Elevation North has News for YOU!

RENEWAL WITHIN REST … just what the “Doctor” ordered! And that’s exactly what we are experiencing this week! The human body is an amazing, wondrous creation … but even at its best it still has its limits! And when its “energizer batteries” begin to run out – it’s time for a full recharge! So having put plans in place to take a trip to see our son and family in Michigan, we excitedly counted down the days until we would see Dana and Stacey and Whitney and Dylan! Just how can there be such a seemingly endless barrage of things demanding your attention when you go away?! The list only seems to grow! You remind yourself … one thing at a time … and doing that, you finally find yourself actually – in the car – on the road – breathing easy – and excited to be on the way!!! What all will the week hold? We haven’t a clue … oh yes, we do have just a few fun clues, that’s right! But we pray as we begin the journey that we will bless our family each day we are together! Our entire ministry, we’ve always realized that our first priority after God – was our family! We knew that if we saved/rescued everyone else and lost our own children, that definitely would not be a very great testimony to our calling from God. And so here we are … with our kids and grandkids … to soak in as much family time, renewal, and rest as we possibly can! Fast forward to the weekend – and we’ve filled the days and the nights to the max with a blend of a lot of fun – and a little work! The seasonal colors were splashed still generously for us to enjoy … and the weather was hand-picked by our Father in heaven. And just as the leaves were beginning to fall, so have the childish ways of our now teen and young adult grandchildren fallen by the wayside. That was so evident as we spent time with them in their school settings at the high school and at the cosmetology college. Where have those little chubby-faced tykes gone? We drove to the away football game and sat in the visitor’s section on the bleachers, snapping pictures like crazy as Dylan shot across the field in his uniform and cleats, first positioning himself to do the kick-off and then tackling every opposing player that another linebacker missed. Then, sitting in Whitney’s salon chair, I found myself amazed, though not surprised, at her adeptness in every facet of cutting, coloring, styling, products, etc. From the little girl who used to love doing all kinds of creative things with her own hair, now here I sat in her chair, perfectly comfortable with the outcome all in her hands! And by the way, she did a great job! And Dana and Stacey blessed us over and over throughout our stay, even as God has blessed them! Most of all, their smiles and laughter and assurance of continued prayers touched our hearts and lifted our spirits! And here … we had come desiring to minister to them! I couldn’t help but remember the long list of God’s faithfulness in their lives down through the years: a fire in the apartment that destroyed most all their things in their first year of marriage, a fire in their car soon after, at five weeks old Dylan’s life hung in the balance with pneumonia and respiratory syndrome virus, a kidney condition in Whitney in her teen years, Dana surviving the bombing in the military towers during his overseas tour of duty in Saudi Arabia – but none of us knowing for nearly eight hours if he was dead or alive, Stacey walking through ovarian cancer with her mom and seeing her survive, and recently, Dana nearly severing his thumb and three fingers on his right hand in a power saw accident. But thanks be to God, our family has been so tremendously blessed with miracle after miracle! Dylan not only survived; he’s now a strapping young man over six foot tall … oozing with health and strength! Whitney’s kidney condition has cleared and she maximizes her living every waking moment with a zest for life that’s hard to beat! Dana and Stacey’s material losses have been restored a hundred-fold and more, and they find great joy in blessing others with what Gpectod has blessed them with! Stacey’s mom has received a new lease on life and cancer is no longer a part of her life! Dana not only survived the enemy’s horrific bombing, but has found God’s place for him that allows him to effect change in the lives of so many others. And, Dana’s thumb and fingers were miraculously reattached and they healed wonderfully, though not without extreme pain in the process. Why do I share all these personal things with you? Only to encourage you to take a close look at your family through the years – and see what God has done! Not always can we match the level of trauma that someone else has gone through, or perhaps yours is even greater … but it comes down to one thing. Our God is an awesome God! And in the midst of our ongoing transitions, God is bringing sweet renewal within the rest we are finding in Him. Outside of that place, it is easy to lose sight of our goal: to run the race and finish well! In that place, we find all we need from Him – with the bonus of a loving family of three sons and their families who each lift us up before the Throne and stand strong with us on this earthly journey! He will do the same for you, dear ones!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- THIS PAST SUNDAY reminded us that no matter where we worship, God is right in the midst of us! What a powerful time of being in the presence of the living God – and learning more about the prophecies that have been fulfilled – and those we see coming to pass right in front of our eyes!
- BELATED BIRTHDAY WISHES go out to Chuck who celebrated on October 12th … may your entire year be blessed in awesome ways, Chuck, as you continue to serve the Lord and others around you! We appreciate you!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16TH: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE, with the conclusion of the sermon series on “Looking at Signs of the End Times.” Be sure to bring your Bibles and be an active participant in this exciting topic in God’s Word! Come ready to worship with joy – let’s bring honor to our Lord God!
- IT’S HERE!!! THIS FRIDAY/SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21/22 … WOMEN OF FAITH CONFERENCE at the Xcel Energy Center with two days of worship/praise/incredible speakers/musical artists/resources to help you in your walk with God/and much more! We have a great group attending from our church and community this year! If you are still trying to decide about this “Over The Top” experience, see Debbie for last minute details! Tickets are still available! See print-outs!
- MEN’S STEAK-FRY on this Friday evening at 6:00 P.M. – Come expecting a time of fantastic food and fellowship! This is your time, guys – it’s all about YOU! Feel free to invite guests, as well! There will be a short meeting with Pastor Doug following worship this Sunday for final details! If you miss the meeting, be sure to call Pastor!
- NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23RD: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE, with the beginning of a new series of messages that will stir your heart and motivate you to spiritual action! Start now to invite your friends!
- WATCH FOR A NEW CALENDAR OF EVENTS to come in the life of our church!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- WHAT A JOY and privilege it is to mention the names of others before the Throne of God! This week, let it be our privilege to pray for all the women attending the Women of Faith Conference, for our faithful ministry supporters, for Jimmy as he recovers from surgery, Gerard as he awaits upcoming cancer surgery, for Pam’s dad for an upcoming kidney transplant, for Cherry and Johnny, Elsie, Kay, for Larry and Gloria, and for Josh and Sarah and sons. We have a prayer-answering, miracle-working God!!!

- 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



Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

STORY-WRITER! That’s what He is … yes! He’s writing in a daily journal for each of us. But – unlike me, who pens words that describe our days or events or occasions, and sometimes my deepest heart thoughts on this life-long journey with God – He’s writing down my tomorrows before they ever happen. Before we ever breathed a breath on this earth, He wrote about each breath we’d ever take. Oh, He knows us so well! And all His plans for us, well He gets so excited about them, because He loves writing stories that someday we’ll tell to our children and grandchildren! Some of them are “hang-on-to-your-seat” stories … and when we look back and read them, it about takes our breath away! We remember gripping the steering wheel on those rides, but it didn’t do any good – because we weren’t driving. We had given God the wheel. And we were on the ride of our lives!!! And when we get to the last page and remember how it all ends, just like little children, we beg, “Read it again, God … read it again!” There’s nothing like living the story-line from the very beginning – to the very last words on the final page! Some of His stories we have practically memorized – we’ve read them so many times, or just sat back and closed our eyes as He read them to us with animated voice! Actually, He never, ever had to read the stories to us. He seemed to have photographic memory … or … oh yes, God knows everything! He just tells us the stories like He knows them to be. And we are always a captivated audience. Captivated by the wonder of His story-writing and story-telling ability. There’s nothing like a true story, you know. They’re the best ones, actually. We love the gusto of His laugh as He throws His head back when He is caught up in the moment of seeing us glued to the edges of our seats as we wonder what’s coming next! Sometimes WE don’t think it’s so funny, though. But that’s because we cannot see how the story ends – yet. He knows. He wrote the ending. And He’s laughing in pure joy over what He knows is coming. He sees the finish line at the end of this race, and He already knows we will cross it amidst cheers and applause. Even if there is no one else there to see us cross the line, the cheers and applause will be His. Those nail-scarred hands pat us on the back for running a good race. He’s a great illustrator of stories, too. We see ourselves digging in through the toughest parts of the race – He’s drawn that well. We see ourselves sending a prayer heavenward for needed strength and endurance – He’s sketched us looking up. We see ourselves stopping along the way to take time out of the craziness of this world to touch a life – and He’s painted Himself in the background looking at us with that “pleased Papa” look on His face. The story gets more interesting with each chapter. There are twists and turns and many mysteries. And there is only one place to solve them … and that’s on our knees. Right now, God is writing in our book at break-neck speed. Even speed-reading, we can barely keep up! There are changes appearing on almost every horizon of our lives. The new church location is being painted like a roller-coaster ride and while we love the view from the top, the drops suck the air out of us for a moment or two! We’re looking forward to having the ride slow down just a bit so we can move into the ministry curve around the next bend! With a few strokes of His brush, our work-hours are happily diminishing in unexpected ways that will allow us to catch our breath again and discover more of the hilarity and relaxation that have seemed to be oh, so distant for such a long time. At the same moment, He is penning the words in bold, bold print … TRUST ME! Because with diminished hours comes diminished paychecks. But the most beautiful entry in the book is flourishes of peace and rest and provision – and they are illustrated in ways that we could not have even pictured no matter how big our imagination was! Because God’s ways are beyond ours. All we know is that whatever He writes on the pages of our lives in the days ahead, the end of the storybook is going to turn out just as He planned … and that will be GOOD! And the really great thing is that hopefully whoever gets to read our story will see plainly without a shadow of a doubt, that our God is faithful! Through the ups and the downs, the questions and the answers, you can see Him on every page. Through the joys and the tears, He shows up. Through the excitement and the let-downs, He is there just the same. While our changes are painted all over the book, He always looks the same – we see no changes in Him! That’s so reassuring! And we think it’s an honor to have our “book” authored by none other than the God who knows our lives from the beginning to the end – and everything in between! I won’t be surprised if it makes the best-seller list! Come along and turn the pages with us!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- THERE’S NOTHING BETTER than celebrating God together … and celebrate we did this past Sunday! God is writing the next chapter in Elevation North’s book, too, and we are all praising Him for miracles already done! Our special thanks to James for assisting with the Spaghetti Luncheon afterward, and to their family for the fresh flowers on the lunch tables! We appreciated everyone’s help on both Saturday and Sunday! You are all the best! And a special thanks to Matthias for taking the youth on the paint-ball expedition in the afternoon; everyone had a great time!
- A WARM WELCOME to Theo and his nephews, and also to Xavier who came to worship with us this past Sunday; thank you for blessing us with your presence! We hope you will all join us again soon!
- CONGRATULATIONS to Matthias and Liz and girls on the birth of Emilyn Olivia who arrived on October 6th, weighing 8 lb. 5 oz., and was 21” long! May God’s blessing rest upon your family!
- LOVING BIRTHDAY WISHES are sent to our son, DJ, who writes on our heart with his love and prayers in so many ways, as he celebrates his birthday this week on October 14th. May God’s blessings and favor be upon you in all you do – that He might be lifted up! We love you!
- BIRTHDAY WISHES go out to Lyndell who will be celebrating on October 12th! May God bless you with your best year ever!
- WE SAY FAREWELL to Ernie and Audry who moved to Texas this past week. You will be missed and we pray for God’s abundant blessings to be yours in your new location!
- CONGRATS to Sharon, whose softball team won first place in the regional Special Olympics tournament! We are proud of you and your accomplishment, Sharon!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY & NEXT, OCTOBER 9/16TH:: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE, continuing in our series on “Looking at Signs of the End Times.” Be sure to be a part of these timely messages from God’s Word as we see prophecy being fulfilled all around us!
- COMING UP SOON … Women of Faith Conference at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on October 21-22! Come along with us for this outstanding time in the presence of the Lord with an arena full of women worshipping the Lord! Be sure to turn in your $89 ticket money this week so we can pass it on to Sonya. We still have tickets available … so keep inviting friends and family! See Debbie for more information!
- MEN’S STEAK FRY … Friday, October 21st at 6 p.m. … this promises to be a great guy’s night out! Don’t miss it!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- OUR LIST OF NEEDS is always long – but God’s ability to answer is even more amazing! He reaches us wherever we are at! That goes for Jimmy, Kay, Roger, Elsie, Wayne, Eva, Cherry and Johnny, Gerard, the Lundstroms, the Seykoras, our military personnel, our students, our government, our families & our churches! May God be lifted up!

- REMEMBER . . . What are YOU writing? “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!

JUST SEE WHAT HE WILL DO! There are amazing miracles in store for us dear people … if we will only step out in faith in our everyday walk with God. Just what does THAT mean? It means that in e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g we do … e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y … we must stay connected in our relationship with God. It means we are praying – and asking and trusting. It means we are believing and claiming in faith ALL that God has for us for THAT day. It means we are giving to Him out of joy-filled hearts, excited about being a part of His work on this earth. It means we are receiving and accepting from His hand what He has planned for us. It means being in partnership with the King of kings and Lord of lords! Imagine THAT! And He is OUR Father! OUR Friend! OUR Business Partner! OUR Source! OUR Peace! Our Companion! OUR Healer! OUR Comfort! OUR Strength! OUR E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!! There is NOTHING that He is NOT! You can fill in the blanks for what you are desiring God to be in your life. And for whatever you are needing Him to be? Well, the Bible contains a formula for that – wanna know what it is? Check out Matthew 6:33 … “But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.” (Amplified Bible) It would help us to know that God really, truly understands right where we are at in our thinking – if we would back up a few verses earlier where He is talking to those who constantly worry about what they are going to eat or drink or wear. Does that sound like us? Then in the verse just previous, in verse 32, he is reminding us that we “wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.” He goes on, “But” … and then He talks about seeking Him FIRST. So, let’s recap. We all have our needs and our desires and our wants. God tells us He knows all about our needs; He is aware of each one of them. But before saying that He’s going to take care of it all, He gives us His prerequisites for handing out His provision. This is what He wants from us: that we will seek HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness first – before we seek any of our needs – before we crave and diligently pursue anything else. HE wants to be most important in our lives. HE longs to have us pursue HIM before we count on our jobs – or run to the banks – or rack up our credit cards with more debt that will be nearly impossible to ever pay off. You see, that’s seeking everything else first, and leaving God to come in last. What’s His order of things? Let’s go back to verse 33: seek HIM first – and everything else, I mean everything else, comes AFTER Him. What’s His promise? He says if we will seek Him FIRST, then these other things will be given to us AFTER. And God’s promises? Well, in case you haven’t realized this … He’s never, ever broken even one. Ever. That’s quite an astounding record! I think we can rest assured that God will always come through with what He says He will do! Here at Elevation North we are standing on the threshold of crossing over into His promise of provision for us as a church who desires to be used for His glory! Soon we will be able to reveal the story of what and how He is providing for the next chapter in our ministry! Then His work that is seen will stand as an amazing testament to promises fulfilled – and just how true He is to His Word! Sometimes it seems as His children, we ask and ask and ask some more. And sometimes the answer never seems to come – we even to begin to wonder if it is even in sight – or if it will ever come. Sometimes we feel like giving up! And suddenly, things begin to happen! Things change. Things look different. Things have come into place that previously were only hoped and longed for. The “suddenly” has G-o-d written all over it! He is the One who has kicked things into action. And He is the One who has rearranged things to His order. He is the One who makes all things new and brings favor and increase – that’s why they look different. And what was lacking is now multiplied and our faith takes a giant leap! The faith we had all along has suddenly manifested into reality … into things seen with natural vision now - that before we could only envision by faith. How exciting!!! Especially when everything that is happening is really about others, about reaching out and being the catalyst for change in our world … and letting GOD be that change. Someone has recently said, “We’re not taking anything with us when we die, except the people whose lives we’ve touched through the power of Christ!” Here at Elevation North, let’s take as many people to Heaven with us as we can!!! And with that as our passion, let’s just see what He will do!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- INCREDIBLE! That’s the word to describe our worship and our fellowship this past Sunday … along with the picture-perfect day God gave us as we went for a fun afternoon to the pumpkin patch – taking in everything we could! Even the adults got in on the action that usually caters to the kids ~ what a great time everyone had! It was the perfect opportunity for some of our newer families to get to know everyone a bit better!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES are sent to our youngest grand-daughter, Lindsay, who celebrates her 11th birthday on October 3rd! Lindsay, you bring such fun blessings into our lives and we pray that Jesus will always be #1 in your life! May your year be the best ever … we love you so much!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE/WORLD DAY OF COMMUNION … in our NEW location! Our first service in the place God has provided promises to be joy-filled as we celebrate ALL that God has done in our midst! And with God’s help - we’ve only just begun! Pastor Doug’s message will be: “What We Should Look Like As God’s Church!” Our thanks to Jimmy for providing the juice from his home-grown grapes for Communion!
- SPAGHETTI LUNCHEON will be served following worship, and topped off with “make your own sundaes”! Plan to stay and enjoy this time of great food and wonderful fellowship with your church family!
- RE: FUEL YOUTH will be heading out for a PAINT BALL adventure with Matthias right after the luncheon. Be sure to have your signed permission sheets ready … and enjoy the afternoon with your friends!
- ARE YOU INVITING GALS to join us for WOMEN OF FAITH coming up soon on October 21-22? And have you turned your $89 ticket money in yet? We still have more tickets just waiting for someone’s name – so let’s match up every ticket we have with a gal who would benefit so greatly from a weekend away in God’s presence with lots of girlfriends! See Debbie as soon as possible!
- MEN’S STEAK FRY – also on Friday, October 21st … a time just for the guys - that you won’t want to miss! Be inviting some guys you know as an outreach for our church! More details to come!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- OUR MULTITUDE OF ANSWERED PRAYERS prove that our God is real!!! Over and over we get to hear your excitement about what God has done or is doing in your lives! Isn’t it great that we can be a small, yet important part of being used by God to touch others as we lift them up before the Lord?! Let’s thank God for the long-awaited miracle of a new home for Elevation North! And let’s remember to pray for each other, for the lost, for the sick and hurting, for our young people, for our military personnel, for our nation’s leaders, and for victories in the Name of Jesus! Never doubt … for God is able!

- REMEMBER . . . “We have a God who delights in impossibilities!” ~ unknown

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

I WON’T LET YOU GO … UNTIL YOU BLESS ME! Many of us are familiar with the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel, the Man, who was really God Himself – all night long. (Genesis 32:25-32) Actually, the Bible states that the Man initiated the wrestling with Jacob, and it lasted until daybreak. And finally when the wrestling match seemed to be at an impasse, God touched Jacob’s hip socket and wrenched it out of place. Ouch! That had to hurt! I heard a nationally known pastor named T.D. Jakes preach about that recently, and what he said really resonated with me. Though not what one wants to hear at first – and what some would not agree with … yet it does make perfect sense. I can look back over our lives and correlate what he said with what has happened through the years. Over and over. So … what did he say? He said that “God will let you get hurt – but it won’t hurt you!” He went on to say that, “God might even hurt you – but it won’t hurt you!” And to top it all off, T.D. Jakes said, “God will even hurt you – to bless you!” Stop … just stop right there! Does any of that make sense to you? All of our lives, we’ve been told that “God is a God of love – and He would never hurt us!” We’re talking two complete different scenarios here. Now stop and think about your life and some of the major hurts and disappointments and even setbacks that you’ve experienced. And think about what has happened later. In so many instances, what seemed to be so very devastating to us at the time, God used as a bridge for us to cross over to something better. Much better. In the process, we learned, oh so much! But why does learning have to be so, so painful? And why do we feel as if everything is being stripped away from us? We often think about Job when we think about things being ripped away from us, don’t we? In comparison, there would be few of us who could say that we’ve lost as much as he did. In addition to all his possessions, which were only material things … he lost his children and his servants and his health. He lost all of his herds - his very livelihood. And he lost those most precious to his heart ~ his family. It all happened so quickly. In a short time, he went from wealthy to impoverished and grief-stricken. Upon hearing the news that his son’s and daughters were dead, Job immediately did an amazing thing. Could I have done the same? I’m not sure. I can only hope that I would. Listen to this – the Bible says, “Then Job arose and rent his robe and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped and said, ‘Naked (without possessions) came I (into this world) from my mother’s womb, and naked (without possessions) shall I depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed (praised and magnified in worship) be the name of the Lord!’ In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly.” (Job 1:30-22, The Amplified Bible) Yes, I would have fallen to the ground in grief – but would I have worshipped so soon after hearing the news? That would definitely be the best thing any of us could do – for where else is there comfort except being sheltered in the arms of God? Back to this hurting thing … earlier in the chapter you will read where God’s hand of protection and divine favor had been on Job all long – but when Satan comes to see if he can get God to touch all that Job has in a destructive way, God gives Satan permission to do it. Ouch! That would hurt beyond description! But God believed in Job … and if you read the entire record of Job’s testing, you get to the good part at the end. After a time of emotional and physical torture, Job admits to God that he “loathes his words and abhors himself and he repents in dust and ashes.” Then after Job prays for his judgmental friends as God instructed him to … you must hear these words for what they are! “And the Lord turned the captivity of Job and restored his fortunes, when he prayed for his friends; also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10) Scripture goes on to reveal that God blessed the later part of Job’s life more than his early years. “After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his son’s sons, even to four generations. So Job died, an old man and full of days.” (Job 42:16-17) Here’s proof, indeed, that sometimes God hurts us – to bless us! I truly believe that God restores all that Satan has stolen from us – plus more! Now, I must get back to Jacob … and back to his hip that was put out of joint. When God did that, Jacob in pain instinctively had to slump against God and lean on Him for support so he wouldn’t fall. But he didn’t let that stop him from continuing to wrestle. When God tells Jacob to let Him go, Jacob boldly replies, “I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing on me.” You see, we can fight and we can wrestle with God, but when He hurts us and causes us to cling to Him … finally we are in the place where He’s wanted us all along. Holding us close to Himself, He says, “Now you’re where I want you!” Alright, Lord, I’m done fighting and wrestling … now I’m clinging!!! Hurt me if You must – because I know it won’t hurt me … it will only bless me! May the hurting honor You! (Thanks to T.D. Jakes for his anointed message that burned itself into my heart!)

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- THIS PAST SUNDAY was such a beautiful picture of God’s people caring for each other and reaching out! God loves to see the extension of His anointing flow from Him to us – and from us to others! And it was so exciting to focus on the Lord’s return and how incredible Heaven will be as we listened to Pastor Doug’s message. May our focus be divided just enough to put legs to the mission to reach those yet unreached with the gospel of Christ!
- LOVING BIRTHDAY WISHES are sent to our son, Dana, who blesses us continually with his love and prayers and support, as he celebrates his birthday on September 25th! May God’s hand of blessing rest upon you, Dana, in all you endeavor to do – that He might be glorified! We love you!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES also go out to Matthias, who celebrates the same day, on the 25th and to Justin, a few days later! We thank you both for your brave service to our country; we are indebted to you! May God bless you with His best, Matthias and Justin!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMEBER 25TH: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE w/ part 2 of “Looking at Signs of the End Times”! Is there still more you are wanting to know about current events and prophecy? Don’t miss this!
- FOLLOWING WORSHIP: PIZZA and CHURCH MEETING to discuss and vote on the proposal to rent at a new location beginning on October 2nd, next Sunday. We urge you to be in attendance for this important decision.
- FOLLOWING THE MEETING, we will be driving to the PUMPKIN PATCH just south of town at Oak View Nursery, for our little ones & our youth, plus any others interested – any age! There’s lots to enjoy, so come along!!
- NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE/WORLD DAY OF COMMUNION … with freshly squeezed grape juice and unleavened bread! Spaghetti Luncheon will follow w/fellowship … sign up today!
- COMING SOON … PAINT BALL EVENT for our RE: FUEL YOUTH – with Matthias! Watch for details!
- WOMEN OF FAITH CONFERENCE/OCTOBER 21-22: Calling ALL women to a weekend of renewal and rejuvenation at the “Imagine” event in St. Paul! Tickets are $89 for the two days/2 lunches; see Debbie today!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- THIS IS YOUR TIME to lift each other up in prayer, as well as those we don’t know so well … and THIS IS YOUR TIME to receive God’s touch in your life – for whatever the need might be! Our God is able and willing!

- REMEMBER . . . “My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.” ~ Psalm 63:8, Amplified Bible

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

I’M WAITING. YOU’RE WAITING. Just what are we waiting for? And HOW are we waiting? On my way home from my morning shift at work, I heard a song that really ministered to me. As I listened, human as I am, I first thought of how it applied to me and my present life situations. Then I began to see so many of you pass in front of my face. I could feel compassion pouring out of my heart for you and what you’ve been facing these past days or even weeks. I saw one family laying your mom to rest … I saw another family standing vigil at your dad’s bedside in hospice until God sent His angels to carry him Home … I saw many of you dealing with ongoing health situations, some of you just having had surgery – another still facing surgery for cancer … I saw a few of you teens whose lives have been threatened … I saw a few of you holding job interviews for needed provision … I saw a parent and child struggling in your relationship … I saw a young woman trying to start afresh in this world … I saw a couple anxiously awaiting reunion after the completion of a God-centered rehabilitation program … I saw a woman longing for God’s powerful touch in your son’s life … I saw a marriage relationship needing to be revived and renewed … I saw a young man serving your country overseas and missing those three little children of yours … and the line of needy people stretches on and on – including my husband and me! We are a needy people, aren’t we? That’s because we are oh, so human … and we so need our God! But, while we are needing Him – while we are needing for something to take place, for something to change … what do we do? We wait. But do we miss out on our present life in the midst of the waiting? And again, just HOW do we wait for the answers, the solutions, and the miracles? Would God be proud of how we live our lives in the “waiting room”? Or would He just shake His head and be reminded of what a lot of work He has yet to do in us? Don’t worry – I’m preaching to myself as well as to anyone else that needs to hear this. All of our sons reminded us in our chats this past week – with different words and in different ways, that when we are looking towards a goal still yet in the future … we need to enjoy the here and now. What great advice! And while our passion for life and people brings us much joy, it’s so easy for all of that to get swallowed up in the craziness of hectic schedules. It’s so easy to let our minds just zoom through the present and into the future we are planning for. And God says, “Live THIS moment. Now. When tomorrow comes, and next week, and next year, then you live in that moment then. Don’t miss out on today thinking about tomorrow. Take Me into each of your moments, for I will be there … in that one present moment. Then, we will move on together to the next moment, and we will be there together. That will be time enough then to concern yourself with that moment.” Oh, of course, we need to plan and dream for the future, but we dare not miss out on the living of today. What a waste of God’s gift to us that would be: time! Once we live one moment, it never returns to be lived again. We just get new ones – one at a time! Now … to the song I heard! The title of the song is “While I Wait” and it is sung by John Waller. What a powerful, beautiful song. I just closed my eyes, sat still, and listened, soaking it in – note by note and lyric by lyric. The basic message of the song is that we are telling God that we are waiting on Him – and just how we are going to wait. Here’s a few of the words: “I’m waiting, I’m waiting on You, Lord. And I am hopeful, I’m waiting on You, Lord, though it’s painful, but patiently I will wait. And I will move ahead bold and confident, taking every step in obedience. While I’m waiting, I will serve You. While I’m waiting, I will worship. While I’m waiting, I will not faint. I’ll be running the race even while I wait. I’m waiting on You, Lord, and I am peaceful. I’m waiting on You, Lord, though it’s not easy, no, but faithfully I will wait. And I will serve You while I’m waiting. I will worship while I’m waiting on You, Lord.” What a word from God! There’s our answer, and every part of it is scriptural! When we’re in pain and our body is breaking down … we’ll serve Him and worship and not faint, and we’ll be running the race! When we’re struggling in relationships … we’ll serve Him and worship and not faint, and we’ll be running the race! When we’re fearful or confused or hurting or lacking in any way … we’ll serve Him and worship and not faint, and we’ll be running the race! Yes, we’ll be hopeful and peaceful … we’ll be moving ahead, bold and confident! Why? Because when we serve and worship our Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of all the turmoil … we’ll be doing what pleases Him most. And bottom line, that’s what glorifies Him and makes Him smile upon us in the “waiting room” of life! So, I am going to serve and worship Him and run the race while I wait. How about you?

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- GOD’S FAITHFULNESS RINGS TRUE in our midst each Sunday as we gather to worship and honor our Lord! What a great time we have in His presence as we open our ears and hearts to the message each week as Pastor Doug preaches so powerfully, and as we fellowship with each other sharing encouragement!
- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Nancy who worshipped with us a few weeks ago; we loved meeting you and learning about your family! May God bless you with His loving care – and we hope that you will be able to join us again soon!
- LOVING BIRTHDAY WISHES are sent to our grand-daughter, Whitney, who is 20 years old on September 17th! We celebrate you and pray for you and wish you an over-the-top blessed year! We love you so very much! Special birthday wishes also go out to Kristen on the 21st, and to James and Sharon on the 22nd! May your lives be enriched, we pray!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE - Pastor Doug will begin a new series of messages to share with the church family, titled: “Looking at Signs of the End Times”. We live in turbulent, yet exciting days … you won’t want to miss seeing how our daily events around the world align with the prophetic scriptures in God’s Word! Invite several friends to come along with you!
- NEXT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH: 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE - “Looking at Signs of the End Times” – part 2, with Pastor Doug sharing scripture after scripture! This is your opportunity to brush up on your knowledge of prophecy, and actually, we are seeing much of it happen right in front of our eyes! Continue to reach out and invite family and friends!
- FOLLOWING WORSHIP … our church family will be celebrating autumn and our children with PIZZA & PUMPKIN PATCH & HAYRIDES! There is a sign-up sheet to help us plan for our lunch right after church and our drive just south of town to Oak View Nursery for tons of fun! See the sheet for all the information!
- IN THE WORKS: RE: FUEL YOUTH will be joining Matthias for an awesome PAINT BALL EVENT soon!
- SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2ND: WORSHIP & PRAISE / World Day of Communion with freshly squeezed grape juice and unleavened bread … and part 3 of our prophetic series of messages on the end times!
- FOLLOWING WORSHIP – we will be meeting about the building rent proposal for our church, and financial statements will be available pertaining to the cost of renting, as well as our present church giving. Be in PRAYER!
- WOMEN OF FAITH CONFERENCE is coming soon: October 21-22 … and we want FIFTY women going with us to this incredible event that stirs the heart and blesses the socks off of us!!! Tickets are $89 … will YOU go with us?!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- AREN’T YOU GLAD that God never runs out of answers or solutions or miracles? And He still has more for those we are praying for this week: Eva, Marty & Kelly & family, Mike & Mary Jo & family, Jimmy, Johnny & Cherry, Judy, Elsie, Wayne, Ron, Larry & Gloria, Josh & Sarah & family, Justin, our church family, & unspoken requests!!!

- REMEMBER . . . “But those who WAIT FOR THE LORD (who expect, look for, and hope in Him) shall change and renew their strength and power …” Isaiah 40:31a (Amplified Bible) May we be “those”!

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

SHAKEN … BUT UNSHAKEABLE! Ten years ago on the eleventh of this month, our world as we knew it was forever changed. As the Twin Towers crumbled down in a mountainous heap of dust and debris following the attack on America by the terrorists, we suddenly realized that things would never be the same again. With the levels of national security changing color before our eyes on the television screen each night, we began to get a glimpse of the drastic change in how we would live our lives from here on out. We were in uncharted territory. We suddenly found ourselves in tight places, not always liking how our “new” world looked. Yet … we are Americans who live in the land of the brave and the free, and there are still enough of us breathing who plan to fight for keeping our land that way. There are enough of us who call ourselves by Christ’s Name and strive to live worthy of it who will do whatever it takes to keep our churches open and live out our faith openly. That day, others around the world wondered what our response would be. That day, they didn’t have to wonder for long. We held our heads high in spite of our great loss of precious lives, and we vowed we would move forward. And we held our hands up high, inviting the help of the Lord God of Israel, who is also the Lord God of the United States of America – so long as we don’t push Him out. Today I met a woman who spilled her heart out … I could tell she was shaken. As she talked and revealed her circumstances, I could tell she felt as if things in her life were crumbling down in a mountainous heap of change and loss. Within just the past few days, she was suddenly realizing that life as she had known it for the past several years would no longer look like it had. Part of that was good, really good - and part of it was sad, very sad. She could see her dream being snatched away. While she would find freedom and release in some areas, she would have to heal over others that were paining her so deeply. Long term, she would get back what was the most important to her – like more time in her life … more time with family and friends … and time to just enjoy life as God intended for His people to. But much of what had surrounded her life would soon be gone, and she was battling a deluge of emotions that at times seemed like a personal hell. She would rationalize, and strategize, and categorize … until she felt almost paralyzed in her dilemma. She said she cried out to God to reveal HIS plan for the changes. Still she was shaken. She said she begged God to hold her in His lap and soothe her troubled spirit. She felt a little less shaken – and so much more secure. Until the next deluge of unsettling emotions washed over her like a flood. She cried out for the grace to find contentment in whatever circumstances she will find herself in. She said she suddenly remembered that many years ago she had come to the point of realization that if at some point in her life she would be stripped of everything … and everyone in her life, that God would be enough. But when it actually starts to happen, then comes the true test if you will still feel that way. I asked her, “So, if and when all this loss occurs, will God really be enough?” A quiet, little smile broke across her face, and through shining, tear-filled eyes, she reiterated, “Yes, He will!” She was quick to mention Psalm 34:18 and what it meant to her … that He promises to be close to the broken-hearted and He saves them whose spirit has been crushed. She picked up the pace, and recited from Isaiah 40:11 … that He carries His own close to His heart! Soon she could hardly contain herself as she flipped the pages of God’s Word over to Jeremiah 30 and 31, where this undergirding message jumped out at her from several different verses … “God will cause us to draw near to Him and we will approach Him … then we will be His people, and He will be our God. The Lord says that He has loved us with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness has He drawn us and continued His faithfulness to us.” Excitedly, she said that she loved these prophetic promises: “Again I will build you and you will be built … you will again be adorned … and go forth in dancing. Again you shall plant and enjoy the fruit undisturbed. For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness … and shout. Proclaim, praise, and say, The Lord has saved His people. We will come with weeping in penitence and for joy, pouring out prayers for the future. Our God will lead us back; He will cause us to walk by streams of water and bring us in a straight way in which we will not stumble, for He is our Father. For the Lord has ransomed us and redeemed us. We shall come and sing aloud and be radiant with joy over the goodness of the Lord – for all His provision. And our lives shall be like a watered garden, and we shall not sorrow or languish any more at all!” I saw her emotional transformation before my very eyes … and somehow knew that in spite of her personal 9/11 tragedy that has shaken her to the core … she will emerge UNSHAKEABLE!!! With God for her, who can be against her?

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WE WERE SO BLESSED by the sweet presence and powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit this past Sunday as we worshipped together! And we were challenged by Pastor Doug’s concluding message on the Gifts of the Spirit – may each of us discover God’s place for us in His Kingdom work here at Elevation North and beyond!
- OUR SPECIAL WELCOME to Wayne and Verla who once again joined us in worship, praise, and fellowship; and to Kathy’s mom who was also in our midst again! Our prayer is that you were touched and blessed exceedingly by God! We loved having you with us!
- WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR DEEP GRATITUDE to a special family who so generously donated a custom-built pulpit for Pastor Doug to preach from! It is beautiful, and our prayer is that God’s Words will always go forth from it with power and life-giving hope! Thank you, and may God’s blessings and favor rest upon each of you!!!
- WISHES FOR A BLESSED BIRTHDAY go out to Cierra, who will be celebrating on September 13th ... may you be blessed with an incredible year filled with God’s best, is our prayer!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH: 10:00 A.M. - PATRIOTIC SUNDAY with Communion, remembering and honoring those whose lives were sacrificed ten years ago this day. May we never forget what they did – or what Jesus did for us on Calvary! Pastor Doug will be preaching a powerful message that includes commemorating both 9/11 and the gift of God’s Son!
- NOTE … OUR CHILDREN’S EVENT has been moved to Sunday, September 25th … watch for details next week for a really fun adventure!
- NEXT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP/FALL MINISTRY KICK-OFF with new things in the works for growing us in the Lord … and our Spaghetti Lunch & family movie to follow – plus the fun of making our own sundaes! Don’t miss this exciting church event!
- CALLING ALL LADIES … we want YOU to go with us to the Women of Faith Conference in St. Paul on Oct. 21-22! The cost is $89 for the two days, including 2 box lunches, and the checks are due to Sonya. Be in prayer about inviting a friend or two that could be so blessed by joining us for this incredible weekend! Sign up & see Debbie!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- OUR GOD ALWAYS has our best interests at heart … He definitely knows what’s best for us! And He knows how to bless & comfort us! This week let’s lift up Mike’s dad in hospice and the entire family, Kelly’s family as they attend her mom’s burial, Ernie, Audry, and Sharon, Johnny and Cherry, Judy, Tina, Eva, Justin, Jimmy, Elsie, Wayne, Ron, Larry & Gloria, Josh & Sarah & family, and several very urgent unspoken requests! May our God be glorified!

- REMEMBER . . . “Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him who loved us.” ~ Romans 8:37 (Now, THAT’S called “unshakeable”!)

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

THERE IS NO ONE LIKE MY GOD. There is NO one like my God. There is no ONE like my God. There is no one LIKE my God. There is no one like MY God! There is no one like my GOD! I could scream these words from my soapbox on the mountain peaks and hear my words echo multiplied times through the valleys and crevices below from now until my last breath … and it still would not be enough! I could never, ever even begin to exclaim and proclaim in the least, WHO He is – and ALL He is! All I know is, there is no one like my God! He reveals Himself in new and fresh ways each day, just as sure as the sun comes up and the sun goes down. It doesn’t matter what kind of a day I’m having, He’s with me! He dances with me on the mountain-tops and celebrates my good times and my joys with me. And just as easily, He rocks me in His chair when tears are about to spill over and I feel like I’m starting to come apart at the seams. Do I have those times? Yeah … just like you do. And yes, sometimes I can’t help but asking, “Why?” – just like a little child. I’ve even caught myself saying, “God, I just don’t get it! Can you please shed some light on this and help me out a little?” There’s those moments I feel as if I’m drowning and about to go under. But something in me rises up and screams, “No! I refuse to not come up again. I WILL not stay under!” Is that me? Well, perhaps a bit of it is. But mostly, it is my God IN me … giving me His power to surface and get on my feet and on dry land so I can start moving forward again! My heart is filled with thoughts of all of you – with things you share with us on Sundays at church, or throughout the week. I hope you know how much God loves you and values you. If our human hearts can ache with yours and we can reach out in compassion and hold you and pray with you … multiply that an eternity of a zillion times more … and that will still just scratch the surface of how He feels about you! Don’t ever, ever doubt His love. Don’t ever, ever doubt His power. Don’t ever, ever doubt His faithfulness. And don’t ever, ever live without His peace. Pursue Him with all that’s within you until you find it and lay hold of it – for it’s yours. Don’t waste the beautiful life and amazing future He has planned for you by throwing it away trying to figure it out on your own. Follow hard after Him, run to Him, grab on to Him and never let Him go! Show Him how much You love Him and want Him and need Him. Don’t just say words – put actions to those words. That proves to God that you’re serious. And He’ll run to you! He’ll come to be with you and never leave. He’ll come on the run with exactly what He knows you need – even more than you know it! Our God so longs for our faith to be so much more than an empty religion … He wants it to become our lifestyle, our way of life! He wants to be SO real to us, that we’ll feel as if we’ve had a glimpse into Heaven! Talking about Heaven, there’s a new book out that has become the #1 New York Times Bestseller, titled, “Heaven is for Real”, by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent. I will not spoil the story, but I’m sure many of you have heard about the little boy who during his surgery went to Heaven and saw Jesus and then was sent back to his family. For some people, something like this is easy to believe, while others doubt it and write it off as some kid’s dream. But if you read this book … just read the words … this true story of little four-year old Colton will get into your heart. And what he says about Heaven and seeing Jesus will dash all your doubts and bounce your beliefs to a higher, more personal understanding of it all than you’ve ever had before. And any tool that God gives us to share His message of eternity – well I want to be right in the middle of it! This story is rock-solid proof that God’s purpose in allowing suffering to come our way at times is really just a springboard to a much larger platform from which to share His gospel. No, we never want to or would choose to go through the times that almost rip our hearts out … but if we’ll hang in there and hang on to God with all our strength … He’ll catch us and set us on a magnificent course that we never thought possible. And it most likely would not have been – if not for the suffering. But what a small price to pay is our suffering – if it means even one soul is spared from an eternity in hell! Once in Heaven, and we see the people there we introduced to Jesus, we will only be able to smile and say, “It really was worth it all … and if my going through that is why you’re here … then I’d do it all over again!” Understanding the magnitude of the price God puts on a soul (the life of His very Son), let’s look at what Paul wrote in Philippians 3:10: “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.” When we can finally spend ourselves at all costs through all sufferings for the cause of Christ and the sake of souls, I think we’ll grasp a bit more how much God loves each of us and what lengths He will go to, to bring us Home to live with Him forever!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WE EXALT AND HONOR the Lord Jesus Christ for His literal presence in our midst each week as we seek to worship Him with our best! There is no place we would rather be, and how powerful was the Word from II Corinthians 12 as Pastor Doug shared more about the Gifts of the Spirit! We pray that we are making our God-given gifts available to God for use in His Kingdom!
- OUR SPECIAL WELCOME to Steve and Rose who worshipped with us this past Sunday for the first time! It was great to have you with us, and we hope that you were blessed and will join us again soon!
- IT WAS A PICNIC IN THE PARK - with a great turn-out, lots of food & fellowship, getting to know some of our new families better, and a consensus to move forward with plans for our church building as God leads & provides!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, drinking in the goodness of our God and digging into His Word for the culmination of part 3 of “The 21 Gifts of the Spirit” sermon series with Pastor Doug. Don’t miss this – or the opportunity to bring someone with you that perhaps has not been in church ever!
- MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH: LABOR DAY … enjoy some extra-special time with your family on this holiday!
- NEXT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH: 10:00 A.M. – A SPECIAL PRAISE & WORSHIP time honoring the 10th anniversary of 9/11 on this Patriot’s Day. May our hearts be drawn to prayer for our nation as we remember the many who have given the ultimate gift of their lives on our behalf – and for their families who live on without them.
- FOLLOWING THE SERVICE, we will have our CHILDREN’S FRIEND EVENT with pizza ordered in at Elevation North and then on to swimming and more fun! This is for little ones through fifth graders. Invite your friends!!!
- SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP/FALL MINISTRY KICK-OFF with Sunday School classes beginning, and a Spaghetti Lunch & Movie to follow, with “make your own sundaes” to top it all off!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- WHAT A GOD WE SERVE who hears and answers and is always on time! Count it a privilege this week as you lift up your church family, including Eva, Shirley, Jimmy, Cherry & Johnny, Ernie & Audry, Larry & Gloria, Kay, Roger, Elsie, & several urgent & unspoken requests. Let’s especially remember to hold up all of our students this week!

- REMEMBER . . . “If there is some deep longing within that nothing on earth can satisfy, it’s because we were made for a different world: Heaven! ~ C.S. Lewis


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

SOMETIMES I GET SO-O-O EXCITED! God and His ways amaze me over … and over … and over! I feel like every day He plans a surprise, a treat, or something special just for me! And I always know that it was Him … because no one else could plan something so incredible, be it big or little!!! The tell-tale signs point right … in His direction! Upon recognition, I find myself instantly thanking Him with outstretched arms. I just want to stretch those arms all the way up to Heaven and give my Heavenly Father a B-I-G hug! I guess I cannot really remember a time in my life when I did not sense His presence. I just know it became more real when as a little six year old girl, I asked Him to come into my heart! His presence just continues to increase and increase, or so it seems. Rather, it might be that I am the one increasing in my desire to know Him more and more. I guess that’s as it should be. For He has always been there for me, never withholding any part of Himself or His gifts – ever. My prayer is that with each passing day I will know Him better and love Him more. As a young girl, I fell in love with the verse in Hebrews 11:1 that says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” My child-like mind tried to wrap itself around that concept, and at times when I would grasp a bit more of what that really meant, my head would practically spin trying to take in the wonder of such a thing as “faith” in our God. Listen to how the Amplified Bible expounds on this verse from the Greek: “Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things (we) do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses).” Those explanations help us understand just a little more what faith really is. And yet - faith is not always easily lived out, is it? It’s not so easy to visualize something that yet does not exist. But that’s what faith is, and it goes beyond just seeing it. It’s believing that something will be that has not yet come to pass. Believing, knowing, without a shadow of a doubt – with no way to prove it. When it comes to faith, the hard part is keeping all the doubt out. After all, we are human. And “doubting” is something that comes easily to humans. The Greek explanation for “faith” is: “trust and holy fervor born of faith”. When we step out in faith, something is birthed inside of us that allows us to do our part and implicitly trust God to do what we cannot. I’ve been thinking about our quest to locate and obtain the building that will house more permanently Elevation North and the desire we have to meet the ministry needs of our people and others that we are reaching out to. Do we have a vision in our heart of what that place will look like – or what we can make it look like? Do we have the “faith” to see our church family worshipping there? Do we see it as a place of rescue for souls that are lost and hurting? Do we see it as a done deal – or something that we could never achieve at this point? Just this morning I heard a down-to-earth explanation of what faith really is. If we feel led to do something, and we can do it by ourselves – we don’t need faith to make it happen. But when we feel led to do something, and we cannot do it on our own, but need God’s help – that’s what faith is. Seeking God, being discerning, moving forward, and in faith, believing … that’s what enlists the help from God. Again, we do all we can, and then trust Him for the rest. As we enter the fall season and anticipate kicking off additional ministries within our church, do we have the faith it takes to leap to the next level of ministry and outreach? Do we remember that it is US who are often limited in our finances and our abilities … but it is GOD who has no limits whatsoever? Do we remember that we are His kids … and all of His gifts and resources are at our disposal for His Kingdom purposes? Do we believe His Word when He says in Jeremiah 29:11-14a: “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on Me, when you come and pray to Me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for Me, you’ll find Me. Yes, when you get serious about finding Me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed. God’s Decree.” (The Message Bible) And just what is a decree? It’s an official edict. When something is decreed … it is ordained. So back up and read it again. This is what God has said to you, as an individual – and the same goes for us as His children corporately in His church! What an exciting decree! Let’s accept it, claim it, and believe it by faith from this day forward … and let’s see what God will do!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- TALK ABOUT EXCITING … that’s how we felt when Pastor Doug preached on part one of “The Gifts of the Spirit”! God has SO much in store for us – and at Elevation North we want it ALL! We don’t want to leave any of His gifts for us unopened and unused! And it was so awesome to see so many of you in God’s House on this summer Sunday!
- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Janeen, who came to worship with us this past Sunday for the first time! We loved having you in our midst, Janeen, and we hope that you will join us again soon! May God bless you more than you can even imagine, is our prayer!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 28TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, focusing on part two of the series on “The 21 Gifts of the Spirit”. It promises to be an uplifting and encouraging time together in the Word as we discover more about how God has blessed and enabled us with gifts to do the work of His Kingdom on this earth!
- CHURCH VISIONARY MEETING following the service – to discuss the opportunities for our own church building and to share financial information concerning our present obligations and what the possible future obligations will be. We encourage your participation and prayers as together we seek God’s perfect will in this!
- 12:00 NOON – OUR PICNIC IN THE PARK … Dartt’s Park, that is! Summer is rapidly coming to a close, and we want our church family to be able to gather together for great food, fun, and fellowship out in the sun (or in the shade, whatever you prefer!) Please bring a dish or two of food to share, and a great appetite! There will be lots to do in the park, or you can sit back and relax – again, your choice! (Meat, buns, beverages, and table service will be provided!)
- NEXT SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, with the culmination of the series on the Gifts of the Spirit, along with a print-out to refer to! We look forward to this exciting time on Labor Day weekend & hope to see YOU & more new visitors as we continue to reach out beyond the walls of our church!
- COMING UP: Children’s Friend Event on 9.11 / Fall Kick-off for Sunday School w/Spaghetti Lunch & Movie on 9.18 / Progressive Dinner in October / Women of Faith on Oct. 22-23 & Men’s Steak Fry on Oct. 22 / & lots more!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- OUR GOD IS WAITING AND WILLING to bless and heal and bring to pass what we think is impossible! Let’s remember Shirley as she recovers, Julia’s and Tina’s mothers, urgent & unspoken requests, financial needs, our evangelists & missionaries, our military personnel, our students as they soon head back to school, and that God will use us to make a difference in the lives of all who cross our paths!

- REMEMBER . . . “Turn your prayers from a plea to a proclamation!” ~ unknown


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

NO MORE GOOD-BYES! That will be one of the best parts of Heaven … no more good-byes! Living so far away from our families, good-byes are never easy – whether it’s your three little grandsons or your grown children. Whether it’s your eighty-seven year old mother or your siblings, it’s hard to say “good-bye”! You wait and wait for that first glance of them as you approach their house. Coming down the final stretch after hundreds of miles … something catches our eyes … and there they were! Our youngest son standing there at the edge of the road near their house … with our little grandsons eagerly watching for our coming – they had BIG smiles as we pulled into the driveway! Within a few seconds and a few leaps of their little legs, they were on our laps and riding with us the few remaining yards to their front door! There we were greeted by their mommy and baby brother! And so began the adventure of three fast-flying days that provided lots of love and lots of fun and lots of very special moments! The great talks, the yummy food around the table, the fishing off the dock, the blasting off of a high-soaring rocket and then searching for it in the tall grass with four-wheelers at dusk, reading stories and playing games, the morning send-off to kindergarten for Isaiah on his very first day, Miles wanting to pack his little suit-case and come home with us, and the ever happy smiles and baby talk of little Luke as he reached out his chubby arms to be held! There’s something so incredible about being loved and wanted; there’s no feeling quite like it. When someone you love so much wants to spend time with you … you cannot describe that feeling to anyone else – it just has to be experienced! Likewise, it’s an honor to have the God of the universe request OUR time! Sometimes we travel long distances of time throughout the course of our night or day to get to the Father’s drive-way. Finally, we near the turn to His House. And, there He stands … waiting. The Father, with His Son. Just inside, the Holy Spirit greets us. They are so excited that we have come! It wouldn’t have taken us this long to “arrive”, after all we only need speak their names, and they come to us. But, the Father has invited us time and time again to come and to enjoy His presence. So here we are! And we plan to stay for awhile! They know we are hungry, and the table is set. Jesus speaks now and reminds me of what He had said earlier: “If you hear Me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you.” (Revelation 3:20) It matters not whether He comes to my place, or I go to His. We eat together, and I am fed and filled. The look in His eyes tells me that He is so excited to have me here with Him! We talk and laugh. I talk - and He listens to every thought I voice. He talks - and I sit enthralled at His every syllable! Then, He tells me, “Come to Me!” I move closer so as not to miss a single word. He emphasizes again, “Come to Me!” And He continues with this invitation and instruction: “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.” (Matthew 11:28) Wow! He didn’t need to invite me twice. What a perfect ending to our get-away to see family. Returning to a deluge of schedules and work, I will remember with great delight, not only our newly-made memories with those we love so much, but the time spent with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Just like our children, they are wonderful hosts, and I found myself not wanting to say “good-bye”. Suddenly, I realized that I didn’t have to say “good-bye”. EVER. That’s MY story … what’s YOURS? If saying “good-byes” are difficult for you, and you have no assurance that you will ever see Heaven or your loved ones again – then today … NOW … is the time to bow your head and call out to God for His help and forgiveness and salvation. Today is the day to begin a new life with Him by your side! You will never regret praying this prayer of surrender and empowerment … and the bonus is that you will truly never, ever have to say “good-bye”! Because for all of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ personally … for us, it’s “we’ll see you later!”

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT A BLESSING to experience God’s anointing and His presence in our midst each Lord’s Day! It is so awesome to come to His House carrying whatever heavy load we may have, and leave – knowing that He has lifted it from our shoulders and His answer is on the way! When we “do something” … God can take our action and do something even greater with it! We dare not be passive – we must be positively active about God’s Kingdom work!
- WELCOME BACK to Marty and Kelly and A SPECIAL WELCOME to their son, Spencer, who worshipped with us for the first time last Sunday! May God’s blessings rest upon each of you, is our prayer!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 21ST: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, with the beginning of a two-week series on “The 21 Gifts of the Spirit”. Bring your Bibles so you can follow along and glean the blessings from I Corinthians chapter 12. Pastor Doug will be sharing from God’s Word and encouraging each of us to seek God’s gifts for us and then to use them for His glory! Bring a friend or two to church with you!
- NEXT SUNDAY, AUGUST 28TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, continuing with part two of “The 21 Gifts of the Spirit”, with Pastor Doug preaching from Titus, I & II Timothy, and several other texts.
- CHURCH VISIONARY MEETING following the service – as we discuss the plans and feasibility of new location possibilities for our church. Plan to be in attendance and participate as we pray and seek God for His perfect will!
- ALL CHURCH PICNIC IN THE PARK at noon-time: Please bring a dish of food to share, and your own table service. The meat and beverages will be provided. Plan on some great food and fellowship and fun … and there will be games for the children! The location of the park will be announced.
- SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH: KICK-OFF OF FALL MINISTRIES … including a CHILDREN’S FRIEND EVENT with pizza at the church following the service, an exciting Bible lesson, and then on to swimming at the Serengetti Park at Holiday Inn. This event is for all children who are potty-trained through 5th grade. Who can YOU invite?! The swimming tickets will be provided, as well as the pizza for lunch.
- SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH: SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES begin again for all ages … we will provide them the best we can in our present facility, looking towards our new building as God provides needed classrooms for the KIDZ of Elevation North!
- WOMEN OF FAITH CONFERENCE, “IMAGINE”, on October 21-22 in St. Paul … check out the sign-up sheet and each one is encouraged to reach another woman and have her sign up, as well! See Debbie for more details!
- ALL CHURCH MEN’S STEAK FRY with special guests on October 21st … full details to come! Each guy is encouraged to invite their sons and several friends for this awesome event!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- WE OFTEN LIMIT GOD or lack faith to expect all that God is capable of and willing to do on our behalf! Let’s not buy into those tricks of Satan – let’s claim every good and perfect gift from above for those who are sick and needy and homeless and lost without Christ. Let’s claim God’s best for each other, as well! He is ABLE!!!

- REMEMBER . . . “The light of God surrounds me, the love of God enfolds me, the presence of God protects me, God is always with me.”~ unknown

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

SINCE I CANNOT SWIM … well, I’m not too crazy about the thought of being submerged! Or more truthfully said, I’m actually more than a little terrified of deep water. Amazingly, I love being on the water – as long as I feel safe! I can be in a boat, on a ship, or wading in the water … so long as I know I will not fall overboard or drop off a ledge into deep water over my head! I wish I knew how to swim! (I guess I would need private lessons, because while I’m not a baby at anything else, I might be a lot shy when it comes to doing what the lessons require the student to do – be submerged under the water!) Someday! Today I was thinking about the many beautiful, breathtaking beaches and shorelines we’ve walked on … and I did a mental water tour! I was thinking of being in the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, walking barefoot along the coastlines along California and Oregon – as well as the New England coastlines of New Jersey and Massachusetts and North Carolina, all the way down to the southern Florida coast. There have been the Great Lakes that stretch unendingly as far as the eye can see, and I’ve enjoyed standing at the piers, taking it all in! I was remembering the most translucent blues of the Alaskan waters and the inviting warmth of the breathtaking sunsets oe’r Waikiki Beach in Hawaii as I dug my toes into the refreshing feel of the wet sand there. A long time ago, I dipped my hands into the Dead Sea in Israel and felt the pure saltiness stick to my skin until I could get it washed off … no one thought about swimming there! I stood transfixed at the Sea of Galilee where Jesus had been so long ago, and I could almost see Him and His disciples in the boat on the water! I loved the adventure of standing up on the top deck overlooking the night lights of the city of Tel Aviv as we made our way along the coast of Israel, anticipating all the sites we would see where Jesus once walked – not just on land … but on water! I’ll never forget the boat that a few of us boarded with life jackets as we braved the ocean waters of Tasmania and saw scenery that we would never have experienced as close up any other way. Then our guide told us about the drop from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean, and we literally saw and felt the twelve-inch drop at the point where the bodies of water merged! Incredible, to say the least! The beautiful, but rough waters of the New Zealand fjords nearly threw us out of bed as our huge ship endured the crashing of high waves throughout the night. Coming into the harbor at Sydney, Australia was spectacular and while walking up to higher points in the city, looking down and over the sparkling blue water, it seemed to beckon us to return. For what? A swim? A dip? Or just to glide over it in the magnificent cruise ship? We chose the latter! I heard a song today that spoke volumes to my soul. I listened and I drank in. Perhaps one of the reasons I loved it so much is that it was taken from scripture – and God’s words always minister to my spirit! Psalm 46:4 talks about a river … a “river” that is equated to “the continual outpouring of the sustaining and refreshing blessings of God”. (NIV footnotes) The song encourages us to “come to the river – it shall not run dry!” As I heard the song being sung, God’s anointing on the singer was so strong I just had to stop and drink in the message and worship. Suddenly I realized that I just wanted to “jump in” and get completely submerged! I couldn’t think of one reason that would deter me from holding back. I didn’t want to just barely get wet with the knowledge and the blessings of God … I wanted to do a “cannonball” splash and go completely under … submerged and soaked … and then coming up out of the water refreshed and renewed and revived!!! There’s a sound to the movement of water. You’ve heard it – there’s actually many sounds of water: dripping, trickling, rippling, gushing, drenching, flowing, rushing, spilling, thundering. You add your descriptive word to the list! Once we’re in with more than our bare toes and we are completely submerged – then we can emerge with the desire and ability to let the river of God flow from us. And as flowing water makes sounds, so we as followers of Christ need to be identified as His children because of the sound of our words and the demeanor we place them into. Flow, river, flow! May we be vessels God can use to flow His river through - out to the world around us! The flowing will change others … but especially, we will be changed! So, do not be terrified of the river of God … plunge in. All the way in! Only then will you see and experience things up close that you could not have any other way! Happy swimming, dear people of God!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WITH EACH PASSING WEEK, we are anticipating more eagerly the message from God’s Word as we are building towards the final message of this incredible series on “Two Words to Change the Word.” And how blessed we were again as Pastor Doug preached last Sunday from II Samuel, chapter 11. Our hearts are being stirred and moved to action!
- SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS to our son, Dustin, and his wife, Becky, on their 6th wedding anniversary on August 15th! May God continue to bless your lives and your marriage with His loving favor, we pray! We love you! and appreciate all your love and support!
- OUR HEARTFELT THANKS to Wayne and Verla for the provision of their keyboard – borrowed to us for these past few years! What an incredible blessing it has been to all of us at Elevation North as we have worshipped Sunday after Sunday and lifted our voices in praise to our God! Now that they need their own keyboard back, they have provided the greatest share of finances needed for a brand new Yamaha CP33 digital stage piano with full-size keyboard, along with another very special family member who gave generously, leaving only a small balance for our church to pay for. We believe God led us to the perfect piano for our church at this time, and what a beautiful acoustic grand piano sound it has, along with sounds of virtually every instrument type! Our prayer is that God will use it for His glory always, as we dedicate it to Him! May God bless you, dear family, as only He can!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 14TH: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, with the culmination of the compelling series, “Two Words to Change the World!” Do you think you’ve come up with the two words? Plan to be in God’s House to magnify and honor and bless Him … and together we will dig into His Word in I Corinthians 12 and uncover the treasure of these two words! Are you inviting someone to come with you and share in the time of worship and fellowship? Let this be your outreach this week!
- NEXT SUNDAY, AUGUST 21ST: 10:00 A.M. – PRAISE & WORSHIP, with a special service focusing on the return of Christ! You won’t want to miss this exciting and challenging message!
- THE CHURCH FAMILY PICNIC, WOMEN OF FAITH, and more is around the corner … dates should be ready for you next week so you can mark your calendars!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- ONE OF THE GREATEST JOYS IN LIFE is to lift others up to the Lord in prayer, standing with them and encouraging them with God’s promises! This week let’s be faithful in doing just that – and continue to intercede on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Christ, for healing and provision and direction and blessing! See what our God will do!

- REMEMBER . . . “Make yourself totally, unreservedly available to God for wherever and however He wishes to use you to make a difference in the world!” ~ Debbie Jones

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie