Elevation North has News for YOU!

BITTERSWEET. That’s how it felt to say “good-bye” to our youngest son and his wife and their two little boys last week when they headed home after a few precious days with us during the Christmas season! Just having family in our home again was so wonderful! Seeing their faces, hearing their voices, looking around – and there they are, doing whatever happened to be going on at the moment. It just felt good! Our hearts were filled with their smiles and laughter, with the fun and excitement that little ones bring, with the time spent talking and sharing with our young adult children, forcing ourselves out the door to go to work and leaving them here – then coming home to a yummy prepared dinner on the table as we walked in the door! What a gift it was to celebrate our son’s birthday with him here with us ~ the first time in several years. How grateful we were to be able to do some miraculous last-minute Christmas shopping with them, since we also were able to celebrate Jesus’ birthday and enjoy some family Christmas gifts early. Our son read the account of that first Christmas from Luke chapter 2 with his four year old son nestled in close. God’s presence and family love filled the room, and we drank in the sights and sounds of this precious time, capturing it on the camera of our hearts, as well as the digital one! We worshipped together and it was great having them join our church family for the Christmas luncheon. From the first glimpse of Dustin and Becky and Isaiah and Miles at their 1:30 a.m. arrival – to our little grandsons’ excited shouts when we would enter the door after work – to our lingering hugs as we kissed them “bye” as they were leaving … how we thanked God for this special gift: of family, of love, of time together, of making new treasured memories! Yes, saying “good-bye” was truly bittersweet. Bittersweet, because we didn’t want their visit to end; we’d love to keep them close forever. And bittersweet, because we know as they go, that they are where God wants them; they are where God is choosing to use them right now. And knowing that, it makes everything alright. We swallow hard, blink back the tears, and with an emptiness already in our hearts, we wave as long as we can see them. May God go with you, dear family! BITTERSWEET. That’s how it feels to bid farewell to 2009. Threads of God’s faithfulness and threads of deep struggles run connectedly through the days and weeks and months of this year. So much has happened; we could write a book! (Maybe some day, we will!) We began our New Year’s Day 2009 – “at work”. If we needed to sum up the reality of this year in two words … those would be the words that tell the story of where we are most of our waking hours: “at work”. Yet, in spite of the LONG hours, we are tremendously thankful to God for providing all of these jobs for our survival in the midst of this economic downturn that has plagued our nation this year. Our story could be so much different. In these last few days of 2009, though, we want to share the story of the beautiful thread that runs through our bittersweet farewell to this year. Our hearts have been filled with the smiles of God as He showered us with His divine favor time and time again. We’ve been able to laugh through our tears in the face of shortfalls and deadlines as we experienced miracle after miracle. We’ve been gifted with supernatural strength and health and joy in the midst of circumstances that could have taken us down. But, you see, our God is an AWESOME God! Our God is a FAITHFUL God! And so, our hearts have been filled … to overflowing as God’s mercies have been new every morning! (Lamentations 3:22-23) Our hearts have nearly burst at times over the joys that all of us at Elevation North have experienced throughout this year! We’ve walked through the blessings and the challenges together. We’ve opened our hearts and lives to the many people that have come through the doors for the first time, and God has enlarged our boundaries! We’ve stood in the gap for each other – for every kind of need that has come into our lives. We’ve stood on God’s Word, we’ve claimed His promises, and we’ve experienced answers and miracles, in the Name of Jesus and through His shed blood on Calvary. Now as we stand on the threshold of this new year of 2010 … we know that God is taking us to a new level, a higher plateau of growth, spiritually, and otherwise. We stand with glee, like our little grandsons, watching at the doorway for the first glimpse of what God has in store for us as His church! We ask for more God-assignments and God-appointments … that we might continue to touch others here and around the world … with the amazing love of Jesus! Yes, bittersweet the farewells ~ but joyous the welcomes! And so … we welcome the arrival of 2010 … God’s gift of time and opportunity to us!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- WHAT AN INCREDIBLE BIRTHDAY/WORSHIP CELEBRATION we had as we honored Jesus with our post-Christmas Eve service on Sunday morning (due to the weather cancellation)! It was one of our most precious Christmas services ever in all of our years of ministry! And then how awesome it was to partake of Jesus’ birthday cake (the Bethlehem cake) that the Rogers family provided for us, complete with stable (made from cinnamon sticks) and each of the characters & animals (made from white chocolate)! Thank you for helping make our Christmas fellowship so memorable!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- JANUARY 1st: HAPPY NEW YEAR’S DAY to everyone! We pray that each of you will be BLESSED in every facet of your life all year long, as you seek His face and follow His ways! Take time to make realistic resolutions that you know you can keep, with God’s help!
- SUNDAY, JANUARY 3RD:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – We are kicking off 2010 with a new series of messages that God has laid on our hearts as we look to the new year and what we believe God is asking us to step into! Come with a willing heart to be committed to what God has for us, and let’s stand with each other as we make ourselves fully available to God for HIS Kingdom purposes! Bring your passion and excitement as we worship and praise and pray with all our hearts!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH – RE: FUEL session for all junior and senior high kids! Plan to meet at Pastor Doug’s and Debbie’s home and bring your appetite for fun, learning, and snacks! Bring someone with you, too!
- SUNDAY, JANUARY 17TH: ANNUAL CHURCH MEETING (following worship) to recap where God has taken us this past year, and to envision where He wants to take us in this new year! Reports will be available, and your participation is encouraged!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- Anyone who says that God is dead, has not experienced the God we serve! Just this week even, we have seen first-hand miracles that are astounding! Our faith is only increased day by day to believe with you for the miracles you need, whether it be for physical, spiritual, financial, emotional, relationship, or family. Our God is SO able, we need only to speak His Name and believe and claim His Word, His promises, His gifts! They are, after all, for us, His children! Remember to pray for your church family and for our military and our nation!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember that “each dawn holds a new hope for a new plan, making the start of each day the start of a new life.” ~ Gina Blair


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

COUNTDOWN . . . two days . . . one day . . . and then ~ it’s THE day! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!!! Remember when you were little and you could hardly wait for your birthday to arrive? It seemed like those 365 days after your birthday just crept by, and you thought it would NEVER get here! F-i-n-a-l-l-y … YOUR day came! And usually, after such a LONG wait, you had such high dreams and hopes and wishes for the BEST gifts ever – (and LOTS of them, too!) - that it was almost impossible for your day to turn out to be EVERYTHING you were hoping it to be! Now, if you were totally content with whatever you got, and you had no preconceived notions about how you wanted your day to be – then perhaps your birthday was always all that you were hoping for. But … more than likely, if you are like lots of other people, disappointment came quickly if the gift you really wanted wasn’t beneath that colorful wrapping paper. Or, someone said something that made you sad. Or, that one person that you really wanted to come to your party, just didn’t show up or even call. And somehow, your special day just didn’t seem so special, after all. And, to think that you had waited an entire year – for THIS! Thinking about all of this makes me wonder. I wonder if Jesus ever feels let down by HIS birthday, because of us. He counts down . . .two days . . . one day . . . and then ~ it’s HIS BIRTHDAY! And He’s dreaming of the gifts that will please Him most. He’s hoping that we will come to His party and celebrate with Him. And f-i-n-a-l-l-y … HIS day comes! But soon He experiences the taste of disappointment. There’s no birthday cake to taste. In fact, all the festive sounds of noisy laughter make Him feel emptier than ever. Oh, the people are celebrating. But they are celebrating Christmas THEIR way. Everything is about them. And there’s not even the mention of His Name. Talk about feeling left out. It’s His birthday, and no one includes Him. No one seems to see Him. No one has brought gifts to Him. And no one even seems to remember, much less talk about the one the party is really for. We remember one year that we read about a family who God had blessed financially, and they felt like there wasn’t really anything that they needed at Christmas-time. So they talked it over with their teenage children and decided that they would give gifts to others instead. They would seek out groups or individuals who perhaps otherwise wouldn’t be able to receive any gifts, or they looked for organizations that they could impact with their giving and make a difference. But, there was one stipulation. They could not tell each other who they had chosen, or what gifts they were going to give – until Christmas Day. And so they started out on their Christmas mission. And the suspense built as they were all busy thinking of others and planning gifts that would help them and bless them. Then … THE day came, and everyone in the family descended on the gathering spot around the tree. And while there were no gifts under the tree, there were envelopes all over the tree. The gifts had been purchased, wrapped, and delivered – and now it was time to reveal to each other who they had chosen and what gifts they had given! These moments became some of their most treasured and exciting times as a family, as they would gather together to listen to the reading of the Christmas story from the Bible, and then share what they felt God had led them to do for someone else in His honor. One year the dad shared that there was a sports team who was doing so great, but they just did not have the means for jerseys and shoes. So he went to the sporting goods store, and special ordered everything they needed and later delivered it to them. One of the children had saved up money to “adopt” a child in another country and sent his love gift to buy food and milk and medicine for this little starving boy. Each year the stories of their giving showed such awesome creativity as they shared their love with others less fortunate! After everyone had a chance to open their envelope and “give it to Jesus” ~ they all felt so very warmed and blessed by the privilege they had been given to touch someone else’s life with the love of Jesus! Their Christmas Day celebrations became so much more than about “things”, that they began thinking and planning and praying right away for the next year! We just want to challenge you that none of us have to be wealthy to make this kind of celebration a part of our family gatherings! Try it next year, and begin now to choose who you will bless – and how! God may not tell you up until the last minute – then again, He may lay someone on your heart right away and you’ll have lots of time to make your gift as special as can be!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- THANK YOU, THANK YOU, EVERYONE for providing such a wonderful Christmas luncheon last Sunday after worship! You are an awesome church family and we were so blessed to be able to worship together and to continue to reach out and get to know each other better! And an extra special thanks to our daughter-in-love, Becky, for singing “Silent Night” so beautifully for us! God used your voice and your willing spirit to minister to us as you sang those old, familiar words!
- A SPECIAL THANKS to Dustin and Becky for providing an additional microphone stand, speaker stands, and some other musical equipment for our church! What a blessing, and it is our prayer that God will bless you and continue to use you both as you minister on the worship teams in your church in Nebraska!
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Hannah who celebrated her birthday this past week; and to Molly who will celebrate hers on the 30th! May your entire year to come be blessed in awesome ways!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- DECEMBER 24TH: CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION SERVICE at 6 P.M. ~ with a unique and unforgettable service being planned for you and your family! We want to thank the Rogers family who is providing a “Bethlehem Cake” for all us to enjoy! You won’t want to miss that! NOTE … the weather forecast is predicting weather that may bring about a cancellation. If that occurs, you will be notified, and we will plan on having our Christmas Eve service on Sunday morning, the 27th at 10:00 a.m. PLAN TO JOIN US for Christmas worship and praise – either way, and expect to experience God’s presence and power and love!
- DECEMBER 25TH: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!!! AND A BLESSED CHRISTMAS to all of our church family from Pastor Doug and Debbie! We want you to know how much we love and appreciate each of you! Enjoy your day with family and friends, relaxing and spending time together … remembering to tell Jesus how much you love Him on His birthday!
- AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, the WEEKLY YOUTH MEETINGS will resume – being changed to Sunday nights from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Pastor Doug’s and Debbie’s home. Reach out to your friends and invite them for the fun, the Bible Study, and always … the snacks! And … SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES will continue weekly at 11:15 a.m. following our Sunday worship and praise! Come and learn with us as we dig into God’s Word about His plan for us to live as Kingdom people!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- How we love it when we hear about experiences where God is at work healing and touching and changing lives of people we know – and even people we don’t know! That truly increases our faith to believe for all that God has in store for us! We’re continuing to trust God for James’ recovery, and for many other church people who are needing healing; for final provision of finances for Josh’s Asian mission trip, for travel mercies throughout the holiday season, for Justin as he travels home from the military and resumes civilian life, for our nation’s leaders as they shape policies that will affect all of us, and for our church family as we seek to be all that God wants us to be, making ourselves available to Him so that we can be used however He chooses!

- THIS WEEK . . . “God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas, which is love; the belief in Christmas, which is truth; the all of Christmas, which is Christ.” ~ Wilda English

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

DON’T BE AFRAID! ANGEL’S ANNOUNCEMENT! JOYFUL EVENT! A SAVIOR IS BORN! NEWS FOR EVERYONE! EVERY WHERE! ANGELIC CHOIR SINGING PRAISES! GLORY TO GOD! PEACE TO ALL WHO PLEASE HIM! SHEPHERDS RUNNING! FINDING THE PLACE! AND MARY AND JOSEPH! SEEING THE BABY IN A MANGER! BELIEVING THE NEWS! Well, there it is ~ the Christmas Story in scriptural phrases. Most of us have heard the Christmas Story all of our life. Many of us read the entire Christmas Story from Luke 2 every year as we gather as a family before giving Jesus His birthday gifts and before opening our own presents. But for these few moments, I’d love to share a different twist that has come to me this season after pondering the incredible message of the One who came to change our lives forever! Of course, the best gift we can give to Jesus is “us” ~ fully, totally, unreservedly. And if we had to choose only one gift from the Giver, (in addition to the eternal life He came to bring us) we would probably choose “peace”. That’s when that phrase jumped out at me … PEACE TO ALL WHO PLEASE HIM! What was that? Not to everyone? Just to those who please Him? That’s doesn’t seem fair, you say. But after all, how can we have real peace if we are not doing what pleases Him?! So then, our deepest desire in our quest for peace should be to live our lives in a way that brings pleasure to our Lord – and out of that will flow that indescribable peace that only He can pour into us. When our lives are rocked to the core and we feel totally shaken, God’s peace will come over us like warm oil, like healing balm, like supernatural calm! When we seek to live in God’s perfect will, we can walk in confidence that all will be well ~ no matter what. Being in that place brings a peace that our mind cannot wrap itself around … a peace that is beyond our grasp and our full comprehension. It’s just something we receive. Something we know. We experience it. We live in it and we’d die for it, if need be. We love the statement made by the man who carried the cross to every nation, every island, every people group … over a span of 38 years. He said, “I’d rather die in the will of God than live outside of it.” (Arthur Blessitt) Why would he say such a thing? Well, because he knew that there would never be a peace in his life that would come remotely close to what he would experience being obedient and faithful to God’s call. So he left his life as he knew it, and embarked on a journey that would ultimately put him in danger’s way time and again as he carried that huge, rough cross to nation after nation, sharing the message of God’s love. And every time he faced death, God supernaturally rescued him and gave him the peace to keep walking. And perhaps only God knows how many lives were changed for eternity in those 38 years, as Arthur carried that cross – one step at a time. That’s the power of the cross that comes out of the announcement of a Savior being born for all! Jesus came. To us. For us. He came so that we could be a part of His kingdom work here on earth. Matthew 5 tells us why we’re here: “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in this world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand – shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” (verses 14-16, The Message Bible) So … there you have it! Our Christmas mission … to live in the peace that Christ came to bring … and to share that kind of living through His power with everyone we can! Shine, people, shine!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- IN OUR HUMBLE CHRISTMAS SETTING, God’s presence descended upon us just as the Star shone o’er the stable in Bethlehem so long ago! Though our meeting place is small, the sense that God is with us – is huge! When invited and sought after, there is no place that God’s Spirit will not come to! And each week He is so faithful to show up and stay with us! Worship is an incredible privilege and delight and honor as we lift up our Lord and Savior each Sunday morning in His House!
- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Rhonda and Erika as they worshipped with us for the first time! How we loved having you join us, and we pray that you sensed God’s love and a warm welcome from all of us!
- OUR AFTERNOON OF CAROLING last Sunday was such a blessing to all of us who braved the cold air to go from place to place and share the beautiful Christmas songs with those who need some love and cheer. We pray that they were blessed, as well! We had a really great time and then loved coming back to Pastor’s and Debbie’s home for hot chocolate and truffles and cookies! Thanks to everyone for bringing the goodies!
- JESUS’ BIRTHDAY GIFT! Our heartfelt thanks to each of you who shared from your heart for the family with some urgent needs that we chose to help! We were able to add $75 to the amount being collected from Kohl’s and Lowe’s for their water heater, washer, and flooring. We know you touched the heart of Jesus, as well!
- BIRTHDAYS, birthdays!!! We send out special birthday wishes to Joel and to Belle, and to our son, Dustin, on December 21st! We love you and thank God for you, Dustin! What a joy that we get to celebrate with you and your family this year during your visit!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – focusing on our theme of “Christmas Touch: Seeking A Fresh Touch From God” as Pastor Doug shares his heart with the congregation. Come prepared to open your hearts to God, offering to Him your best as you worship and praise Him in singing, in drinking in the Word, in showing love to your brothers and sisters in Christ, in welcoming our new visitors each week, in learning how to love Him more and serve Him better! What great opportunities as we come together!
- 11:15 A.M. – ALL CHURCH CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON – plan to stay for this celebration of Jesus’ birthday as you enjoy some great food and wonderful fellowship with your family in Christ! Plan to bring a meat dish and another favorite of yours to share. The table service will be provided.
- DECEMBER 24TH: CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION SERVICE AT 6 P.M. (note time change!) A special service is being planned ~ something a bit different and unique ~ so don’t miss this wondrous time as we celebrate our Lord’s birth!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- In today’s world, there are SO many things to be in prayer about, that we should aspire to earn the same nick-name that James in the New Testament acquired: “camel-knees” (from spending so much time on his knees!). Just think what God could do through us if we all ended up with camel-knees! This week, let’s especially remember James as he recovers from surgery, God’s healing touch on Merv, and on Julia and her brother, some very URGENT unspoken needs, provision for Josh and the team for their Asian mission trip, for the Bucholz family transitioning in MI, strength for Larry and Gloria as they travel and share Christ, and for our nation’s return to God and godly living! Let’s stand on the promises of God!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “God takes life’s pieces and gives us UNBROKEN PEACE!” ~ Gough


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

HE’S AS CLOSE AS THE MENTION OF HIS NAME! Who is? None other than JESUS! (And by the way, that phrase is also the title of a song – a beautiful song!) If you’re like us this Christmas Season, then you are so-o-o glad that Jesus is THAT close! Perhaps in these 16 days leading up to Christmas Day, you have so much to do yet that you’re not sure just where to turn! Well, He’s as close as the mention of His Name! Maybe you’ve had extra expenses, even unexpected ones – and there are more gifts to buy than money to pay for them with, and you don’t know who you can even share that with! Well, He’s as close as the mention of His Name! It’s possible that you are one of those who is facing surgery yet this month, and anxieties are causing you to wonder and question – is there someone you can bare your soul to? Well, He’s as close as the mention of His Name! It could be that someone in your family is holding you at a distance, and things aren’t like they used to be – and you’d love to tell someone how your heart is breaking! Well, He’s as close as the mention of His Name! For some parents, it’s a daily battle with children and teens who are not interested in listening or building a relationship with you – and you wonder if you’ll ever survive those difficult days, much less years! He’s as close as the mention of His Name! Maybe it’s you, the child or the teenager, and you don’t feel like anyone understands you or all that you face each day – and you keep on searching for answers. We just want you to know that He’s as close as the mention of His Name! It could be that not only your nights, but your days have turned into darkness and despair, and it feels like hope has disappeared. Don’t ever forget that He’s as close as the mention of His Name! With winter beginning to set in, some of our “seniors” may not venture out into the cold as often – and loneliness becomes a daily visitor when no one else shows up to brighten their days. Please remember that He’s as close as the mention of His Name! Perhaps your loved ones have moved far away, and your heart aches to know that they are not as close as they used to be! May it be your consolation that He’s as close as the mention of His Name! Or you may be the ones who have made the move and everything and everyone is new to you, and it all feels so different as you seek to get adjusted and to feel at home! The best transition ever comes by knowing that He’s as close as the mention of His Name! You may be one of those who has doctored for weeks and months, and still your body feels those daily aches and pains and you wonder how much longer you can stand the suffering. Listen closely and you’ll hear Him whisper, “I’m as close as the mention of My Name!” You could be on the road driving through state after state – excited at the prospect of welcoming home that husband and dad from the war in Afghanistan, but the weather is stormy and you need a Co-Pilot. He’ll be there with you, for He’s as close as the mention of His Name! Maybe someone you know is aching to have a child, and there have only been disappointments – no pregnancy. There will always be promise and hope as long as you hang on to the fact that He’s as close as the mention of His Name! Perhaps you or someone you know has recently experienced the loss of a family member or someone very close, and the hurt and emptiness are so deep you can barely breathe without them. The Comforter and Peace-Giver wants to remind you that He’s as close as the mention of His Name! Some of you are facing struggles of another sort when people come against you and you wonder how it’s going to turn out – and the stress comes in like a flood! Run to Jesus and sit at His feet, for He’s as close as the mention of His Name! And probably every one of us can say that our hearts long to have EVERY ONE of our loved ones know Jesus personally, and we pray and pray and pray that they will say “yes” to Him! Always, and especially in this blessed Christmas Season, we can rest assured that for each of those we love, He’s as close as the mention of His Name! Psalm 9:10 says, “Those who know Your Name will trust in You, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.” Thank You, Jesus!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- EACH SUNDAY, God is ever-present with us as we meet together – to love us, teach us, encourage us, comfort us, and to receive our worship and our gifts! Doesn’t that sound like a place you’d like to be? No two Sundays are alike, but each gathering is unique and precious!
- HAPPY 14TH BIRTHDAY to our grandson, Dylan, on December 15th! We love you lots!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – with the Christmas message being centered on “Christmas Touch: Love for Family Members”. Often we think about loving everyone else – and family gets what’s left over! Come and see what God’s Word has to say – especially as it relates to families during the Christmas Season! Lift your voices in joyful singing of the Christmas music that we get to enjoy only during this blessed time of year – and be a blessing to your church family as you show them your love!
- 11:15 A.M. – (We will not have availability to use the Town Hall for Sunday School this week).
- 12:30 P.M. – AFTERNOON CHRISTMAS CAROLING! We will meet at Traditions I at 12:30, then go to Traditions II, and on to Maple Trails to share some festive joy with those who spend much of their time alone! We will end up at the home of Pastor Doug and Debbie, where hot chocolate will be provided … be sure to bring along a dozen Christmas cookies or bars or goodies to share with everyone! Let’s be a BLESSING!
- JESUS’ BIRTHDAY GIFT! We have been made aware of a very needy family in the area who does not have a water heater, or a washer, and their flooring has been ruined by a water leak. We will be partnering with Kohl’s and Lowe’s to help meet these needs. Whatever money gift you can share to honor Jesus for His Birthday ~ small or large ~ will be life-changing for this family! And Jesus will LOVE His Birthday gift!
- YOUTH … we will keep you informed of a time to get together, working around everyone’s school and sports schedules this month!
- CHRISTMAS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20TH – with an all-church luncheon to follow the service. Check out the sign-up sheet to see what you’d like to bring!
- DECEMBER 24th, CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION SERVICE at 7 P.M.

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- “Faithful in prayer” – that’s what Romans 12:12 says that we should be! “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” So let’s uplift all those that we have been praying for with special needs, be it physical or financial or unspoken and urgent. Remember James as he faces upcoming surgery this week; Liz & the girls as they go to see their dad & husband now home from Afghanistan; our students finishing up classes & finals; and Seykoras as they raise desperately needed funds for their Asian mission trip! Is God leading YOU to help? He will only ever ask us to do what He empowers and enables us to do! What a privilege to pray and give!!!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “Some gifts are big, others are small. Gifts from the heart are the best gifts of all.” ~ Unknown


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

ALL IS WELL!!! Or is it? On one hand, you have dancing Christmas lights on trees and rooftops and garland … and shoppers with bags filled full to the brim. They have visions in their heads of packages galore, and holiday meals of delectable dishes and more! On the other hand, you have families who have worked hard all year just to pay their bills … but there will be no gifts under the tree, not a one. Anything other than money for their obligations will take a divine miracle! The visions flashing in their heads are most bittersweet. It’s a blend of genuine celebration for Christ’s birth and coming to this earth – and gratitude for God’s faithfulness and provision all year long … but there are also the twinges of deep sadness at not being able to give gifts to those they love most. And, if we had a third hand (!) … you have people who have no home, no food … and any thoughts of decorations and gifts would have them thinking they were hallucinating! The visions passing in front of their heads are totally of a place to lay their head where it will be warm and safe – and of a meal, anything that will ward off those hunger pangs for at least a few hours. Is there any common denominator in all of these real-life scenarios? The only one I can come up with is the birth of Christ, the reason for the season. He came - to the rich … to the middle-class … to the poorest of the poor. And He came to give us the BEST GIFT we’ll ever receive from anyone, anywhere, in our entire lifetime! Actually, like my husband has always said, if He gave us nothing more than the gift of salvation, the hope of an eternity with our Savior in Heaven … that would be enough. Yet, He came to give us so much more. But we’ve been conditioned to think we HAVE to have certain things, to think we HAVE to give certain things, to think we HAVE to do certain things. At any cost. And the one who gets lost in the shuffle of all that, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the One whose birthday we are celebrating – or SHOULD be! In our present-day culture, it seems totally foreign to most people to be focused MOST on what they will give Jesus for His birthday. And yet that should be at the top of our list. And we should be most sad if we cannot give HIM gifts for HIS birthday. Because modern-day Christmases are what we’ve made them, we are sad only if we cannot experience them like we’d like to, complete with all the gift-giving and glitz and goodies. But in all reality, the practice of us giving gifts to each other should be an expression of our love and appreciation for each other, AFTER we have given Jesus something from our hearts and our hands and our checkbooks. Really, HIS gift should cost us more than any of the others; for after all, it’s His birthday – not ours! And no, we are not boycotting gift-giving to others! We absolutely LOVE giving gifts! We only wish that our checkbook balance would match what our hearts long to give! God LOVES givers. He loves it when we give to Him. He loves it when we give to each other. And He really loves it when we give to those who have little or nothing! He says in His Word that when we give to someone who is cold or hungry or thirsty, it’s like we are giving to Him! (Matthew 25:40) So when our church fed 30 homeless and hungry people last week on Thanksgiving Day through our gifts to the Mission, it was like we were giving Jesus some birthday presents early! In the days between now and Christmas Day, may all of us be challenged to think and pray about what WE can give Jesus for His birthday this year ~ as individuals, as families, and as a church. And yes, no matter what our circumstances may be this Christmas season, if we know Jesus, ALL IS WELL! If we think we give good gifts, just think about the gifts HE gives us everyday! Yes, all will be well!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Justin, James, and Josh who worshipped with us this past Sunday; we loved having you in our midst! And welcome back to Nancy! We pray you were blessed by God’s Spirit and our love!
- BLESSINGS!!! That’s what God gives us each week as we enter His presence with thanksgiving in our hearts!
There was no doubt He was in our midst as a church family, doing His precious work!
- BLESSINGS!!! That’s what we pray for Clint and Kristina and family as they leave for their home in Michigan this Saturday morning. We had a great time together with them last Sunday as we honored them and prayed God’s richest blessings on their family, their move, and this new chapter of their lives that God has called them to! How we will miss you ~ but we will stay connected in Christ! (See Debbie for their new address.)
- BLESSINGS!!! That’s what the youth enjoyed all Sunday afternoon long (15 of us!) as we viewed a great true-story movie (Blindside), went swimming, and spent one last time of hanging out with Mitch and Brendan over warm brownies with ice cream and all the toppings, before delivering all the youth back home! We love you, kids! Every one of you!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6th:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – come and lay all the weights of this past week down, and drink in the joy of the promises that the true meaning of Christmas brings to us through Jesus! Let’s enjoy all that God has in store for us as His children. Let’s plan to reach out to others in fun, creative, loving ways as Pastor D challenges us through this series of messages on “Christmas Touch: Making Christ-like Connections during the Holidays.” Why not invite some friends to church with you?!
- 11:15 A.M. – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES for ALL ages! We’ll learn together in exciting teaching and discussion times! Remember to lift each of our teachers up in prayer as they share God’s Word in fresh ways!
- CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS . . .
- BIRTHDAY GIFTS FOR JESUS – giving opportunity to be announced
- AN AFTERNOON OF CAROLING – date and time to be announced
- ALL CHURCH CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON – Sunday, December 20th, following worship
- CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT COMMUNION SERVICE – Thursday, December 24th, 7:00 p.m.

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- Prayer is a form of thanksgiving, as well as bringing our needs before God. In line with that, Pastor Doug and Debbie pray for God’s awesome blessings on those outside of our church family who are sharing pastoral support with them personally, and also with Elevation North! We thank God for you, and for your loving and generous support! May you be blessed back many times over!! Join us in lifting up our two servicemen, Justin and Matthias, who will be returning this month from service in Iraq, Hawaii, and Afghanistan! Continue to pray for healing for Julia and her brother, for Hendrickson’s son, for Jimmy; and for God’s perfect will concerning a local job for Nancy. Pray for our students of all ages, for our nation and its leaders, and for all those in ministry and mission/evangelistic work, for God’s powerful anointing and safe-keeping. Be in focused prayer that God will use Elevation North to the ultimate, and that each of us will be vessels available for His purposes!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons!” (Unknown)


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

HARD TO BELIEVE!!! Do you ever find it hard to believe something? As I sit here about to share my heart with you, I find it totally unbelievable that we are exactly one month away from Christmas! Actually when this posting hits the church blog, it will be Thanksgiving Day. For those who read the hard copy in church on Sunday, Thanksgiving will be but a pleasant memory … and we will be into the last thirty days before Christmas … the celebration of Jesus’ birthday! I define that – because nowadays, Christmas is about everything BUT honoring Jesus and remembering His birth. Sad. So sad. Often, while at work in the midst of the “retail craziness”, I find myself shooting a “help me prayer” up to God. It’s a different kind of prayer. And yes, I DO ask God for help and wisdom and strength while on the job. But more than that, my prayer is that God will “help me” to honor Him and exuberate peace in the midst of the stress … that God will “help my life to count” for something more than just the “stepped-up-a-notch” 8-hour shift … that He will “help me be the breath of fresh air” that someone needs while they are just about hyper-ventilating over their shopping hysteria … and on and on. You get the picture! There’s always plenty to smile about if you look for the good, and each day since the Christmas music started playing in the store, I’ve been given something awesome to smile about! This year, there are several Christian songs in the mix of all the other holiday songs that are being played. They are new Christmas songs being performed by contemporary Christian artists … and the message of Christ’s birth and the reason for the season comes through beautifully. And I find myself smiling and my heart nearly skips a beat in thankfulness for a corporation that has taken a strong stand this Christmas season – and is honoring Christ though it may not be “politically correct”! At the risk of losing sales over the perception that customers might be offended if they are not of the Christian faith, they choose to make the Truth of Christmas known – regardless of the outcome. Thank God for a company who gets it right, and is not afraid to put their priorities out in the open for the public to see! And in retrospect, God honors this company right back. For in this downturn of the economy, when many other retailers have gone bankrupt and closed their doors – this company is expanding. The customers keep coming – they keep buying. And I have a feeling that God is just keeping His promise, that when we honor Him, He will honor us! Oh, and since they’ve gone public with their unabashed “Reason for the season” Christmas songs, I guess it’s alright for me to tell you that this corporation is none other than “Kohl’s”! How I’d love to see us as individuals be as bold and confident in our sharing of the true reason for the season! There’s no better way to earn respect than to live our lives the same way – no matter where we are, or what’s going on, or who we are with! It’s when we are rock-solid that people will sit up and listen and pay attention, because our actions match our words! And in this special Christmas season … it’s so important that we do just that! There’s a world of people out there who are searching and longing for someone, anyone – to be genuine and down-to-earth and honest. There’s not much we can count on in this world today … things are changing so fast our vision nearly blurs as we watch. There are very few people that keep their promises or follow through. There are few who show they care as much about others as themselves. That gives us an opportunity to be that person. That one that God is looking for in this earth; that one who can be counted on … that one who keeps their promises … that one who is genuine and real and full of integrity … that one who puts others ahead of themselves. That one who will be unabashed in their celebration of Jesus’ birthday, when it’s not popular! When God finds those special people, I think His heart melts. I think He smiles a big smile. And I think He can hardly wait to peek at the “gift” that we’ve become as we’ve allowed Him to shape us up into believers with backbones! Though He already knows what is in “the package”, He can hardly wait to see us opened up and proclaiming His good news on the many stages of this world! Let’s be a gift that will bless Jesus on His birthday – and everyday!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Nancy who worshipped with us for the first time! We look forward to having you join us every time you are back home! And welcome back to Jason and Rogelio! God’s blessings to all of you!
- THANKS FOR SHARING!!! Our church family was able to provide 30 meals for the homeless and hungry this Thanksgiving Day through Union Gospel Mission – how that thrills our hearts! Plus, they received the message of Christ’s love and forgiveness and hope!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29th:
- 10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – come prepared to begin our celebration of Jesus’ Birthday as a church family! Each of our services leading up to Christmas will be filled with Christmas music and with a series of messages on “Christmas Touch: Making Christ-like Connections during the Holidays”. You won’t want to miss a single one of these services!
- 11:15 a.m. – A SPECIAL CHURCH FAMILY GATHERING w/refreshments to honor the Bucholz family who is moving to MI this week. This will be our time for sharing our love and our hearts with them. They have blessed us beyond words, and our deepest prayer is that God will go before them, with them, beside them, bless them and use them for His glory! To the Bucholz family … we love and appreciate you all more than you can ever know ~ and we thank God for you! You have blessed Elevation North immensely while you were with us and have been so instrumental in carrying God’s Kingdom work forward! We will miss you greatly!
- 1:15 a.m. - ? … AFTERNOON YOUTH OUTING filled with many fun events around town, and then a time of devotions and reflection back at Pastor D’s and Debbie’s home. For more details, give us a call! (This will take the place of our regular Tuesday meeting for this week.)

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITES . . .

- Prayer is a form of opening the whole of our hearts to God. We empty the good and the bad before Him as we pour out the very longings of our souls. And He’s right there to listen, to hear, and to answer ~ as close as our very breath! This week, join us in praying for many in our church family who have been battling sickness. And we would ask that you especially lift up our students at the high school in light of what has been happening recently – for God to use them and for divine protection from all danger. Our students need to know that we are standing in the gap for them and on our knees in prayer on their behalf! God can take these circumstances and transform them into opportunities for making Himself known to those who need Him so!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “God must have said, ‘I know what I’ll do, I’ll send my love right down there where they are. And I’ll send it as a tiny baby, so they’ll have to touch it, and they’ll have to hold it close’.” ~ Gloria Gaither

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

JEHOVAH-JIREH! You might be saying WHAT does that mean? Or maybe you’ve heard that name and know all about it. At any rate, this week before Thanksgiving is a great time to understand as much as we can about this name … one of the Names of our God! Jehovah-Jireh means “THE LORD WHO PROVIDES” … and it literally means that God sees and that He will see to it – whatever it is that we need to have provided. So many times in our lives, my husband and I have literally asked for and claimed the provision of Jehovah-Jireh. And believe me when I say that over and over, God has seen exactly what we needed … and He miraculously provided it! The first time this Name is revealed in scripture is in Genesis chapter 22, where the story of Abraham traveling to the land of Moriah with his son, Isaac, is recorded. What a heart-wrenching test God puts before Abraham when He asks him to take his beloved son and sacrifice him as a burnt-offering on a mountain that He would show him when he got there. And that mountain wasn’t just a short hike away – or even several hours away … but three days away on foot. Can you imagine the agony that Abraham experienced in his heart and his emotions as he put one foot in front of the other? At that point, I would be so thankful that the journey was going to take three days rather than three hours, for the sake of having more time with my son before the time of sacrifice. Could I, would I, actually be able to follow through in obedience? I’m sure a million memories rushed before Abraham’s eyes as they walked and talked together. Even in these final steps to the place of sacrifice, new memories were being made that Abraham would forever hold close to his heart. The servants traveling with them must have hung back at a short distance, giving this dad and son the opportunity for that desired one-on-one time together. But as I read and study this portion of scripture, something tells me that in those hours of inner struggle as Abraham moved forward, step by step, one of two things had to have occurred – and perhaps, both. One, with each step his heart must have laid down another piece of his human, fatherly yearning to keep his son … until by the time he reached that mount, he had come to grips with the acknowledgement of true and full surrender. “Yes, God, if this is what You are asking me to do, though I don’t understand – I will offer my precious son up to You as a sacrifice; all I ask is for the strength to carry it out with a right heart before You. You’ll have to be there with me and help me. On my own, I’m not sure I can bring the knife down on my son.” Second, Abraham had to have gotten beyond that place in his heart, otherwise there would be no rhyme or reason why he would tell his young servants upon their arrival at “the place” to “stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” In his intimate soul-searching on that three-day journey, evidently God gave Him not only a peace that passes all understanding … but an assurance that if he was obedient, God would intervene and provide ALL that Abraham would need from God, whatever that may be. We may never know fully all that Abraham sensed or knew or experienced. But either he believed what he was telling his son, or he was just cushioning him from the truth of “who” the sacrifice really was. Exactly how WOULD you tell your son who you loved so much that God had asked you to offer him as a sacrifice? The son, being intelligent, saw that everything necessary for the sacrifice was there – but the sheep, and he questions his dad, “where’s the sheep for the burnt offering?” To which Abraham confidently replies, “Son, God will see to it that there’s a sheep for the burnt offering.” And yet what Abraham does next is the most stirring of all … he keeps on walking with Isaac. He continues to make all the preparations for the sacrifice – even to the point of bringing the knife into place to kill his own son. And as he begins to bring the knife down, an angel of God stops him, and as Abraham looks up, he sees the ram that God provided for the burnt offering. At that moment, Abraham names that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). And then the angel of God speaks God’s reward for total obedience: Abraham’s children would flourish beyond counting – like the stars in the sky and the sand on the beaches; Abraham’s descendants would defeat their enemies; and moreover, all nations on earth would find themselves blessed through Abraham’s descendants because he obeyed God! That’s Abraham’s story of God’s provision! Well, just one of his stories! What’s your story about Jehovah-Jireh this Thanksgiving? Be sure to tell it to all who will listen: that “God has seen to it that your needs have been provided for” ~ and then thank God over and over for His love, His provision, and most of all, for the sacrifice of HIS precious Son on that altar called Calvary.

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- THIS SUNDAY will be the last day to receive donations for our THANKSGIVING PROJECT for the homeless and hungry. We can provide a delicious hot Thanksgiving meal for $1.92, plus the gospel message, through the Union Gospel Mission in St. Paul. Let’s remember the needy & lonely while we are planning our bountiful meals . . . and through our love and giving, give them a glimpse of Jesus in action! Can you spare $2.00 to share?!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to many in our church family: Tina, Sierra, Connie, Christian, Deondre, and also, belated wishes to Harold! Belated Anniversary wishes to Joel & Laura, as well! May God bless each of you with an incredible year to come!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND:
- 10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – with the entire service centered around “thanksgiving” – Psalm 103!
- 11:15 a.m. – THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON for everyone (no Sunday School classes this week) – plan to bring a special dish to pass for this yummy church feast, followed by Communion and a Thanksgiving devotional!
- NEXT TUESDAY – ALL JR/SR HI YOUTH will be meeting at the home of Pastor D and Debbie from 6:30-8:00 p.m. for a great time of learning, fun, and snacks! Let’s live out our faith in every day ways! Invite a friend!!!
- NEXT SUNDAY – Pastor Doug will be starting the new unique Christmas series of messages; and lots of awesome times are being planned for worship and fellowship throughout the wondrous Christmas Season! We will also resume our Sunday School classes next week!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- Prayer makes all the difference in the world! It brings peace and answers; freedom and deliverance; healing and health; joy and happiness; contentment and provision, and everything we can ever need! God loves having us come to Him and to enlist His help in every area of our lives! How we thank God for His special touch of healing in Mary; for His hand upon the Bucholz family as the date of their move approaches; for His provision for the ministry of Elevation North (we thank each of you for giving so faithfully and generously!); we lift up LaFawn as she undergoes tests; and we are bringing before God an urgent unspoken request. Let’s stand together on God’s promises that He will do His best for us – and in us; & let’s THANK Him for being Who He is!
- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “If we learn how to give of ourselves, to forgive others, and to live with thanksgiving, we need not seek happiness. It will seek us.” (Unknown)


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

ARE YOU A SAVER OR A THROWER??? Depending what it is - when we’re cleaning and sorting and organizing, my husband and I are more opposites than not. In recent days, we have FINALLY gotten to the HUGE pile of papers and receipts and forms that needed desperately to be filed (from all year long, basically)! You know. You finally get to the point where everything else has to stop and that long-awaited project just HAS to be next on the agenda! It was actually quite interesting ~ like taking a journey through time, getting an overall look at what you’ve spent your money on – and where you’ve given it (the receipts), enjoying cards and notes just as much (or more!) the second time around, seeing the beginning/planning stages of projects for the new church (brochure, logo, community and mission outreach, and so much more!). Part of the organizing included my personal lists where many things were crossed off: accomplished, done, finished. But there were other things, also important: not crossed off, still waiting to be done. One thread ran through all those papers and receipts and notes and lists. For me, that made it more difficult to throw certain things away. The thread indicated God’s faithfulness. His divine favor. His miracles. His gifts. His leading. At times, I smiled at what I saw as I sorted. Other times my eyes glistened with tears as I reviewed hard places we’d been in and I recalled how God had brought us through. All I can say is that there is no god like our God! During our cleaning process, as I saw the discarded pile grow into a small mountain that to some degree recorded several years of our past – a part of me wanted to save it, to hang on to what it all “said”. But a bigger part of me knew that it was time to let go, to purge the old and make room for the new. I decided I would hold the meaningful pieces of the past close to my heart, and continue to learn from all God had taught me in those times of our lives. Learn, so that for today and tomorrow and every day after that, we can move into the places God wants to take us. Remembering what we’ve learned, we’ll be better equipped for each new mission God sends us on. That mission could be in our home. It could be in our workplace. It might even be in our church. Or it might send us next door to our neighbors – or to the hurting out on the streets. And often it might connect us to others who are serving the Lord here in our nation – or halfway around the world. Thinking of all God has planned for our todays and tomorrows made it much easier to set aside the “sentimental” feelings and get even more excited about what God has next on His agenda! Just what will that be? Well, we don’t know. But that’s the signature mark of our God. He doesn’t reveal all His plans at one time … He waits until the perfect time to let us in on what He has planned. He may show us just enough for the next hour. Sometimes He lets us in on plans for the day to come. Of course, we can never see the future, but He puts visions before our eyes, dreams in our hearts, and wisdom and knowledge to make it all happen! We were never meant to live in the dark. It’s like as parents, when we want to guide our children around the pitfalls that we see (and they don’t) … we’d love to have them understand what we know and see. But often it’s difficult to convince them, until they experience the challenges for themselves, and suddenly – they understand and see. That’s kind of a picture of God and us. He’d love to spare us from hurts and trials and obstacles because He knows how we can avoid them. But often we have to do it our way and only when we cannot avoid the tough stuff, then we finally “get it” – and wonder why we didn’t listen to God in the first place! Anyhow, after a bit of “saving” some of our records and keepsakes … and after tons of “throwing” old things away, we can better identify with the clear message in the first few verses of Hebrews, chapter 12. It says in part … “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith … “. In other words, God doesn’t want us “stuck in our yesterdays” of sin and failure … He wants us to move to the present and into the future He has written in our hearts. He has THE BEST planned for us; we’re His kids, after all. So, He’s just doing what’s best for us! That’s exactly what the scriptures say a few verses later. Go on, open your Bible to Hebrews 12, and read it for yourselves! Oh, and by the way … I am more “the saver” – and my hubby is more “the thrower”. So together ~ we make a great team! Just like Jesus and us: He saves us eternally, and we throw off the earthly things! What a great team we make in this life!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- EACH SUNDAY, God blesses us with the newness and freshness of His Holy Spirit, and this Sunday was no exception! He proves Himself to us over and over in so many ways; how we praise His Name!
- A WARM WELCOME to Rogelio, who worshipped with our church family for the first time; it was great having you – we hope you were blessed!
- BIRTHDAY WISHES go out to: Trinitee and Laura! Have a fantastic year filled with God’s best!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH:
- 10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – we hope you will come with great anticipation of blessing our Lord!
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES – great learning and sharing opportunities with others!
- 12:00 noon – ALL JR/SR HI YOUTH will be meeting for lunch right after church (bring your own money) and then will be finishing the last part of the deliveries for the Evangelism blitz. Thanks to all who participated on Tuesday evening; what a great response – and what beautiful weather God gave us! NOTE: this will take the place of youth on Tuesday evening for this week only; next week we’ll resume our regular schedule. Why not invite some friends to come along … we’re sowing seeds and praying for a great harvest of souls for the Kingdom of God! And YOU get to be a part of it!!!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- As always, the list of needs seems to be great – but we love it that we have even more to praise God for, so be sure to tell God “thank-you” for all He does!! On bended knee, lift these church friends before the Lord, that healing and answers might be claimed and received: Mary, Noah, Julia and her brother, Kathy, Guy, Sean, James, Jimmy, and the Bucholz family; our faithful supporters, and each one in the community who receives a packet sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ! May revival start in us and spread to others around us!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “God makes a promise – faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly awaits it.” (Unknown) “Let all blessed old things stay, but let the clutter of our heads and hearts be removed, that new inspirations and new affections may come in to gladden our lives.” ~ (Chester Burge Emerson)



Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

DO YOU EVER FEEL ANEMIC? No … we don’t mean physically. We mean spiritually! Just as thermometers read our body temperatures, so there are indicators for measuring our spiritual temps. And in recent days both of us are experiencing a deeper heart’s cry than ever before that God’s church (that’s us, in this present world) will become more hot-blooded and on fire for Christ than ever before – that’s right … ever before. We look around and see a rapid, rising incline of people who are just along for the ride … not even going through the motions. There is total disinterest, lack of regard and respect for things of God, empty of an appetite for God and knowing Him more, without a sense of urgency for reaching the lost. And if our hearts cry, think what God’s heart does. He longs for a people who will be fully engaged in walking in His ways. Who will run after Him and passionately pursue Him. Who will actively seek Him through His Word and diligently study to get to know Him better. Who will strive for holiness and godliness in every part of our character. Who will take Him at His Word and believe Him literally. Who will step out in faith, no matter what the risk. Who will honor Him with our best, not just with whatever. Who will worship with expectation and excitement and exaltation. Who will strive to live Kingdom lives on this earth: God’s way, not ours. You might be saying, yeah, that all sounds good; but how can anyone really get there – and live that way? Well, the first step of course, is accepting Jesus into our hearts as our personal Lord and Savior, being forgiven of our sins through His shed blood on Calvary. Secondly, living the way God longs for us to live as His children, happens only through the power of the Holy Spirit and the shed blood of Jesus. When we’re not walking as we should as God’s children and as God’s church … then there’s a blood problem. Or lack of it. In the physical realm, anemia means “an inadequate supply of hemoglobin and red blood cells”. And when there’s not an adequate supply of life-giving blood in our bodies, we become sluggish and cold and are not able to function like we should. When that happens in our spiritual lives: ditto! When the shed blood of Jesus is not flowing in us and through us, the outward result is that we are spiritually sluggish and cooled off and we do not function in the body of Christ like we should. It all comes down to a blood problem. Hemoglobin carries oxygen in our body from the lungs to our tissues. We cannot survive without it. And bottom line, the church cannot survive without the shed blood of Jesus! Too many churches and believers have gotten away from the blood of Jesus and the cross of Calvary, but without it, the church is anemic. Ineffective. Stifled. Out of breath. Out of power. Dying. It cannot survive. Dear ones, that is not a church that God can take pleasure in or work through. Let us say this: Elevation North was birthed out of pain and healing, and with a calling and a vision to make a huge difference in our world around us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let’s not be like so many others around this nation and around the world who are taking the cross and the blood of Jesus out of the church – because it’s a different generation! We can relate to this generation and should, but we’ll never change it without the power of the cross and the shed blood of Jesus. We’ll only carry an anemic message, and they’ll only see us as anemic people and look upon us with disdain. Our heart’s cry is that they will see Jesus in us, that they will see us empowered and impassioned, and about our Father’s business, as His blood courses through our very veins. With every breath we take, may we remember the day we met Jesus – and may we be focused on introducing Him to others who do not yet know Him! With every breath we take, may we live so we represent our Lord well! Our looks, our attitude, our words, our actions, our desires. How we live should be anything but anemic – we should be spiritually strong and healthy and bold and powerful! May God not have to be ashamed of us, but may we truly look like His bride, without spot or wrinkle. We join Paul as he writes, saying, “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when He comes? Is it not you? Indeed, your are our glory and joy.” (I Thessalonians 2:19-20)

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT A PRIVILEGE it was to worship together last Sunday and partake of Communion together, remembering what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross and through His resurrection!
- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Matthew who came to worship with us for the first time; may God bless you!
- OUR THANKS & APPRECIATION to the Rogers family for the candy-filled piñata that they provided for the Sunday School children after class-time! What a great time the kids had!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8th:
- 10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – plan to join us in God’s House for an incredible time in God’s presence!
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES – w/lessons to draw us closer to God – on all age levels!
- THIS TUEDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH, JR/SR HI YOUTH, RE: FUEL, will be picked up right after school and will be delivering packets containing the Invitation CD and our church brochure as we do the Evangelism Blitz in our neighboring community of Medford. THANKS to all of our youth for helping fill nearly 500 packets to share Christ with those who do not know Christ, and to bring encouragement to those who do! We will be praying over these packets on Sunday at church, for God’s favor to be upon us as we deliver the Good News of Jesus Christ! Youth, be sure to dress warmly and bring money for a stop for dinner at McDonalds. Anyone interested in helping us out is invited to join us. Call Pastor D!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- What a faithful God we have! He comes with surprises and favor and blessings that no one else can provide, but best of all, He comes with His salvation and love and that relationship above all others! A few days ago we received a phone call from Perth, Australia telling us the news that Seykora’s little boy had stopped breathing in the night (with a high fever). The good news is that after CPR from daddy and lots of prayers and being checked at the hospital, Noah is going to be just fine! Continue praying for Noah’s complete recovery, and for God’s peace for Josh and Sarah! Thanks to the prayer chain individuals for praying!!! Be in daily prayer for Julia, her brother, Kathy, Sean, Ron in Turkey, Bucholz’ upcoming move & the sale of their home, family relationships, spiritual growth, for our evangelism outreach, for those serving God here & around the world, for our nation, our leaders, and our military, for God’s leading and protection over us!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.” C.S. Lewis


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

AND WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND TODAY?! Not that it’s any of our business, of course! It’s just that after being on “Facebook” and seeing what everyone is doing, their comments let me know what is on their mind! Just by reading their short updates, I can tell if they are happy, or busy, or sick … I can find out if they are doing things at home, or if they are planning to go somewhere and take in some event. I can even tell what mood they are in by the things they reveal through their choice of words! Talk about being connected! (Can you tell I’m a newbie on Facebook?!) What an amazing format ~ where we can stay in touch – or get in touch with those we care about! Just getting started on this “journey of connection”, I can see how someone could spend hours and hours, not only checking on what is happening with others, but making your own comments, and even searching for others that you would like to re-connect with. As I was contemplating the far-reaching relational opportunities this site provides, I was pretty much overwhelmed! And thinking about this update, God dropped a thought into my heart that isn’t going away. So, I’ll pass it on! I’m thinking that the Holy Spirit must have invented “Heartbook” from the beginning of time, but somehow it has never caught on to the extent that Facebook has. And that’s sad. Because the potential it has to keep us connected to God is far greater than Facebook’s friend-connection capability will ever be! While getting on the computer and opening up a site and reading about what’s on our family’s or friend’s minds – and letting them know what’s going on with us – is really easy … “Heartbook” is even easier!! All we need to do is open our heart and move our lips. All we need to do is realize that God already knows what’s on our minds, but He wants to, and loves to hear it from us. The connection speed is instantaneous: faster than the blazing speeds of broadband. There’s no waiting for Him to open the site and see what we’ve said. He’s listening the very moment our lips form the words. More amazing, is that He already knows what we are going to say – yet He still wants us to say it. He longs for that connectivity with us. He longs for us to take that time with Him. He longs for us to know that He cares about what’s on our minds and in our hearts and He wants to make it better. Just like when we write a comment to someone and can’t wait to see what they write back; we need to get into that same excitement with our communication with God! We need to be so connected that when we talk with Him, we can hardly wait to see what He will say back to us! Just like we need to be in the right place when we click on our account so we can see who has taken time to post a message to us – so we need to be focused on listening to what God wants to reply back to us! Though it’s fun to share our news with others, it’s even more fun to see what they have to tell us! I have a feeling that’s how God wants it to be with us and Him! While we most often tell Him all about us and our needs, and SHOULD be telling Him how awesome He is and we love Him for Who He is … it’s even more important that we remain within close listening distance so that we can hear what’s on His mind and get to know what’s in His heart that He wants to share with us. One-sided conversations don’t last long. One-sided talks leave us feeling jilted and empty. One-sided dialogue makes us feel as if we really don’t matter to the other person. Relationships are cultivated and nurtured only when time is spent in communication with each other; where there is talking and there is listening! It’s in those times that we truly grow close to another. It’s in those times that we truly draw close to our God! My challenge to myself and to others … is that we spend more time on “Heartbook” than on Facebook, for it holds far greater pleasure that will last into Eternity! But … an added challenge is: let Facebook be a tool to use for encouragement and lifting others up! Then post that activity on “Heartbook” and see what God has to say! I love Jesus’ “post” to the disciples as His crucifixion was drawing near, and after He had shared so much with them that day. This is what He said to them then, and I believe these words are “posted” for us to read today, as well: “I’ve told you all this so that trusting Me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world!” (John 16:33)

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT AN INCREDIBLE TIME we had in worship this past Sunday; God’s presence was truly in our midst, and we know that He was at work doing what He does best: ministering to us by His Holy Spirit, and taking over in our lives when we’ve done all we can do! The all-church luncheon that followed provided some great food and a joyous time of fellowship with each other! Thanks to everyone at Elevation North for honoring us for Pastor’s Appreciation Month, and a special thanks to Laura for making the cake that was presented to us on Sunday!

- WELCOME BACK to Daryl … it was great having you with us again! God bless you!

- DON’T FORGET TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK one hour as Daylight Savings Time ends early this Sunday morning! (November 1st)

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1st:
- 10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE & COMMUNION - come expecting to offer your BEST praise and thanksgiving to God; and know that whatever it is that you are in need of in your life, God will NOT disappoint you! His ways are above our ways! Pastor D will be preaching on “A Personal Call To Holiness” from Haggai, chapter 2.
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES – for all ages, with lessons that will help you to know more about the God we love and serve, and leave us wanting more of Him! Be sure to stay and participate!
- THIS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD – JR/SR HI YOUTH: RE: FUEL – Invite your friends for an interesting time of devotions/study, lots of fun, helping get the Evangelism packets ready, and of course, always … snacks! If your friends do not know Jesus, we’ll be happy to introduce them to Him!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- Miracles and answers to prayer are not just available; we are experiencing them each week in our church family! That is so exciting, but we want to make sure we are more grateful for the Giver, than for the gifts He gives us! Let’s join in continuing to pray for the ongoing needs of many individuals/families in our midst as they have shared these over the past few weeks: divine healing for Mary and for Julia and her brother; the sale of the Bucholz’ house; the ministry of Ron in the country of Turkey; for relationships to be healed; and a new praise – for the blessing of Josh and Sarah expecting another baby; may God’s hand be upon Sarah and the baby! As always, we are a needy people, and how awesome it is that we can lay all these needs at the feet of Jesus, trusting Him for what He will do! Praise the Lord!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “When you draw close to God, God will draw close to you.” (James 4:8) So remember to keep connected to God on “Heartbook” every day, many times a day!


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

NOT LONG AGO WE CAME ACROSS THIS ANONYMOUS QUOTE, and we thought it was perfect for the headliner of this week’s message! “When my life is through and the angels ask me to recall the thrill of them all, then I shall tell them I remember you …”. This past week found us hitting the road following the unexpected news of our friend’s death in Michigan, and while our hearts were deeply saddened by the loss, the next few days were spent in “remembering him”. The time shared with his wife and family as memories from over the years came flooding back, was so very precious. It was a combination of tears and laughter. One of the church families there offered their Bed and Breakfast rooms to some of the family and to us, as well – at no charge. The husband and wife are both battling cancer, and yet they gave from their hearts. It’s people like this that we remember; not for what they gave, but for who they are! And then we headed south to see our second son and his wife and our two grandchildren! While we have seen them at least once or more each year because they traveled here to see us, we had not had the opportunity to be with them in their home for over three and a half years! So our hearts leaped for joy when we rounded the corner of their street and saw them standing at the door! For the next few days we were gifted with yummy home-cooked meals, going to see our grandson’s football practices, stopping in each day to see our granddaughter at work, loving the opportunity to worship with them at their awesome church, going to Uncle John’s Cider Mill for fresh-pressed apple cider and freshly made, still warm, buttermilk doughnuts (are you getting hungry?!), taking a drive to see our Elevation North friend, Clint, who has moved to his new job in Michigan, getting to tour our son’s office complex in Ann Arbor and meet some of the employees, and learning how to “publish” our weekly updates to the blog, which our daughter has been doing for us all this time! And, of course, so much more … we packed in all that we could! Thanks, Dana and Stacey, and Whitney and Dylan, for an incredible time that “we shall always remember”! And then we were able to enjoy short visits with Doug’s brother and my sister and her husband and sons on the return trip home! More gifts of remembrance that we will always cherish! Why do we recall all of this for you? Just to give you a picture of what it looks like when people share themselves in meaningful ways and impact others with the love of Jesus as lived out through their daily lives! And each of us can do that. Sometimes we are aware of what we do, because we CHOOSE to make a difference in others. Other times we do things that make a difference for others, and we are not even aware of it. Either way, it’s those times in our lives that etch lasting impressions onto the lives of others, and when God calls them home, they will remember YOU! And of course, for Pastor Doug and I, when it’s our time to be called Home to heaven, we will answer without hesitation that our lives were what they were, in large part, because of YOU! Thanks to each of you for loving us with the amazing love of Jesus … what a thrill that is to us!!! Some days we might wonder how important it is that we focus on blessing others, but Jesus in Matthew 25:40 puts it this way: “ … I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.” That’s a marvelous incentive to touch the lives of others, when in fact, we are also blessing the King of kings and the Lord of lords! Let’s focus on being a blessing to someone this week ~ especially to the Someone who deserves our best ~ our all!

IN A NUTSHELL …
- OUR SPECIAL THANKS to Todd and his family for ministering to our congregation this past Sunday while we were gone ministering elsewhere! What a blessing you were to the Elevation North family!
- OUR APPRECIATION goes out to all those who stepped in and helped out with the preparation for the worship service in our absence … it’s heartwarming to know that our people have willing hearts to minister!
- SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS to Harold and LaFawn on the arrival of their grandchild; what a blessing & joy!
- WOMEN OF FAITH attendees report that it was an incredible and powerful time of challenge and uplift – PTL!
Plan now to begin putting a few dollars aside each week; we want every woman at Elevation North to be able to experience this awesome conference! Our goal is to take 50 women next year; be sure to chat with Tina!
- YOUTH PIZZA FUNDRAISER is being turned in on Monday; so be sure to get all of your orders in to Pastor D this Sunday, the 25th! We will take any last minute orders through Sunday, and thanks for supporting our youth!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25TH:
- 10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – may our hearts overflow out of gratitude and love for our Savior!
Note: for this Sunday only, we will be meeting at the Medford Park Chalet, (north side of town).
- 11:30 a.m. – POTLUCK CHURCH LUNCHEON – great time of fellowship and fun around the tables! Bring a dish to pass and your own table service. Beverages will be provided!
- THIS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH – JR/SR HI YOUTH: RE: FUEL – Plan on an exciting time of fun, devotions, helping prepare packets for our Evangelism Blitz, and snacks! Bring your friends along! Let’s impact them with the love of Jesus!
- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- There is nothing more exciting than seeing our God at work in our midst! Often we hear about Him doing something amazing for someone else, or far away in another country! But, He is engaged with us right here at Elevation North – right now! Every week we experience God in new circumstances. This week let’s join together in praying for the Bucholz family and the sale of their house; for healing for Mary and Julia and ongoing prayers for Julia’s brother, who is getting closer to his liver transplant; for Ron who is traveling to Turkey this Sunday for ministry amongst the people there – may God give safety and receptive hearts to the Gospel; for unspoken needs; for protection and blessing for all students, for all military, for our nation’s leaders; for God to use us at Elevation North to touch our world around us and beyond; and most of all, that we might lift up the Name of Jesus and exalt our Lord God, for He is SO worthy of our praise!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “Live for something … write your name in kindness, love, and mercy on the hearts of thousands you come in contact with … you will never be forgotten.” ~ Thomas Chalmers


Serving Christ Joyfully …

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

(TODAY’S MESSAGE IS TAKEN FROM ONE OF DEBBIE’S “PONDERINGS FROM THE PASTOR’S WIFE” ARTICLES, WRITTEN IN 1990) . . . I ABSOLUTELY LOVE GETTING MAIL, especially letters, notes and packages from family and friends! How about you? Now when it comes to envelopes that contain a piece of paper with the words, “Amount Due” printed on it, I don’t get nearly so excited. But I must tell you about a mailing I received awhile back that definitely captured my attention. I opened this envelope from a mail order company, and upon laying out the large brochure to reveal its contents, I beheld a sight that left me enraptured. For before my very eyes, in living color, was the image of a figurine of Christ at His Transfiguration. It was breathtakingly beautiful! The brochure described it as being “individually cast in fine imported porcelain, hand-painted in colors as radiant as the artist’s own, fired to perfection … to preserve its spirit forever.” The figurine was modeled from the painting, “The Transfiguration”, the last and most glorious achievement by one of the greatest artists who ever lived, Raphael. The sculpture had indeed captured its full power, dimension, and depth. And there was that striking pose of Christ rising, with the clouds billowing at His feet, light-blue robe flowing gently around His body, arms raised heavenward, eyes turned toward the Father in anticipation of returning to reign forever and ever on His Throne. Mere words cannot describe the feeling that filled my world as I sat staring at that brochure. It was the most beautiful rendering of my Lord I have ever seen; it was Christ just as I visualize Him. The very moment I laid eyes on that advertisement, I knew I wanted it. The price made me consider carefully, and though I knew it was costly, I determined in my heart I would take on extra work to earn the needed money. I can’t remember a time I wanted anything as much as I wanted this piece of sculpture. I kept talking to myself, trying to justify the expenditure and saying, “Just think what a conversation piece it will be when people see it, and how many times it will bring opportunity to share about the Lord it portrays over and over!” I was so excited! I finally, while still considering the options, filled out the order card and sent it in. Not long afterwards, while I was sitting in church, the Lord clearly spoke to me. He said, “Debbie, you cannot have that sculpture. It is not through that piece of porcelain that I want to be glorified, but through you. I know you think it is the most beautiful piece of art you have ever seen, but I want to form you, change you, shape you, paint you, fire you – until you come to the place where people talk about My beauty and power in your life, until you are the reason people are drawn to Me. I choose to work through you as a broken vessel, rather than through an expensive piece of porcelain.” There was no doubt about it; I knew what I had to do. By now, I had already received my notice in the mail to say that my numbered porcelain sculpture of “The Transfiguration” was being held for me. And upon receipt of the first of five monthly installments, it would be shipped to me. I located that paperwork, and by penning a few words on the form, I cancelled my reservation. Those written words could be the end of another story in my life, but somehow, I know they are only the beginning. I have closed the door on the sculpture, but now I find myself daily opening the door to the art studio where God is working on my clay image – forming, shaping, cutting, painting, and firing. The final glaze is a long way off yet. There will be many firings to undergo, and while I will dislike the intense heat and hurt of the process, I will not resent it. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” II Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV)

- IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WE WELCOME Jason who came to worship with us on Sunday … it was great to have you with us while you were home visiting your family this weekend! May God bless you!
- WARM BIRTHDAY WISHES go to Chuck and to Lyndel whose birthdays were on October 12th! AND SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to our son, DJ, (in E. Grand Forks) on October 14th! We love you, son!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18TH:
- 10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – get excited about meeting one-on-one with God in His House!
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES – your opportunity to dig deeper into God’s instructions to us!
- How exciting it is to drink in from the Word of God each week … and to study and learn together as each of us participate and share. Let’s keep growing together – in every way here at Elevation North!
- THIS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20TH – JR/SR HI YOUTH: RE: FUEL – We will not meet this week as Pastor Doug and Debbie will be returning home from out-of-state. Take the time you would have been here with us, just to sit at the feet of Jesus and read a little more from His Word, or to pray a little more, or to call a few friends – and just be there for them! Focus on selling a few extra pizzas – or a lot more – and we’ll turn in the fundraiser totals when we return! We’ll see you next week on the 27th!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- What would we do without our Father God?! This week Pastor and Debbie learned of the unexpected passing of one of their close friends in Michigan – in fact, this couple was like “second parents” to them. Please uphold Lela and the entire family in this sad time, that God’s comfort will be their everything! Continue to pray – and even fast – for Jim’s liver transplant, for the miracle sale of Bucholz’ house, for Julia and others who are needing God’s healing touch, for comfort for Michael and Molly in the loss of their expected baby, for God’s hand to be upon our college students, for urgently needed financial provision, for God-appointments this coming week that will give each of us opportunity to share Christ and the gospel message! Remember, the God we serve hears and answers our prayers … let’s expect miracles, in the Name of Jesus!
- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “God walks with us … He scoops us up in His arms or simply sits with us in silent strength until we cannot avoid the awesome recognition that yes, even now, He is there.” ~ (Gloria Gaither) And while He loves us just the way we are today, right now – He loves us too much to leave us that way! That’s why He invites us into His art studio for our own personal transformation beneath His brush-strokes!


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

TODAY WE JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT GOD LOVES YOU SO-O-O-O MUCH!!! We know that many of you, like us, have encountered … or are presently encountering challenges that seem so huge that you’re not sure what to do or where to turn. Of course, as believers – as God’s kids! – while we may not always know just what to do next, we do know that we can turn to the Lord God Almighty for our answers and our solutions. But it’s what goes on in our hearts and minds during that waiting period that often takes our breath away, knocks the fight out of us, and blinds us from seeing God at work in the bigger picture of our circumstances. Today we just want to remind you of how very much God loves YOU … right at this moment … right in the middle of that seemingly insurmountable struggle. And WE care, too! That’s why we want to pass on this “love letter” from God’s heart to yours today. There’s enough sadness and fear, and lack and sickness, and bad, scary news going around to last our entire life-times … so what we really need to take a hold of … is God’s precious, powerful love for US!!! Let’s see if we can, in our limited human expression, paint just a portion of how wide and deep and high God’s love is – for each of us! First of all, if we ever had any question about God’s love for us, we can dismiss those doubts, because Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” So if He loved us that much when we weren’t even His children and we were breaking His laws and rejecting Him … why would we ever need to doubt His love NOW that we ARE His very own? The very word “demonstrate” means that God proved His love, showed plainly His love. That doesn’t sound like a cheap love, especially since it cost God the very life of His Son, Jesus. It seems like a lavish love. “Lavish” means extravagant … to give abundantly. In His love, He wants us to know who we are, and what is ours. James 1:17 tells us that “every good and perfect gift is from Above.” Sometimes we mistake the gifts He gives us for His love. While all of His blessings and favor are so incredible, they are only an expression of His love. His love is greater than any of His gifts, and because of His love, He longs for us to share in that intimate love relationship with Him. More than receiving His answers, His healing, His guidance, His mercy, His provision, His grace, His peace, His protection, His power … He wants us to receive His everlasting love, His unconditional love, His jealous love. He wants us to experience and live in that kind of love that carries us through a multitude of decisions and discouragement. He longs for us to realize such a love as His that continues on and on without end, that is unconditional. A love like God’s needs nothing that we can give Him or offer Him, but a love like God’s desires our love and fellowship because we are His! A love like God’s infuses our very being with His presence. A love like that makes us ever aware that He is with us, in us, around us, going before us, and guarding us from the rear. A love like God’s spills out, overflows, pursues us, runs to us, and fills us!
We love the eighth chapter of the book of Romans, where we are told “that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Where we are told, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” And where we are reminded that, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So today, know that you are undeniably, irrefutably, fully loved by the God of the Universe!!! Rest and rejoice in that! Be renewed … and respond in that indescribable love!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Mellisa and Aiden who joined us in worship for the first time on Sunday … we loved having you in our midst and we look forward to seeing you again! May God’s blessing be yours!
- OUR SPECIAL THANKS to Jimmy, who provided us with his homegrown, natural grape juice for Communion this past Sunday! And to Laura, Isaac, Merv, Kathy, & Chris, who helped with our KIDZ BLAST in the afternoon as we packed in lots of fun adventure for our younger children and little ones! We had a GREAT time!!!
- MAY GOD BLESS each of you for your continued support of God’s work at Elevation North, including our faithful pastoral partner supporters from out-of-state! Your giving is paying huge dividends in God’s Kingdom! And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts! May God’s favor be yours, is our prayer!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11th:
- 10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – come and experience God’s love ~ and ours!
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES – to help all of us grow in our knowledge of God’s Word!
- TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13th – 6:30-8:00 p.m. – JR/SR HI YOUTH: RE: FUEL … plan on an action-packed evening as we turn our appetites to God’s Word … as we put together several hundred packets for our all-out evangelism blitz coming up … as we report on our YOUTH PIZZA FUNDRAISER … and enjoy treats!
- AND SPEAKING ABOUT THE YOUTH FUNDRAISER … our youth are selling Kwik Trip pizzas to help with the costs of a youth trip event to the Cities, and they will be sharing 10% of their monies to help out with the expenses of our Sunday School curriculum! Let’s help them out!
- JUST AROUND THE CORNER! We are so excited about the Women of Faith Conference, “A GRAND NEW DAY” in St. Paul at the Xcel Energy Center on October 16-17! It promises to be a blessed weekend for all who attend; check out the link on our church blog for everything you’d like to know about the 2-day event!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- What a joy it is to serve a God who hears and answers our prayers, and who is actively involved in our daily lives! We are praying for: a liver transplant, the sale of a house, possible cancer diagnosis, family relationships, upcoming surgery, evangelism outreach, financial provision, jobs, our evangelists and our missionaries, our nation’s leaders and our military personnel, etc., etc. Remember “nothing is too hard for God!” (Jeremiah 32:17b) He is so worthy of our praise! LET’S EXALT AND GLORIFY OUR GOD!
- THIS WEEK – Remember, “We can be assured of this: God, who knows all and sees all, will set all things straight in the end. Even better, He will dry every tear.” (Richard J. Foster) And don’t forget . . . “If you experience God’s love at your lowest, you’ll know it has nothing to do with your condition – and everything to do with God’s amazing grace! (Unknown)


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

DO YOU EVER GET TIRED? DO YOU EVER GET HUNGRY? Why on earth would we ask THESE questions? Of course, we ALL get tired at times … and we ALL get hungry probably more often than we care to admit! At the height of intense, fatiguing work – the thought of being able to finally fall into our comfortable bed at night becomes ever more sweet; and just walk down the street past a restaurant or a bakery, and the tantalizing aromas wafting in the air make our tummies growl and our mouths water!!! We can be SO tired … and SO hungry ~ and these are natural feelings. After all, God made our bodies to require rest and food ! We probably should listen to their basic needs more than we do – and give them adequate rest and proper foods! Just this morning, on my day off (that’s never really a day off!), my sweet husband encouraged me to stay in bed for a bit of extra sleep after he left the house. I resisted, and he insisted! The lingering thought of some rare, unexpected moments in my bed convinced me to agree with his idea … and I laid back on my pillow! When I awakened some ninety minutes later, my first thought was what a precious gift my husband had given me – and how much my body had needed that solid rest on a chilly, rainy, overcast morning! Before I jumped into my day’s long list of work, I opened my Bible because I love to hear what God has to say to me from His Word. Reading in the book of Amos, I saw what a hard stance God took against His nation, Israel, when they went off in other directions and no longer pursued Him. Talking to them, He said, “You know, don’t you, that I’m the One who emptied your pantries and cleaned out your cupboards, Who left you hungry and standing in bread lines? But you never got hungry for me. You continued to ignore me. God’s Decree.” Then He goes on to tell them that He’s the One who stopped the rains, and that though the people would stagger from village to village, crazed for water, their thirst never being quenched, He says, “but you never got thirsty for Me. You ignored Me. God’s Decree.” (chapter 4:6-8, The Message Bible) I couldn’t help but pray, “O Lord, help me to always be hungry for You … to be thirsty for You! Help me to not ignore You, but to listen and follow and pursue you without fail! Help me to want more and more and more of You so that I will always have “all I need and more” to spill out onto others the very fragrance and essence of Christ! I’m reminded of a song we used to sing that should be our song still today: “Of things I’ve had my fill, for You I hunger still; Lord, fill me up; Lord, hear my cry, for more of You!” Part of the Beatitudes in Matthew even allude to this in Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.” That’s a promise with a blessing … IF we hunger and thirst after God-priorities! When things in life get out of alignment, often it’s because we are tired and badly in need of physical rest. In answer to the opening question of these “ponderings”, let’s turn to Matthew, chapter 11, where Jesus is asking some questions of His own: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Did you catch the pattern He is setting out for us? Come … get away … rest … walk … work … watch … learn … keep company … live! Add two words to each of these single words … come WITH ME …rest WITH ME … walk WITH ME … live WITH ME, etc., etc. When we actively choose to do these things daily ~ we WILL find the rest and nourishment that we need! Let’s take a lesson from the nation of Israel and not ignore God … but pursue Him! Every day!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

WE WANT TO WELCOME Liz and Aleana and Caida who blessed us with their presence this past Sunday as we worshipped together, and also to Don, who joined us for Sunday School! What an encouragement you were to us, and our heart’s desire is that each of you were blessed and touched by God’s Spirit!
LOVING BIRTHDAY WISHES to our granddaughter, Lindsay, in East Grand Forks, who will be 9 on October 3rd! We love you, Lindsay!
GOD IS AT WORK! We continue to marvel at God’s work in our midst as He is changing lives and meeting needs and drawing us closer to Him! He is so deserving of ALL the praise!

LOOKING AHEAD . . .

THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4th:
10:00 a.m. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – come just as you are - and leave, knowing you’ve been with Jesus!
11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES – exciting lessons for all ages!
This Sunday we will celebrate Communion; remembering God’s extreme love gift to us, His very own Son, that we might live with Him forever! It’s also a time to ponder our sins and ask for forgiveness and cleansing, that we might live forgiven and free! Come and drink in from God’s Word as Pastor Doug preaches an anointed message, partake of Communion, and stay for Sunday School for another session of learning and sharing!
12:00 noon – KIDZ BLAST with Pastor Doug and Debbie for Sunday School kids that are pre-junior high age. We will be having lunch at McDonald’s – having a blast at the Serengetti Water Park – and coming back to Pastor’s and Debbie’s home for fun treats! The cost is $10, but if you need help with the expenses, let us know! We want every kid to be able to be a part of this event!
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6th – 6:30-8:00 p.m. - JR/SR HI YOUTH: RE: FUEL … ready for a spiritual boost after school? We’ve been taking advantage of nice weather for outdoor activities, and now as the weather is cooling, we will be spending more time on our devotionals and lessons – and of course, ALWAYS enjoying the snack time!!! Join us at Pastor’s and Debbie’s home for a great time!
NEXT SUNDAY: OCTOBER 11th: Invite some friends for worship and Sunday School! The youth will be kicking off a fundraiser for youth group funds, so your support and encouragement is really appreciated!
JUST A FEW WEEKS AWAY! WOMEN OF FAITH CONFERENCE in St. Paul at the Xcel Energy Center is coming up on October 16-17 … “A GRAND NEW DAY!” For full details, check the link on our church blog! It promises to be an uplifting, life-changing event for all who attend! Be in prayer for the speakers and musicians!

PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

What a great, prayer-answering God we serve! He LOVES hearing our heart’s cries, and He loves doing what He does best: giving us His guidance and peace and answers, according to His will and for His glory! For those going through the tough times, the struggles are real, whether it is physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual. Let’s remember to pray for each other’s needs as we lean on God for provision and intervention and victory in all these matters! May God use us to minister to family and friends and others in our community – and around our nation and world, wherever He gives us open doors!

THIS WEEK – Remember, “We can put our minds at ease because God’s mind is on us!” ~ Unknown

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie