Yah Brad,
         I hear you.  We attribute the change to about three or four
years  ago when Greg and I desperately hit the floor in prayer and
compared the church to the tree in Luke 13 that the master wanted to
chop down, but the gardener tried to spare.  We asked the Lord to
show us how to spread the manure  for one more year, but then, if
nothing was still happening, we were asking the Lord to release us
from this assignment because we were nearing the breaking
point.  That is the year that we came up with a plan to have the
church read through the bible together as a project.  Greg would
preach from one of the readings on Sunday, but they could come with
questions on the rest of the readings at midweek bible study and
about ten to fifteen people really took the challenge seriously.  In
fact, some of them have continued reading the bible through every
year since then.  We also had the church take the ALPHA course and
then Greg preached through the Purpose Driven life stuff, very
loosely, we didn't bother to get the program, (big money
trap).  Anyway, things just started clicking.  While the programs
were nice for coming at God's word from other angles, we believe that
it was really getting the people into the word, in an accountable
way, that helped to make the difference.
         Now, a few of the members are leading a class called, "First
Place," which is a very biblical course, teaching the value and
practical steps to putting Christ first in their lives.  It's just
another angle that is clicking with some people. The important thing
is that they are beginning to dig into God's word for themselves.
          I think that the big realization is that the church has
stopped looking to Greg to do it all.  Greg has really been pushing
the fact that everybody has a ministry and lots of people have
started believing the message and have begun exploring what they can
do.  The prayer shawl ministry, for example, is a new ministry that
our people have just started that has really taken on value.   the
knitters in our church are thrilled that their hobby can actually
become a ministry with so much blessing attached to it.  When they,
or we actually, since I knit too, finish a shawl, we bring it to
church and everybody gathers round to hold it and pray for the person
that the shawl will be given too.  Everybody is getting into it.   I
have to say that people think very hard and long before criticizing
lately as well, because, if they see a need, or a flaw, they may get
asked to work on fixing it.  It is just so cool to see the church
taking off like this.
         Last year, when we moved into our house and the church threw
a house warming party for us, Greg said, "you know, this is becoming
a midwest church."  What he meant by that is that these Mainers are
starting to become down right friendly and warm.  He's right, but the
best part is that it's all because of the Lord!
Kathy


At 12:55 AM 11/26/2005, you wrote:
>The changed lives you talked about I found to be awesome considering the
>coldness you mentioned up there in the past. That is really awesome.
>
>Brad
>
>
>At 09:36 PM 11/25/2005 -0500, you wrote:
> >Phil,
> >          The most interesting part of all of this for me is dealing
> >with the kids who would have been happy to have what Chris had
> >growing up and then, having to try to find ways to reach out to Chris
> >who has rejected it all.  It is fascinating to me that the Lord is
> >showing me both sides of the coin at once.
> >          You may find it interesting too to learn that the deacon
> >that I mentioned has really come alive since reading Rick Warren's
> >"The purpose Driven Life."  I'm not touting the book or
> >anything.  I'm just saying that he is one of those people that the
> >message clicked for.  God reaches everybody in a unique way and now,
> >maybe a bunch of kids will benefit from Dan's getting serious about
> >his walk with the Lord.
> >          This past month was Pastor Appreciation month.  Lot's of
> >churches celebrate it. If you listen to much Christian radio, like
> >Dobson and the like, you'll know what I"m talking about.  If you
> >don't, that's okay too.   Anyway, a lot of members of our church sent
> >cards to us this past month telling about how much they have grown
> >spiritually from the ministry here.  It's all Jesus, believe me.  One
> >woman told me that before, she just had no idea that it was possible
> >to grow in your faith or actually make Christianity a real part of
> >her life.  How sad, but she now heads up our dinner at the homeless
> >shelter once a month and, if they don't have enough food, the shelter
> >knows that they can call Elaine and she'll get something going.
> >          It is so exciting to see people actually start walking the
> >walk instead of just filling the pew.  God is just so amazing!
> >
> >I'm glad that you guys liked hearing about, yet another adventure
> from Maine!
> >God bless,
> >Kathy
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >At 01:56 PM 11/25/2005, you wrote:
> > >Thanks, Kathy, for telling us all of that.  It was great to read
> because it
> > >was Jesus at work in every day life and that we need to hear
> more about.  We
> > >easily forget He works in the smallest of things.
> > >
> > >Phil.
>
>Brad
>
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