Elevation North has News for YOU!

THE CALL. Have you heard it? There’s a new up and coming song out by Matt Kennon, singer and songwriter, with just that title: “The Call”. It has hit the top 40 on the charts, and it talks about being spared from abortion and suicide – by a phone call from someone who cared. In real life, Matt was spared from abortion, and he’s taken his real-life message to the music world where it’s touching hearts by the scores. That’s because it resonates with people right where they are at. Just this week I heard the song and saw the video of it, and it made me think of “another call”. Here’s the story of this call, also entitled simply, “THE CALL”.

It came unannounced … to a little girl and a young boy; So crystal clear it was … it could not be mistaken!
They sensed the call … God’s Spirit came like fire; Much too young to understand all that lie ahead … the call could not be shaken!
The little girl … she loved to write and play and sing; Shy and quiet, she often
held back … but inside, God was shaping and stretching and growing!
The young boy … he loved to talk and compete and debate; Expressive, living on the edge, he held nothing back … but inside, God was shaping and carving and filling!
The little girl blossomed and grew … the words in her heart spilled from pen to paper; Her fingers flew over ivory keys in musical poetry … and the call continued to flourish and deepen!
The young boy discovered gifts anew … the words in his heart spilled from his lips; His voice rose and fell, drawing people to God – and the call continued to expand and broaden!
The years matured them to college age … and God brought them and His gifts in them together. Together, they embraced the call, the summons ~ to share the message of Christ!
United in love for life … they passionately pursued the call; Whether morning or noon or night – and many times, even crawling out of bed in the middle of the night!
Long days, short nights … interrupted plans and change of plans; Sickness and death and the struggles of life, beckoned their compassionate and vigilant fight!
The call … it drew them, stirred them, and compelled them; It was bigger than them and larger than life, it would define their very lives, their family, and all
of their ministry!
Pastoring … a career, a job? No, no ~ it was definitely a supernatural call; In the early years of their call someone once told them, “Wherever you two go, miracles will follow!”
And miracles, there have been … Healing and deliverance, blessings and provisions; Open doors and opportunities to new life in Christ; Fatigue ebbed away in the wake of the call!
Changed lives are the symbols … that stand tall in the harbor of life; They, with outstretched arms, plead for others to come, and taste of the good life, this Kingdom life!
The call has been tested and tried … the enemy trying to destroy it time and time again; But each time the onslaught has been overcome in Jesus’ Name, and the call lives on … God’s call!
The call. God’s call … to share with the world. High call, privileged, rewarding call. Excitement builds at all the days to come. Pursuing God’s call! For the sake of Eternity! Into Eternity! THE CALL.

What’s YOUR call? Oh, in case you haven’t already guessed … that little boy and that little girl, are your Pastor and his wife! And how we LOVE the call that God has given us to serve you and teach you and nurture you! “That is why we always pray for you. We ask our God to make you worthy of the life He has called you to live. May He fulfill by His power all your desire for goodness and complete your work of faith.” II Thessalonians 1:11 (Good News Translation)

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- GOD’S WAYS NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE US as He meets with us each week with a fresh touch of His love and His Spirit! Coming to God’s House is always inviting and exciting, and He never disappoints us!
- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Maddie, who worshipped with us this past Sunday for the first time, and even helped sing and lead our praise time!
- HUGE THANKS & APPRECIATION to Isaac for the incredible job he is doing with Power Point for worship! Your talent is helping us focus on the heart of worship! AND … BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to Isaac, who celebrates his birthday on Monday, May 17th! Have an incredible year!
- LOVING BIRTHDAY WISHES, also on May 17th, to Gloria Lundstrom, and LaDawn Lundstrom! God bless you, dear friends and partners in the gospel of Christ!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MAY 16TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE, continuing with part two of the series on “A Heart That Seeks To Follow Hard After God.” Do you want to learn more about pursuing God passionately? Come and drink in!
- 11:15 A.M. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – with prepared teachers and awesome lessons from God’s Word for each age group! Don’t miss out!
- YOUTH: RE: FUEL session/activity TODAY following church, with Pastor Doug in Justin’s absence. Bring money for lunch, we’ll hang out during lunch hour, then head to Adventure Greens for some miniature golf, and complete the event with a short devotional time! Invite your friends for some fun in the sun!
- NOTE: Due to the afternoon youth activity, the “Come and Sing Your Heart Out” event is being moved to Sunday, June 6th. Following worship and Sunday School, there will be a potluck meal – with meat and beverages being furnished – just bring a dish to pass! Then stay and sing, sing, sing ~ any and all of your favorite songs!
- SUNDAY, JUNE 13th: SPECIAL CHILDREN’S SERVICE … for you kids, all about you kids!!! It’s YOUR day!!! We are ALL kids at heart, aren’t we?!
- RELAY FOR LIFE … July 16/17 … let’s get all of Elevation North involved; chat with Sean about the details!
- WOMEN OF FAITH … Mid-October … put aside a few dollars each week, and you’ll be all set to go! Our goal is 50 … that’s FIFTY … women to go and experience the weekend of a lifetime!!! See Tina or Deb for more info!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- THE BEST TIME TO PRAY ~ is anytime, all the time, right now! We continue to lift up several in our church family for healing; for the Rogers family as they move across town; for Justin at Guards this weekend; for opportunities to bless and support the Seykoras and the Lundstroms as they serve so faithfully reaching the lost and building up the believers; for our nation to return to God; and for the provision of a suitable facility for Elevation North as we continue to grow and expand for the glory of God! Let’s thank Him in advance!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “Praise God for all that is past. Trust Him for all that is to come.”


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

THANKS, MOM . . . for looking at me through Jesus’ eyes all my life long! That’s what moms who know Jesus do, you know! Or at least, we’re supposed to look at our children that way! It makes all the difference in how we see ourselves ~ when the ones who love us see the God-given potential within us. What our moms saw in us from the very beginning was “diamonds in the rough”! Yup … they looked past the wailing cries and the messy faces and the dirty diapers ~ and they saw the promise that God had placed within us. While walking the floors and holding us close in the wee hours of the morning, while doing loads and loads of laundry filled with stained bibs and baby clothes … somehow they saw glimpses of a polished gem. So they just kept on wiping the excess baby food off our faces – and they kept the prayers going heavenward, all the while kind of wondering just what God was shaping their baby into! Well, as they experienced all the ensuing stages … they hung right in there with us, never leaving our sides. They cheered us on and took time to be “mom” ~ playing, reading, laughing, and making up stories to go along with the real ones that we begged them to tell us over and over. There were the Bible stories, the prayers … all the way from the short, simple ones that we understood as toddlers – all the way to those urgent, SOS, intercessory prayers she prayed as she stood in the gap for us as we changed and grew into adults ourselves! I think what makes our mom so special is that she will set aside anything and everything she has planned – just to be there for us. And when we saw her there at our concerts and recitals, our plays and programs, our sports competitions and speech meets, we really didn’t have a clue as to all she had awaiting her back at home. How did she ever get her things done, when it seemed that all her time was wrapped up in caring for us? I wonder how many times she ran to Jesus for help to cover all the bases that she was responsible for? I’m so glad her belief in me far outweighed any doubts she might have had as she watched the progress of her “diamond in the rough”! I wonder if it was her ability to “see” the clarity and brilliance of the diamond from the beginning that allowed her to see straight through the “rough” and unpolished diamond that we once were. When others couldn’t envision the dreams that we excitedly talked about, she not only caught the dream, but fanned the flame! Could we have had a more devoted supporter, a more willing helper, a more awesome prayer partner? A truer friend? No, NONE!!! She rejoiced as she saw the “rough” fall off the diamond, bit by bit. But she loved us none the less no matter how rough we were! That’s why it’s so easy and so right to honor her on this day so aptly called “Mother’s Day”! While she saw us as “diamonds” – it was really the other way around. Maybe we didn’t see it as clearly then. But we sure do now! As the years have passed by, the “diamond” she truly is has become more highly polished in our sight, a more priceless treasure that we no longer take for granted. We look forward to time in her presence … or if long-distance … on the phone! We invite her advice and seek out her wisdom. We want to know her thoughts and it gives us great joy to please her! We thank God for her … the chosen one to bring us into this world as a “diamond in the rough”. And all our life long, it has been this same chosen one we lovingly call “mother” who has polished and prayed the roughness away until we have become so much more reflective in our brilliance … reflective of the One who created us to be the rare and unique diamond that our moms knew we were all along! Thank you, my dear moms, for patterning your lives after Christ, for showing me the way to Him and giving me beautiful examples of how to draw ever closer to Him every day. And now our girls and granddaughters are emulating this godly lifestyle, and the diamonds they are – are sparkling brighter with each passing day! And me? Here I am tucked in the middle of these two generations … so how can I not be blessed?! As a mom, I am both learner and teacher … and I find myself being polished to a higher sheen on all sides. Sometimes it’s pleasant; sometimes, painful. But I’d have it no other way! Thank you, God, for this privilege like no other, called simply, “being a mom’! May it be said of us, like the Proverbs 31 woman, that we are “worth far more than diamonds”! Some things you just cannot put a price on ~ like mothers!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- EACH LORD’S DAY IS UNIQUE in itself, and this past Sunday was both precious and powerful as Pastor Doug centered the service around the meaning of Communion and how our participation in what God offers, is life-changing!
- WELCOME BACK to Dan, who came to worship with us on Sunday! It was great having you back in our midst, and may God’s blessings be yours in full measure, Dan!
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES to … Lylia, A.J., Elyse, and Mitch! May God give each of you a great year!!!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MAY 9TH: HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all our moms ~ with our love and prayers!
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE with a beautiful gift for each of our mothers ~ and a special Mother’s Day message straight from the Word of God and from your pastor’s heart!
- 11:15 A.M. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – with exciting lesson material taught by teachers who love the Lord and are excited about sharing with the students – of ALL ages! Come and be a part!
- NO YOUTH this evening, so that families can be together to celebrate the moms in their lives! Justin will be getting in touch with the youth for a RE: FUEL session during the week. Who can you invite to come along?!
- NEXT SUNDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 16th: ‘A COME-AND-SING-YOUR-HEART-OUT’ event … choose all your favorite songs and we’ll all sing along! Bring a light dessert to munch on during the fellowship time that follows! Call for the time and for the details! Bring along all your music-loving friends!
- WAYS YOU CAN BE INVOLVED: Saving ink cartridges for office rewards $ (our special thanks to Laura for all the cartridges she has turned in to us these past two months!) … turning your commitment sheets in to Sean for Relay for Life – and getting pledges and checks … sharing an extra love offering towards the extra expense of the new projector for Power Point – or – towards the rental of the room for the recent Mother’s Day Tea (our special thanks to Hazel for a fabulous, memorable afternoon with such a delightful theme and decorations, AND for such interesting, incredibly delicious refreshments – served in such appealing ways! And … provided by her loving generosity! May God bless you, Hazel, even as you blessed all of us!)

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- HOW WE LOVE SEEING GOD AT WORK, right here at Elevation North and in our own families! God is SO good! Let’s be in prayer for healing for Tina, for Shirley, for Julia, and others; for the Seykora’s and their new little boy, Caleb Liam, born April 29th!; for Cierra as she spends the summer with her family in Michigan; for our nation and its future and its leaders – that God might be given first place in all things; and for God to continue to grow Elevation North spiritually and in every other way, all for HIS glory! Let’s praise Him!!!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “Some people make the world special just by being in it!” ~ Unknown


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie