Kathy,
This is very exciting.  Thank you Lord for all the good changes you are
making for Kathy and Greg, and for your kingdom.
Vinny
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2005 6:19 AM
Subject: Re: A silver lining of sorts


> 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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>