience, a sense of comfort with us, and a curiosity about growing more in your spirituality. For registration forms or more information on anything, feel free to call Pastor Jim Beard at 763-300-9626, or contact us at anewmethod@izoom.net.

We look forward to the fun together with you and your family at Power Lab!

Stressful Times

Something new has entered into the hearts of us these past four weeks – stress! After sharing this with my coach, he calmly replied, “Good! That is exactly what church planting should feel like at this point; if it didn’t, we might think you were doing something wrong!” Well, that’s good ...... I guess ......

At this point, we have not only had all of the issues with moving to contend with, but all of the issues of “going live” (so to speak) for the first time in the community. For those following our progress, you may recall our plans to help young families with some parenting support by offering a mini-VBS experience on developing thankfulness in children. It was originally to take place on August 23rd; rather than put “all our eggs in one basket” and limit families to one option, we decided to adjust the plan by going smaller, more local, and on more dates. We are now offering the same event in four of the neighborhood parks, one on each of the four Saturdays in September. Rather than hoping for 40 people all at once, we’re now preparing to serve 1-2 dozen children at a time, thus giving each family more personal attention and care.

The stress comes with making it all happen, of course! How will we decorate? What needs to be on the door hangers? Do we need insurance? Photo permission clauses? How do we keep the Caribou Coffee hot and fresh? Who has a parachute? Gosh, we probably need a United Methodist banner so we don’t look like some suspicious-looking cult; now how are we going to display that? Help, we need a trailer to move this stuff around; anybody have one? Anybody? Families are probably going to want to check us out by going to our website; but that isn’t ready yet. Can we throw a simple one together? Yes, but we have to decide on an official church name in order to take the first step (and the winner is: New Day United Methodist Church!). Still not enough time to put something in place. What can we do immediately instead? (By the way, tomorrow’s blog is dedicated to them and the details of these Power Lab events)

OK, you get the idea. And that’s just one of many areas demanding attention these days. What we took for granted in the past can not be counted on in the present. Even little things like electricity, or a pool of caring volunteers, are now luxuries. I guess we are the first ones who are learning God’s lessons on THE POWER OF THANKFULNESS. Everything is indeed a gift in our lives. Every person has something to offer which can bless us. Every action we take is aimed at blessing someone else with the Spirit of Christ, and even if we can only take half the actions we dream about, we can at least be thankful to be able to take the actions which we can.

The Bible reminds me to do this, if only I’d pay more attention to it: “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” Matthew 6:30-34 The Message

So maybe I should stop stressing and start praising more. Thank you, almighty Lord, for whatever we have for this event, and all we can do right now to share your blessings with others; help us to be leaders of the thankfulness that is due to you!