September 2010
Dear Friends in Christ,
Bishop Mike Coyner has selected First United Methodist Church to participate in the Indiana Conference’s new Fruitful Congregation Journey. The Bishop and Cabinet have identified this congregation as a “high potential” church and invites us to participate in a process which will help healthy churches discern their next steps in order to extend their effective ministry into the future. There were only 60 churches selected in our conference. Here are the who, what, when, etc.
Our church’s team will consist of the pastor and 4 to 8 laypersons.
There will be eight Saturday sessions over nine months. There will be no session in December. It is necessary that the participants attend all eight sessions.   Pastors will attend a weekday session.
The sessions will take place at Zionsville UnitedMethodist Church.
The meetings begin at 10 a.m. and end at 2:30 a.m. with lunch served on site.
The team from our church will meet once between each session to decide what concepts to apply to our church and what steps need to be taken and by whom. The team will also read a book each month that pertains to each session.
It is an honor for our church to be asked by our bishop to be a part of this journey. I believe by participating in this process our church can become an even greater church.
If you would believe God is calling you to be a part of this journey, please give me a call.
                                         
 
                                God’s grace & peace,
                                            Tom
 
JULY 2010
Dear Friends in Christ,
Since January our church has been exploring what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Each day we have read the scriptures in the Journey devotional book that ties to Sunday’s sermon. We have explored ways that God transforms not just our actions but our very soul. In September our church will engage in a four week experience called One Month to Live. We will gather in small groups to reflect upon how our lives can be used for God’s purposes rather than our own preferences. Together we will more fully discover the wonderful life God has offered to us. 
                                           God’s grace & peace,
                                            Tom
 

 

 

JUNE 2010 

Dear Friends in Christ,
The last few weeks we have been exploring how our hearts can be transformed to take on the same attitude as Christ. Here are some of the ways we have discovered.
    The beginning of our spiritual transformation is to realize that we are loved by God. When we know God loves us we turn to God and respond to his love. We begin to develop a willingness to allow God’s will to be our will.
    We know God loves us and we often know God’s will for our lives but we find God’s will hard to follow. We often want to follow our own ways. The spiritual disciplines place us before God so God can transform our hearts. Without placing ourselves in God’s presence it is hard to be changed, maybe even impossible. Some of the disciplines include prayer, fasting, meditation, Bible study, service, worship, confession and simplicity.
     Practicing the will of God allows our souls to be changed. We begin with practicing little acts of kindness, forgiveness, mercy, compassion and justice. The more we allow God to work through us, the more natural and ingrained God’s will becomes.
     God also transforms us as we meditate upon the events of our world. As we meditate upon disasters, God creates in us a more compassionate heart. As we meditate upon some of the atrocities of our world, we see the ugliness of sin until it becomes unappealing to us.
    Together we are on the road to becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
                           In His love,
                                Tom
 

MAY 2010

Dear Friends in Christ,
I recently read a book entitled, Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health. It made me think about my spiritual life.
The questions are:
1. Do I thirst for God?
2. Am I governed increasingly by God’s Word?
3. Am I more loving?
4. Am I more sensitive to God’s presence?
5. Do I have a growing concern for the spiritual and temporal needs of others?
6. Do I delight in the Bride of Christ (the church)?
7. Are the spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, meditation, fasting, worship, etc.) increasingly important to you?
8. Do I still grieve over sin?
9. Am I a quick forgiver?
10. Do I yearn for heaven to be with Jesus?
 
So, how do I become more sensitive to the things of God? Put simply, stay in touch with God through Jesus Christ more often. Stay in touch (get connected) by making prayer a priority, meditate to hear God’s voice speak to you, make worship a         priority, serve others and fast just to name a few things. When we get up in the morning let’s pray:
   God, grant us the grace to use all the hours of this day, not for our own selfish interest, our own willful, often wrong ways, but teach us to take time for prayer, and to find time for listening to You, so each hour is spent well and wisely, doing what You most want us to do. In Jesus name. Amen. 
 
                                          God’s grace & peace,
                                            Tom
 

 

 

Since January our church  has been exploring what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Each day we have read the scriptures in the Journey devotional book that ties to Sunday’s sermon.  We have explored ways that God transforms not just our actions but our very soul.  In September our church will engage in a four week experience called One Month to Live.  We will gather in small groups to reflect upon how our lives can be used for God’s  purposes rather than our own preferences.  Together we will more fully discover the  wonderful life God has offered to us. 

 

                                          God’s grace & peace,

                                            Tom