Elevation North Has News for You!

JUST WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SHATTER YOUR DREAM?!? We opened up our local newspaper yesterday morning only to see a half-page photo and article with huge headlines that we thought would be ours someday: “Congregation looks to buy empty museum.” Initially our heart sank, and then God began to speak. His peace washed over us in ebbing swells of comfort and consolation and continuing promises. After experiencing those first, fresh emotions of disappointment … within moments, God’s Spirit gently took over and reminded us that the dream He gave us for “Elevation North” was, after all, not about a building. It was about being given a clear call to begin a new Kingdom work in this community, about following God in obedience, about trusting God for everything … for we had nothing! HE would birth it … HE would grow it … HE would provide the property and facility to house Elevation North … HE would work miracles through us by His power with signs and wonders. To be honest with you, as we were working on pursuing this building over a year ago, we KNEW that obtaining this property WOULD take a miracle so large that everyone seeing and hearing of it would be talking of it with amazement. A perfect opportunity to point people to the Giver of the gift, so we thought. Prime location with access just off the interstate. Incredible space for several phases of growth with perfect areas for many unique ministries – not just for the people of the church, but for outreach to the community and beyond. Space just waiting to be utilized by God’s people, and expanding that use for a wide encore of community events. An incredible lighthouse bringing God’s Light to those still in the dark. So what changes about our God-given dream IF Elevation North ends up not being housed in that building? Anything? According to God’s plan for us, NOTHING other than the location would be changed! God will still do everything He has planned to do – no holds barred! All His plans, all our dreams, the entire vision and provision, the full capacity for outreach … will still be there ~ it will all still take place! These are the times when our faith is put to the test – and just how will we come out of the test?! Rather than it seeming like our world is crashing down around us, we take the stance that God is going to prove Himself once again in all His glory. This “news of yesterday” is but one page of a trillion chapters still to come, like someone has said recently. That reminds us that this “possible change of future location” is but a tiny thing ~ compared to our life in Eternity. And we must remember that God is still a good, gracious God – in spite of what happens! So, hang on to your seats and see what God is going to do … WITH and FOR and THROUGH Elevation North! Our God is faithful; and HE is the same ~ yesterday, today, and forever, His Word says!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WELCOME back to Jimmy, who was with us again this Sunday to worship with us! And we were delighted to have Duane and Bonnie visit us; thank you for your friendship and for your encouragement, as always! And our prayers were with those families on vacation, for blessings of safety and refreshing!

- OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE to Tina who led our Relay for Life “Disciples Team” to a rousing achievement for the cause of fighting cancer! The local event held last Friday/Saturday brought in donations totaling $99,028, of which 1,348 came from our team efforts, plus donations for the silent auction. There were 4,095 luminaries displayed on the walkways, and in the dark of the night, those glowing lights in the paper bags with names of those who have passed on, as well as those who have survived cancer – made the memory of these people so meaningful and precious, even though we knew only a few of the names represented there. Everyone becomes one big, united family sharing the loss of loved ones, the gratitude for those who have lived through their battle with cancer, and walking with the hope for a cure. Pastor Doug was privileged to offer the prayer at the opening ceremony on Friday evening! Tina will be the new chairperson for the Steele County Chapter this next year – so all of us will be even more involved in the coming months!
- WHILE AT THE RELAY FOR LIFE event, we crossed paths with Roger and Marilyn, who are back in town for awhile, and we learned of Roger’s recent heart attack. Join us in praying for his complete healing with full strength, for their time here – that their house will sell, and for their outreach ministry in Florida, which they enjoy so much! God bless you, Roger and Marilyn ~ it was great to see you both!
- THE MISSION DOLLAR CHALLENGE is growing by leaps and bounds! It has increased from $1 to $37 … and as we have been challenged to give up a soft drink or iced coffee, etc. in the next few weeks and add that money to the envelope … we are excited to see how much more we can grow this one dollar into and be a blessing to meet some mission need somewhere. We will be announcing the specific mission this Sunday in church!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- WE WANT YOU!!! Where can YOU be involved in the ministry of Elevation North? There are lots of opportunities to serve God in our midst . . . and to enjoy fellowship with each other . . .
Helping set up for worship on Sunday / All-out Evangelism Blitz / All-church prayer meeting /
Planning meeting for Fall/Winter/Spring ministry schedule, including Sunday School classes /
Couples Event / Twins Game for dads and sons / Youth Activities and Studies / Worship Team
- THIS SUNDAY, Pastor Doug will take us deeper for a clearer look at “THE BIGGER PICTURE” as he preaches further from the book of Habakkuk. Life lessons to remember: We are to stand guard and watch for God-appointments in the midst of the evil around us. We are to write down God’s revelations, read it, and then run with it, to deliver the message God has given – to those we’ve been sent to! Come and see what part of “The Bigger Picture” we will discover more about this week! Come with open hearts!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- All of us need a special touch from God in our own personal way, so let’s hold each other up, that we might reach out and claim all that God has for us! Let’s also remember Julia’s brother, who had surgery earlier this week after coming out of ICU, and is now home from the hospital! Praise the Lord! Please pray, also, for Samara, one of Pastor Doug’s and Debbie’s co-workers, who is battling for her life at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, after taking chemo for the cancer these past months. Other unspoken requests remain urgent. Be fervent and constant in your prayers for our nation and our world, as well as our own community; that the Lord Jesus Christ might be lifted up and honored above all else. Our evangelist and missionary friends covet your prayers as they minister daily to the lost; may God renew and strengthen them! What a privilege it is to pray!
- THIS WEEK – “Taken separately, the experiences of life can work harm and not good. Taken together, they make a pattern of blessing and strength the like of which the world does not know.” ~ V. Raymond Edman

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

EVER BEEN TOLD “NO” at any time in your life? We dare say that from the time we were tiny toddlers we heard that word more than any other – especially when we were starting to walk and get into things we shouldn’t have! There definitely is a need for that little word – and often “no” is for our own good, as we’ve learned through the many chapters of our lives. But … as we grow older, if that word is not used for our good, it becomes a form of rejection and hurt and doubt. Many adults walk around with a lack of confidence because they fear they will hear “no” all over again. They give up on things before they ever start for fear of the pain of rejection yet one more time. We shared this quote with our congregation on Sunday: “Nobody’s ‘no’ can compete with God’s ‘yes’!” (Pastor Jentezen Franklin) This needs to become our mindset as believers, and when we fully believe it and act on it, we can overcome any hurtful “no” that will come into our lives! Just page through God’s Word. The books and chapters and verses contain thousands, yes, literally, thousands of promises! We interpret each of those promises to be a resounding “YES!” from God to us! And often these promises come with instructions for what to do so that we CAN have the promises. Step-by-step directions. And if we follow them step-by-step, there is no way that we can fail to receive God’s good gifts and His promises! Where do we get that kind of guarantee in this world? Oh yes, we do hear it all the time. The world promises us all kinds of awesome things: the best of everything, and we can have it now; we don’t have to wait – we deserve it. The good life and all kinds of wealth are held out in front of our face, for a price. But even when the price is paid, often the promise of what the world is offering does NOT come through. Instead, we chalk it up as one more disappointment; being ripped off yet another time. Promised success seems to forever evade us. But just who is it we are listening to? And just whose step-by-step instructions are we following? Whose guarantee are we signing up for? Let me share a few of God’s “yes” promises … I am paraphrasing – but please check out the scripture reference for the complete verse!

“Yes, God, your God, is with you every step you take.” Joshua 1:9b

“Yes, nothing, you see, is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

“Yes, the angel of the Lord encamps around those that fear Him and delivers them.”

Psalm 34:7

“Yes, you who go off with heavy hearts will come home laughing with armloads of blessing.” Psalm 126:6b

“Yes, if you make yourselves at home with Me and My words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.” John 15:7

“Yes, ask in My name, according to My will, and the Father will most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks. John 16:24

“Yes, when you wait upon the Lord, I will renew your strength you shall mount up with wings as eagles; you shall run, and not be weary; and you shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:29-31

“Yes, come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.”Matthew 11:28

“Yes, don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.” Isaiah 41:10
(Taken from the New International Version and The Message Bible)

How’s THAT for God’s 100% guarantee? His promises are sure; so when you need a “yes” instead of a “no” ~ go to His Word!!! You’ll find affirmation there, for sure!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WE WELCOME Diane, Dani, and Faith who worshipped with us for the first time on Sunday; and WELCOME BACK to LaFawn who was with us again this past Sunday, as well as Carianne and the children! It was great having all of you at Elevation North!
- OUR SPECIAL THANKS to Kristina Bucholz who was able to get discounted tickets for the youth outing at Valley Fair last week! What a blessing!
- OUR HEARTFELT THANKS goes on and on to our partnership supporters who continue to give and bless us and free up some of our work hours so that we can give more focus to God’s work at Elevation North and to be engaged in what God is doing in our midst! You bless us immensely and are truly partners with us!
- A NEW MISSIONS CHALLENGE . . . We received an anonymous mission note and gift of one dollar, asking us to give it to the mission of our choice. We were so touched as we read the note, and that dollar seemed to speak volumes to us. God seemed to impress upon us to grow that dollar into more dollars. So in the next few weeks, we are challenging each other to give up a cold pop, or an iced coffee, or a fruit smoothie – something we would have spent a few dollars on – and add those dollars to the original mission dollar! We’ll see what God grows the dollar into, and then we’ll see where God leads us to give the increased amount! Help us out!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- FRIDAY/SATURDAY, JULY 17-18: RELAY FOR LIFE WALK at the Steele County Fairgrounds. The opening ceremony will begin at 6 p.m., and Pastor Doug will be offering the opening prayer. Please come earlier, if you can, as Tina will appreciate all the help we can give! Plan to bring a dish or dishes of food to share for our evening meal … plan to walk the walk in honor of those who had cancer – and those who are cancer survivors … and be a blessing to all you meet throughout the evening hours! The event goes all night long – until morning.
- OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS: Twins Game for dads and sons / All-out Evangelism Blitz / Couples Event/ Planning for Fall/Winter/Spring ministry schedule / Prayer Meeting / Weekly Youth / and more!
- THIS SUNDAY, Pastor Doug will continue to preach the sermon series on “THE BIGGER PICTURE” from the book of Habakkuk, still in chapter 1. Your heart will be stirred to action as we hear God speaking from scripture; especially when we realize that one person + God = a majority! Let’s be part of that equation!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- Let us be focused on lifting up those in our midst who are in need of a physical touch from God, including Julia’s brother who is in ICU in a coma with hepatitis C, which he has had for years. Remember to pray for the many unspoken requests, and for other urgent requests that have been spoken and shared recently. May we be found faithful to pray daily for our nation, our president, our leaders, our military, our pastors, our families … that God might ignite us into action and use us in these days of great opportunity! What can we do for God – today, tomorrow, and the day after that?!
- THIS WEEK – Let’s choose to become the people, the church, that God wants us to be ~ on fire for HIM!!!

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

SPLIT-SECOND TIMING. There are so many times in our lives when one second – or even a fraction of a second makes all the difference in the world! These moments are what you call defining moments in time – and you never, ever seem to forget them! I believe one of the reasons God gives us memory recall, is so that we can praise Him over and over for the countless ways He has blessed us, helped us, even protected us in all our days past. Lately, one of those split-second defining moments from years ago has crossed my mind, and when I recall what happened, gratitude to God pours from my lips all over again! The memory is so vivid, it seems like just yesterday. It’s one of those things you cannot explain – no matter how you try – you just know that you know that you know – that it happened! Let me attempt to put it into words. I was leaving our small town in Michigan to drive back home to the small village where we pastored, and had our three sons with me in the car. A major highway runs north and south through the state, and it ran right through the middle of St. Johns. DJ and Dana, in their early teens, were with me. And so was Dustin, our little guy, who kept attempting to escape out of his infant car seat – like a little Houdini. He was buckled in safe in the back seat – at least for the moment, until he was successful yet again, to my frustration and amazement! How DID he do that?! I pulled out of a parking lot and stopped at the entrance to the highway, looked north and south – and then north again … all was clear. So I began to pull onto the northbound lane of traffic, and as I did and glanced south again – barreling down on me, I mean RIGHT ON ME, was a huge semi-truck. To this day, I have no idea where it came from, because it was not in view just a second or two earlier. My instincts kicked in and I know I slammed on the brake … but I knew that wouldn’t make much difference at all – as I knew the car was already headed into the lane that the truck was traveling full-speed ahead in. All I could say was, “Jesus!” And I waited for the impending crash that I knew was certain to happen in the next split-second or so. All I could think of was the precious cargo I was carrying – and how our car was no match for that huge truck at the speed it was going. It’s amazing what all can be said in a cry sent heavenward in one word: the Name of Jesus. That’s all I had time to say: “Jesus!” That’s all I COULD get past my lips: “Jesus!” Instinctively, I knew it was the best thing to say, especially if it were to be my very last word: “Jesus!” Somehow … I will never know how … short of the miracle I know that it was … the crash never came. The truck barreled by. There was no crash. It was as if he didn’t see us. He didn’t slow down. He didn’t honk his horn. But as the four of us sat in that car with my foot frozen on that brake, all of us were speechless. I didn’t move for what seemed like minutes. I don’t know who spoke first … me or one of the boys. But I sat there wondering how I would explain what we had just experienced, for in those split-seconds as the truck moved past us, it literally felt like the truck moved “through” us … like God made our vehicle “matter-less” – or whatever phenomenon it took for metal to pass through metal with no impact. The sense of it happening was real, however brief it was; and to this day, I know what I know what I know! Ask our sons about it someday. That split-second miracle spared all of our lives. God chose to give us more life for His special purposes; and everyday we give our lives back to Him, so that more and more of the reasons He spared us for, can be lived out! Perhaps you, too, have had split-second close calls that have become defining moments in your life … if so, stop right now to thank God for His presence and protection and blessing! He is SO deserving of our praise! May our lips never run out of words to thank Him with, even if at times, all we can speak is His Name! “JESUS!”

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- OUR SPECIAL THANKS to everyone who attended and helped out with our “I LOVE AMERICA” service at the Medford Park Pavilion last Sunday! What a perfect morning to sing of our country’s freedom and to pay tribute to our military and to our God for the freedoms that we enjoy! Thank you, Tina, for grilling the meat … and to everyone who brought such a great variety of delicious food to enjoy together! WE WELCOME Judy and Jimmy who worshipped with us for the first time!
- THE VALLEY FAIR Youth Outing on Tuesday (ALL day!) was a big hit; and again, God provided wonderful temps and sunshine for the fun in the park!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, JULY 12tH – Pastor Doug will be preaching about “THE BIGGER PICTURE” based on scriptures from the book of Habakkuk. Come and see what this ‘bigger picture’ is all about and how it relates to God’s plan for our lives! Plan to come and worship with us, and invite a family to come with you!
- TUESDAY, JULY 14TH – SR HI YOUTH at Pastor D’s and Debbie’s home at 7:00 p.m. Plan to come!!!
- TWINS GAME OUTING for dads and sons; date to be announced; you can still sign up at the Welcome Table!
- OPPORTUNITY FOR MID-SUMMER ALL-OUT EVANGELISM BLITZ – date/time to be announced soon!
- JULY 17-18: RELAY FOR LIFE WALK at the Steele County Fairgrounds; ask Tina how you can be involved and help our “Disciples” Team out this year!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- Be continual and fervent in your prayers for Justin; and Tina’s procedure has been postponed until August. Let’s keep the Bucholz and Pettigrew families in our prayers as they lean on God for needed comfort at this time. Unspoken needs are known to God and He loves to hear our prayers, even though needs are unknown to us! May we remember our missionaries and evangelists as they continue to preach the Word of God to hungry hearts; and let’s remember to uphold our military forces here and abroad, for safety and protection. We pray for God to impart to us boldness and confidence at Elevation North as we seek to be faithful to minister God’s Word to those within and without the church, for Christ’s sake! What a privilege we have to move forward the cause of Christ!
- THIS WEEK – We love these words from Max Lucado, reminding us that God is with us in the normal seconds of our lives, as well as the defining split-seconds that change our lives. This is what he says: “Do you believe that God is near? He wants you to. He wants you to know that He is in the midst of your world. Wherever you are as you read these words, He is present … In your office, your bedroom, your den. He’s near. And He is more than near. He is active.” Did you catch that? He is active! That’s why His presence makes all the difference in the world! Invite Him to be close. To stay close. Actively close!



Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

EVER THINK OF TRAVELING TO A FAR-OFF GALAXY SOMEDAY? Well, unless you have lots of time on your hands, or intend to live a v-e-r-y long life … you might want to think again!!! It seems that scientists are talking about the discovery of a new galaxy that is very far away. You want to ask HOW far away? We just heard someone speak about it and were so fascinated that we did some further research on the speed of light and just how long they reported that it would take to get there! What we learned was astounding, to say the least! It’s a scientific fact that the speed of light travels at 300.000 kilometers per second. That is a million times faster than the speed of sound travels. Just how fast is it? Well, what all this means is that the speed of light travels fast enough that it could circle the earth SEVEN TIMES EVERY SECOND!!! And if THAT isn’t mind-boggling enough, than THIS fact is: traveling at the speed of light, it would take THIRTEEN BILLION YEARS to get to this galaxy that they are just now discovering!!! Hearing all these facts about a galaxy that our God has created – and grasping at the facts as I attempted to comprehend them, tears began streaming down my face. IS OUR GOD NOT HUGE?! Somehow in light of these facts, any of the “huge” challenges or circumstances or complications in our lives – diminish greatly in the biblical fact that the same God who created this universe and all that goes along with it, is the God who can take care of any needs we might have today, tomorrow, or any day thereafter!!! That a God THIS huge would create us, choose us, love us, care for us, send His Son to die for us – is almost beyond our finite understanding. What we should grasp is that we never have to wonder if God is up to taking care of us and bringing the answers and solutions that we personally need! Our greatest need does not drain Him or strain Him … it is His pleasure to do His best for us! If He was here on earth in physical form this day in July, 2009, He would come and stand beside us and hold our face in His hands like a loving parent does. Then He would make us look Him straight in the eyes, and He would tell us not to worry, not to wonder, not to fear ~ because He is taking care of it all. Would that not calm us? Reassure us? Encourage us? He would tell us to stand on His Word, to claim His promises, and to step forward in faith! So, while we may not ever travel to a far off galaxy before our split-second trip to Heaven … we can be assured every day of a HUGE God who loves us and wants us to know Him intimately!
WE LOVE AND HONOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL! We want them to know how deeply grateful we are as we celebrate America this July 4th weekend, for their sacrificial service on behalf of the freedoms we enjoy in this great nation of ours! We do not take for granted the way they have shared their lives, even to the point of death, so that we could live brave and free. We do not take for granted that our flag still waves majestically in the breezes, speaking of life and liberty, in a nation under God. We seek to honor the men and women, young and old, who make up our military forces. They are so deserving of our highest regard, our deepest respect, and our unending gratitude for all they have done and for all they have given in the quest to preserve our nation’s freedoms. Today and every day, Elevation North honors the military people in every branch of service to our country! We humbly thank you and ask God’s blessings of love and strength and protection to be yours as you serve!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- OUR LOVE AND PRAYERS are with the Clint Bucholz family in the recent loss of his dad in Wyoming; may God’s comfort fill your hearts and lives now and in all the days to come!
- OUR SPECIAL THANKS to Ron Flack who ministered to our congregation in the absence of Pastor D while he was in Michigan for the funeral of a close friend. Please continue to uphold Ron’s outreach ministry to those who need God’s light shed abroad in their hearts! And continue to pray for comfort for Mike’s family in Michigan; around 700 people were at the funeral as Pastor D celebrated Mike’s life in the service and then presented the message of Christ and the hope of seeing Mike again someday!
- ATTENTION! The Youth Bake Sale that was scheduled at Wal-Mart for this Saturday on July 4th has been changed due to several conflicts with our church families’ schedules; we are working on a different date with the possibility of doing a Cash-Wise food-stand. We will keep you posted, so enjoy the 4th with your family and celebrate our freedom!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- TWIN’S GAME OUTING for dads and sons; check out the sign-up sheet at the Welcome Table!
- SUNDAY, JULY 5TH: “I LOVE AMERICA” worship/celebration at the Park Pavilion in Medford at 10 a.m. Don’t miss this special service as we honor our nation, our military and our freedoms!
- SUNDAY, JULY 5th: RELAY FOR LIFE contributions are due; see Tina and turn in your collected donations! We thank you for your participation, and remember there is more to come as we approach the “Walk” coming up on Friday/Saturday, JULY 17-18 at the Steele County Fairgrounds! Ask Tina how you can help our group at this event!
- TUESDAY, JULY 7th: JR/SR HI OUTING TO Valley Fair; invite your friends and call for the cost of tickets! It promises to be a great day – ALL day from the opening of the park to the moment it closes down!
- MID-SUMMER ALL-OUT EVANGELISM BLITZ – sharing God’s love through our personal invitation, church brochures, and Invitation CD’s! Plan to be a part of this exciting event that is coming SOON!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- Continue to pray for healing for Justin, Merv, and Chuck; for Ally, for the 22 year old with cancer, for Tina’s medical procedure this Thursday; for comfort for the Bucholz family and the Pettigrew family; for abundant provision for the Seykora’s needs and for safe travels as they return to Perth, Australia; for several unspoken needs, and for God’s hand of blessing upon Elevation North as we seek to minister the gospel of Christ and reach out beyond the walls of our church! God is Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider; praise His Name!
- THIS WEEK – Remember how HUGE your God is! Billy Graham once said, “We do not understand the intricate pattern of the stars in their courses, but we know that He who created them does, and that just as surely as He guides them, He is charting a safe course for us.” That reminder should give us hope and assurance for each new day! And we want you to know that you matter to us … we look forward to seeing you at the park pavilion on Sunday!

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

DEATH IS SOMETHING PEOPLE PREFER TO NOT TALK ABOUT … but they are definitely talking about it this week. MICHAEL JACKSON – king of pop music - dead at age 50. FARRAH FAWCETT – her battle with cancer over at age 62. ED THOMPSON - football coach at Parkersburg, Iowa – senselessly shot and killed at age 58. And before any of this news, MIKE PETTIGREW – friend of ours from our Michigan pastorate – killed this past Saturday night in a tragic car accident at age 56. Rather short life-times for each of them, and yet they left a lasting legacy in their own way. Two of these people, we know are in the presence of the Lord at this very moment. The other two, we know not where their hearts were at, and it is not up to us to judge them. God will do that. But for our friend, Mike, and the coach, Ed … we have to wonder what it was like to be here on earth one moment, and in the next split-second, they were standing in the presence of their God, their eyes drinking in the sights of Heaven! Like the song says, “we can only imagine!” When deaths like this occur, eternity is brought into view for us, and we begin to review our own lives, asking some tough questions of ourselves. In our grief and loss, we find ourselves being very reflective – wondering if the legacy we leave behind will be what we want it to be. We only get one life to live on earth ~ the only part of it that will remain forever, is what we have done for Christ. Everything else, in time, will fade away! The music notoriety and awards, the television series and movies, the football games won, the hours at work … all of that will pass away. What will remain and live on into eternity … are the lives that were touched and impacted and shaped because of a life in the sports world that was lived for Christ … and the lives that were touched and impacted and shaped because of a husband, dad, and grandpa who loved the Lord and his family. If any of these people mentioned could be given even just one more week, or month, or year on this earth – I have a feeling their focus and time would be invested in the people closest to them – and the things that mattered the most to them! And the thing is, we will all face death someday … and like these people, neither do we know “when”. That’s why it’s crucial that we come to the place of saying “yes” to God with our lives, getting to know Him better than ever before, and giving more focus and time to Him than to anything else! God should be our greatest passion, our deepest longing, our most exuberant joy, and our absolute everything ~ our all in all! Then the legacy we leave behind will be the one that God had planned for us all along, and it will impact every person He wanted us to touch! “Lord, please instill in us a soul that ‘followeth hard after Thee’, one that clings passionately to You.” (Psalm 68:3, KJV)


IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- SPECIAL THANKS to everyone who helped and participated in the church float and Straight River Days Parade in Medford last Friday evening; especially to our youth who did such a fantastic job passing out the candy and the invitations to our upcoming patriotic service; to our parents who helped out in many ways; to Brendan for making the signs; and to Tina for making the invitation cards! What a great time we had – and the crowd was so responsive!
- THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 28th … HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Pastor Doug from your church family!
- THIS SUNDAY, special guest speaker, Ron Flack will be with us to share about his ministry, local and global, as he reaches out to those from nations abroad who do not yet know Christ as their personal Savior! Don’t miss this opportunity to hear about what God is doing – and to be a prayer partner for Ron’s ministry!
- TUESDAY, JUNE 30th … Youth, check in with us for schedules for this week!
- SATURDAY, JULY 4TH … Youth Bake Sale at Wal-Mart from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. What can you bake and bring that will help our youth with not only expenses for their group events, but with monies for them to share with missions that they choose to support! Bake LOTS – and come and help – it should be fun!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- A SUMMER EVENT for Fathers/Sons is being planned to take in a Twins Game; details to come!
- SUNDAY, JULY 5th: “I LOVE AMERICA” worship/celebration/picnic at the Park Pavilion in Medford, 10 a.m.
- MONDAY, JULY 6th: RELAY FOR LIFE contributions are due ~ who can you ask for donations?!
- TUESDAY, JULY 7th: JR/SR HI OUTING to VALLEY FAIR; invite some friends and get your tickets soon!
- FRIDAY/SATURDAY, JULY 17-18: RELAY FOR LIFE event at Steele County Fairgrounds

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- For healing for Justin, for Merv, for Chuck, for Ally, for a 22 year old with cancer; for comfort for Paula and family in the loss of Mike (Pastor’s and Debbie’s friends in MI); for blessings on family time for the Seykora’s as they are home in the U.S. for a short time before departing back to their mission work with YWAM in Perth, Australia – and for their needs for a computer, car repairs or replacement, and funds for outreach and conference in South Africa; and for other urgent unspoken requests. Praise God, He is ABLE!!!

- THIS WEEK … FIND SOMEONE you can share a kindness with … or whose day you can brighten … someone you can bless with a smile, a hug, a note, an affirmation … someone who can use a little help … someone who will be so grateful that you cared to make a difference in their life! And most of all, follow hard after Christ this week!!! Bless Him with your BEST!!!

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

IT’S A NEW DAY! No matter what yesterday held ~ today is a new day! But if yesterday wasn’t so great, what can make today any different? One of our sons recently shared the story of an acquaintance who was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer a few years ago. The man did not indicate that he was a believer, but after surviving what was to have been his death sentence, he is still cancer-free some three years later. He told our son, “Every morning when I awaken, I realize I am alive, and because of that, I just KNOW it’s going to be a great day!” Of course, we all know that liver cancer does not just disappear on its own - there had to be a God-intervention through a divine miracle, and hopefully this man recognizes that. But his new outlook on life can be a great example for us as believers! It’s so easy to get in a rut, to get bogged down with the heaviness of work and the challenges we face. The ongoing battle with the enemy of our souls feels like a horrendous onslaught at times. There are mornings it would be tempting to turn over in bed and curl up under the covers, hoping “it” would all just go away, but the demands of today scream, “get up now!” So each morning we have a choice! And it IS a choice: we can give in to our feelings that it’s going to be a rough day, a hard day, a bad day … or we can determine in our hearts with God’s help and speak the truth into being: “Good-morning, God! It’s a new day that you’ve given me! I am alive – and it’s going to be a GREAT day!” There should be an excitement within us at the privilege of living another day for God – with God … there should be an expectancy of what He has planned for us this day – what do we get to do for Him and for others … there should be a positive (not stressful) urgency within us that drives us to share Christ with everyone we encounter … and there should be great delight in being gifted with yet another twenty-four hours to lavish our love and praise on our Father in Heaven! Too often we hold on too tight to the things that just weigh us down ~ and God invites us just to let go of them. He wants us to be free to enjoy the new days that He gives us ~ for we only get so many! Our days are numbered, His Word says, and He has promised to give us a wonderful future. That sounds like He wants us to enjoy our days, not dread them, wouldn’t you say? So let’s maximize how we live each new day that God gives us ~ by the choices that we make, especially those first few moments of the morning when our eyes open and the first words of the day come out of our mouth! May our choices and words be acceptable and pleasing to our Lord! Martin Luther once said, I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” The words of the Apostle Paul have been recorded to remind us every day how to live: “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies.” Philippians 4:8-9, The Message Bible

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT A WONDERFUL CELEBRATION it was as we walked down memory lane for our First Anniversary at Elevation North last Sunday, being challenged from God’s Word, and we especially thank everyone for providing such awesome food for our meal following the service!
- BELATED, SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to Felicia from June 14th ~ may God bless you with a great year!!!
- THIS FRIDAY, June 19th at 6:30 p.m. – Straight River Days Parade in Medford; come early and participate in our church float, helping us pass out candy and an invitation to our “I Love America” patriotic Sunday service to be held on July 5th at the Medford Park Pavilion! We will be wearing our Relay for Life t-shirts from last year, as the new ones are not ready yet. And THANKS to all the youth and parents who helped with the float after our indoor water park fun on a rainy evening! Oh yes, Pastor Doug wanted the youth to know that the best part of the water fun was that his hair kept getting in his eyes!! (NOT!!!)
- SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS & God’s Best to Merv and Kathy on their June 21st Wedding Anniversary!

LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- JUST AROUND THE CORNER – A Fun Father/Son outing to be finalized and announced this coming week!
- TUESDAY, June 30th, Sr Hi Youth will meet at a park; location to be announced!
- SATURDAY, July 4th – Youth Bake Sale at Wal-Mart from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- SUNDAY, July 5th – “I LOVE AMERICA” worship celebration/picnic at the Park Pavilion in Medford, 10 a.m.
- MONDAY, July 6th – RELAY FOR LIFE contributions are due.
- TUESDAY, JULY 7th – Jr Hi/Sr Hi Youth Outing to Valley Fair; we are getting discounted tickets!
- FRIDAY/SATURDAY, July 17-18 – RELAY FOR LIFE event at Steele County Fairgrounds.

PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- For Shirley, following a colonoscopy this week; for God’s special touch in Chuck’s body; for Ron Flack’s ongoing ministry to individuals in our town from other countries who do not know the Lord as their personal Savior; for Josh, Sarah, and Noah Seykora who are home with family briefly from ministry in Australia – they have pressing financial needs for a computer for ministry work, for car repairs or replacement, and for funds for a South Africa Outreach & Conference coming up in September (the needs are great, but our God’s provision is even greater!) How can we be a part of the answer to their needs?! And remember to pray for God’s complete healing touch for Josh!
- For our dads as we celebrate them on Father’s Day and every day … how we thank God for each of you dads, for your love for God and for your families, for your godly example and everyday provision, for creating awesome memories and giving us the best gift of all – your time with us! We honor you this day, and hope that you will be especially blessed as we gather together on Sunday to worship, with Pastor Doug’s message being centered on “Encouragement for Fathers!” We truly look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we honor not only our dads, but our Father in Heaven!

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

WHAT’S IN A NAME?! That’s a great question – and one that was asked by one of our partnership supporters some weeks ago! Well, what he asked was, “How did you come up with the name “Elevation North” and what meaning does it have?” Our answer was: “We had been introduced to a church out east by the name of Elevation Church back in late 2007, and loved the encouragement we received from some of the messages on their website, as forwarded to us by our friends. It was always just what we needed at the time – and we could sense that God was using their ministry in a powerful way. Then, about a year and a half later, when after the birthing of our new church – and it was needing a new name … what came to our mind so clearly was “Elevation North” ~ and as we penciled the two words on a tiny lime green sticky note … the two t’s in the words became crosses. It was evident to us that we desired to have Christ lifted up ~ elevated ~ exalted, as He so deserves. By us who are called by His Name, and for those who do not yet know His Name. If He is elevated … they may see Him! The ‘North’ part comes for two reasons: one, our desire to be located on the north side of town where we want to cultivate a strong evangelical message, and two, our heart’s longing is directed Heavenward, northward, upward, as we anticipate the joys of our “forever” Home! The crosses that make the t’s stand out in the name, will forever be a point of remembrance of Christ’s powerful work at Calvary. We want to be reminded daily of the fact that “one drop of Jesus’ blood” is all we need! It’s all we need when we walk into a new day facing the unknown; it’s all we need when we walk into a known sickness or disease or circumstance that normally would take us down and take us out; it’s all we need when we have no clue how we’ll get everything done that needs to be accomplished; it’s all we need when we stare into an empty checkbook or an even emptier future; it’s all we need when we feel the breath of the enemy hot on the back of our neck as he closes in; it’s all we need when we know we are not enough – and we know we need to relinquish everything over to God! While we may not experience all of the above at the same time, probably all of us have felt some of these emotions at one time or another. And when we realize that through the shed blood of Jesus Christ we are empowered – we will finally realize fulfillment in our walk with God. Our spiritual walk will no longer be anemic or disadvantaged … we will be “on fire” for God, knowing that our main purpose and joy is to ELEVATE the Lord Jesus Christ, and look towards Heaven, taking as many people with us as we can! SO, having said all that . . . we say, “Happy 1st Birthday, Elevation North!” And the great part of it is ~ we’ve only just begun!!! Lord, just where will you take us, and what will you have us do? Lead on, Lord; lead on!!!


IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, June 14th: FIRST ANNIVERSARY CHURCH CELEBRATION/WORSHIP/POTLUCK MEAL ~ join us and bring someone with you! Call us at 451-9763 and let us know what you are bringing so we can be totally prepared for everyone!
- TUESDAY, June 16th: 4:00 p.m. – Jr Hi/Sr Hi Youth are to meet at the new River Springs Water Park; bring money for admission, and afterwards, brats and hotdogs will be furnished at Pastor’s & Debbie’s. At 7:30 p.m., we will work on the church float for the Straight River Days Parade in Medford. Help from all youth and their parents is welcomed!
- FRIDAY, June 19th: 6:00 p.m. – Straight River Days Parade in Medford; come and cheer on our church float as we pass out candy and an invitation to our “I Love America” patriotic Sunday service to be held on July 5th at the Medford Park Pavilion!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- WATCH FOR DETAILS about a Father’s Day event that is being planned for our dads/sons!
- TUESDAY, June 23rd: Sr Hi Youth will meet at a park; location to be announced.
- TUESDAY, June 30th, Sr Hi Youth – activity to be announced.
- SATURDAY, July 4th: Youth Bake Sale at Wal-Mart from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- SUNDAY, July 5th: “I LOVE AMERICA” worship celebration/picnic at the Park Pavilion in Medford, 10 a.m.
- MONDAY, July 6th: RELAY FOR LIFE; contributions are due.
- TUESDAY, JULY 7th: Jr Hi/Sr Hi Outing to Valley Fair; ticket costs to be announced.
- FRIDAY/SATURDAY, July 17-18: RELAY FOR LIFE event at Steele County Fairgrounds.
- SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS goes to Brendan Bucholz for his winning art-work being chosen for the 5th grade class t-shirts at Medford School, as well as for the upcoming 2009-10 elementary school t-shirt! We are proud of you, Brendan!
- CONTINUE TO BE IN FERVENT PRAYER for many unspoken urgent requests; and for those who are sick and facing surgery. And remember Alyssa Edel, serving with Campus Crusade for Christ in NC through the first part of August. Our God is more than able to orchestrate His special work in these lives and circumstances!
- THIS SUNDAY, plan to be in God’s House for a journey through this past year, “Remembering when . . . “as we look to yesterday, learn from today, and live for tomorrow!” Pastor Doug will be relating all of this to the church body with biblical principles, using several scripture selections. Join us for worship and praise, learning, and celebration and prayer – as we remember, and as we LOOK TO THE FUTURE God has planned for Elevation North! We will be stepping into “year two” ~ continuing to love and nurture people to their fullest potential in Christ!

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North Has News for You!

OUR GOD IS BIG ENOUGH!!! In ministry … and in the marketplace … we talk to people everyday who share needs that are way beyond “human fixing”. As human beings, none of us have the perfect answers – or even if we did, often we do not have the capability to make things happen that will solve the problems. But then … there’s Heaven’s solution! Meaning, where we are lacking, our God in Heaven is fully able to meet our every need, our every heart’s cry, our deepest longings. How do we know? Well, first of all, by God’s Word … as we see His hand at work in supernatural ways all throughout scripture – recorded for us to increase our faith! Secondly, by first-hand experience; some of which I shared last week about miraculous provision for the recent family trip and how God lavished love gifts on me every place I went (and that’s only one experience out of countless throughout my entire life!). Thirdly, by the testimonies of others who share God’s amazing works in their lives. Like Josh and Sarah Seykora, serving in Perth, Australia (with YWAM Perth) . . . let me try and briefly summarize these exciting and powerful miracles! From Papua, New Guinea where Josh recently ministered and where some teams still remain: they have reached nearly 3000 of the 6000 residents of the Kerema area, and as requested, the team is helping do HIV/AIDS education seminars/marriage seminars/youth gatherings/ongoing discipleship seminars. The churches are heavily involved and the pastors and leaders are setting a beautiful example by regularly coming together to clean the city – coming out of what they are learning from the seminars about godly stewardship of God’s creation and all that God puts us in charge of. From Cape Town, South Africa, a young student named Nick shares about how God spoke to him that He will heal. In Nick’s words: “I met a drunk man who was in pain and I found out that his right leg was shorter than his left leg. God told me to pray for him, so I got him to sit down and I stretched out his legs and I began to proclaim healing through the power of Jesus, and his leg grew out and all his hip pain and back pain was gone and his feet were even.” Another guy who saw this happen, asked for prayer for his back – and he was healed. This guy led Nick back to his shack where his “mum” was – blind and suffering with arthritis. She, too, received sight and her arthritis was gone! From Uganda, Africa, young women from the YWAM Birth Attendant School, encountered a woman in labor on an island of Lake Victoria. She had been in labor almost an entire day, and they were eager to get her to the mainland to the hospital. Quoting from the report: “While on the open water in a v-shaped bottom boat, the woman began to push and give birth to her son. One of the students got down low to help deliver the baby. By the light of their cell phone she saw the baby’s head and the umbilical cord that was wrapped around his neck. After cutting the umbilical cord, she was able to deliver the baby only to find that it was not breathing – the little baby boy was in fact, dead. With much fervent and focused prayer and CPR, the baby miraculously began to breathe! The mother, after, decided to name her baby boy ‘Moses’ (Lake Victoria is the head of the Nile River), and wanted very much to go home, so they turned the boat around for the island. The next morning the students went to visit the mother and Moses, arriving to the joyous noise of the cry of the healthy baby boy. Praise the Lord!” Yes, we know … many people do not believe in supernatural miracles … but why would anyone not want ALL that God has for them?! And for those who may think that these are all “made-up stories” ~ Pastor Doug and I have a personal story of his dad’s supernatural miracle from many years ago when Doug was a young boy still at home. His dad’s testimony about one leg being shorter than the other and being healed after he was prayed for – is a carbon copy of this miracle in South Africa, only it happened in North Dakota decades ago! And my husband and many others witnessed this miracle first-hand! Why do we share all of this? Well, we want YOU to know that the same God of the Old Testament and New Testament, is still doing supernatural miracles in 2009 … and if you ask and believe … the miracle you need is in God’s hand at this moment, just waiting for you! God, of course, being God, will do it in His way, in His time … because He knows what miracles we need – and when. But just because we feel limited at times, let’s NOT limit Him! Claim Heaven’s solutions TODAY!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS to Kayla Joachim and to Chandra Webster who graduate from Owatonna High School this Sunday; may God’s awesome blessings be yours as He leads you into your future! (Jeremiah 29:11)
- LOVING SYMPATHIES to Hazel Chapin on the loss of her sister in Wyoming; Hazel, we are praying for you!
- OUR PRAYERS go with the Rogers family as they travel to see family in Tennessee; be blessed and refreshed!
- PLEASE HOLD UP Alyssa Edel, who is ministering in Myrtle Beach, NC with Campus Crusade for Christ, that God will bring to her many opportunities to share Christ, and that she will be able to find a job while there, as well!
- CONTINUE TO LIFT UP the several unspoken prayer requests that are urgent in nature; and remember, OUR GOD IS BIG ENOUGH! Let’s trust – and claim the answers!

- LOOKING AHEAD:

- Tuesday, June 9th: YOUTH EVENT at Pastor Doug’s & Debbie’s – from 6:45-8:00 p.m. Don’t miss it!!!
- Sunday, June 14th: Celebrating Elevation North’s FIRST ANNIVERSARY, including a potluck meal!
- Friday, June 19th: Elevation North Float in Straight Rivers Days Parade ~ with candy and a message!
- Couples Event in June: hosted by Pastor Doug & Debbie ~ date and details to be announced soon!
- July 4th: Bake Sale at Wal-Mart; fundraiser for our youth groups!
- July/Patriotic Worship Service: watch for upcoming details!
- July 17-18: RELAY FOR LIFE – we need YOU on our Elevation North team (Disciples); see Tina Rogers for complete details on how you can help; packets will be handed out this Sunday! She is the new Steele County Co-Chairman for Relay for Life; we are proud of you, Tina!
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Jacob Babbitt on June 9th! We celebrate YOU and wish you a blessed day!
- HAPPY 38TH ANNIVERSARY on June 5th ~ to my sweet husband, Doug, who I thank God for ~ every day!!!
- THIS PAST SUNDAY, we celebrated Pentecost Sunday, and Pastor Doug reminded us that without the Holy Spirit, we are like a Volkswagon engine in a huge Caterpillar machine! It’s the Holy Spirit who empowers us, so Lord, pour out Your Spirit on us! THIS SUNDAY, come prepared to participate in a powerful service, filled with opportunities for focused worship and prayer, energized preaching from the Word, as well as fun fellowship with the family of God! We will look forward to seeing YOU in God’s House as we come together and offer Him our best!



Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Elevation North Has News for You!

LAVISH! I absolutely LOVE that word! Especially since I (Debbie) have personally experienced it this past week while on vacation to be with our family and friends in Nebraska, North Dakota, and Minnesota! Of course, the time always goes by WAY too fast!!! I know you know what I’m talking about! Cancelled were the deadlines, the shifts of work, the projects, the long hours … and in their place, I was lavished with treasures of looking around and seeing the precious faces of grandchildren, children, my Mom, siblings, and friends: those I love so much! I was gifted with smiles and hugs and all kinds of tender moments from their hearts to mine! God first lavished His love on me with the miracle provision for the trip from our young son and his wife – so that I could come for our youngest grandchild’s first birthday (that was the longing of my heart!). Then, my husband’s mom was cleared by the doctor following recent surgery to make the trip with me – yet another miracle! Fun moments, playing with our little grandsons indoors and outdoors, relaxing moments, capturing special memories in photos, celebrating, laughing, crying during long talks into the middle of the night about Jesus and how wondrous He is as He works in us and on us and through us, generous ministry support being sent home with me towards our work with Elevation North, being blessed with glorious sunshine (when none was forecast for several days!), enjoying time on the road with my mom-in-love, hearing my 85 year old mom touch Heaven with her prayers on my behalf, seeing the look of pure surprise on our youngest granddaughter’s face when she turned and saw me standing right next to her ~ (priceless, indeed!), seeing how teenage grandsons are being transformed into young men, and daily calls back and forth with my sweet, incredible husband who stayed home to hold down the fort and work all those jobs! And there was SO much more, I couldn’t begin to fit it all in this limited space! But amazingly, my heart expands large enough to hold it all … and still has room to hold more! Deuteronomy 28:2 says, “All these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee.” The Message Bible describes it this way: “All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you.” But the verse does go on to say, “because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God.” The entire first part of the chapter is devoted to telling us what God expects of us, (listening and obeying) and then the blessings that will be lavished on us are included in a long list! I heartily recommend that you turn to that chapter and read it to see how and where God wants to bless you! And not just bless you ~ but LAVISHLY bless you!!! So, I have literally been overtaken this week with precious blessings far beyond measure! And just know that while I was gone, I was praying for God’s best for YOU, too!

WHILE I DID NOT get to sit in the worship service with all of you at Elevation North on Sunday, I was so blessed to be able to worship with our youngest son and his family at their church in Scottsbluff, NE ~ and loved seeing how God is using Dustin as he plays guitar with the worship team there! Back home, Pastor D was continuing to preach from the Word in John chapter 1 ~ challenging and encouraging our church family to experience the power of the Word of God … cultivating a deeper hunger and desire for time in the Word … loving that “one-on-one” time with God! Updating the church blog long-distance this week, I do not have all the details for this upcoming Sunday’s message ~ but we encourage you to come and meet with God and His people in the House of the Lord … you won’t be disappointed!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- WITH THE ARRIVAL OF SUMMER - be watching for changes in the youth schedules! We will still plan events and time together each month for the purpose of experiencing great times with God and with each other – but we also want you to have more free time and more family time this summer!

UPCOMING MINISTRIES FOR JUNE . . .

-COUPLES EVENT hosted by Pastor Doug and Debbie
-EVANGELISM OUTREACH BLITZ with our new church brochures and Invitation CD’s
-NEW OPPORTUNITIES to bless others
-CHURCH LEADERSHIP planning session/prayer focus

- WHILE ON THE CHURCH BLOG, be sure to take advantage of clicking on the ministry links for extra resources of hope and encouragement and learning!

- NEXT WEEK we will be listing our church graduates … be sure to congratulate them and uphold them in prayer as they begin their future!

- DAILY PRAY for our nation, our leaders, our pastors, our military … that God will hear our prayers and bring us back to the place He longs for us to be! Let’s be activated in our personal desire to see God working in our midst – and of course, it begins with US!

- UNSPOKEN PRAYER REQUESTS that are urgent should draw us to our knees, seeking God for the needed miracles and victories that are so desperately needed! Pray with us: God’s Word tells us that where two or three are gathered in His Name, He is there in the midst of us!

- PLAN TO JOIN US IN GOD’S HOUSE ON SUNDAY . . . let’s make our time of worship – a worship service that God wants to come to! Even more important than inviting others to church – is inviting God’s presence to be with us … that we might honor Him and include Him in every part of our worship! Our desire is that you will FEEL Him here and KNOW that He is here with us, and that HE will be the center of our focus and praise! Come thirsty so you can drink in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ … and come hungry so you can feast on the Word! Come ready to have God’s love lavished on YOU! See you on Sunday!!!


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Elevation North Has News for You!

SOMETIMES WE GET STUCK ON THIS EARTH! What in the world do we mean by that? Well, it’s true – we actually get stuck on this earth … stuck in all the muck of what we see around us ~ instead of doing whatever it takes to get the windshield wipers out and clear off our vision so that we can see what God sees and ultimately, what He wants US to see! There’s another realm out there beside this physical realm that “we get stuck in” … a very real realm called the “spiritual realm”. Some people tend to shy away from that, mostly because they do not really understand it, but that does not diminish the fact that the spiritual realm is here – all around us. You know, there’s that force – that battle between good and evil, between God and Satan. While we may not be able to “see” what’s going on in that realm over us, the best part of all this is that we can live in the spiritual realm having access to God’s divine power for us! That includes everything that He has planned for us this day – no matter what is going on – on this earth. Everything, meaning: victories and miracles, protection and peace, intervention and deliverance, favor and blessings, health and provision ~ even abundance in every area of our lives! Oops … there’s that word that some believers have taken an aversion to … abundance! But out of the spiritual realm, abundance flows. Is it to flow to those who reject God – or is the abundance God promises for those who love Him, trust Him and obey Him? Well, checking out God’s Word, we have an answer for that, and this is what we hear Jesus saying in John 10:10 ~ “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (NIV) The King James version uses these words ~ “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” And the Message Bible puts it this way ~ “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” We think most of us would choose that kind of a life over just being stuck on this earth! Actually, God placed us on this earth for His Kingdom purposes – and one part of that purpose is to make a spiritual difference in the world around us. And we can only make an impact when others see us living in God’s favor and in the victory He gives. What kind of a Jesus do people see – if the only Jesus they know, is the Jesus they see being lived out through us? Did you know that God didn’t put us on this earth to be stuck here for the lifespan He has planned for us – however long that may be? He put us here, because He has big, awesome, incredible plans for us … and big, awesome, incredible plans to use us for His purposes and His glory! We want to challenge you today to sign up for a life that can make a difference … for a life that promises abundance … for a life of “more” and “better” than we ever dreamed could be possible! So let’s get UNSTUCK, and get connected to living life in the spiritual realm where God does His perfect and powerful work – in us … and through us!!!
HOW CAN WE DESCRIBE THE “WORD”? The “Word” – meaning God – as written about in John chapter 1. That was the question Pastor Doug set out to define more clearly this past Sunday in his message. What words can we even use? Normal words as used by us can bless or curse; they can lift up or destroy. But in Jesus’ day, there were about 10,000 Hebrew words in that language – and nearly 200,000 words in the Greek language. “Word” to the Greeks meant even the unspoken word, or reason. “Word” to the Jews meant: God. So, the writer, John, attempts to explain this to both by saying “with God”! The message he wanted the reader to understand is that life is not only God’s gift … God is the life! The Life, in turn, gives light – for the world. From the Word comes Life and from Life comes Light. And as children of God, we are not the Light ~ we are a witness to the Light! This coming Sunday, Pastor D will continue preaching from John 1 beginning with verse 6 … be sure to come and continue to learn and be challenged as we seek to live out and give out in practical ways what we take in on Sunday!
IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- SPECIAL THANKS to the Hendricksons and their granddaughters for providing coffee and freshly baked cookies for all of us following the worship service!

- HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES go out to Melony and Tammy; and to Kevin and Tammy on their Anniversary … we wish all of you God’s best! And “Happy Birthday” to Gloria Lundstrom and their daughter, LaDawn, who share the same day on May 17th! It was fun to sing to them in church last Sunday!

- BY THE WAY, you can click on the Lundstrom’s ministry web-site on our church blog for a report of their Mother’s Day rally with us at Elevation North, along with some photos, or you can type in: www.larrylundstromministries.org/pages.asp?pageid=68419.

- CALLING ALL YOUTH! We will be doing a service project helping an elderly couple move from one apartment to another in Southway Manor (2260 Hartle Avenue) on Saturday morning, the 23rd, at 9:30 a.m. Plan to come with your dads (we’ll need their help, too!) and we should be finished by noon or so. The youth will be receiving a donation from the couple for their work!

- JR HI YOUTH: Check with Cierra for the youth schedule for this Saturday, the 23rd!

- SR HI YOUTH: Plan to have lunch with Pastor D on Sunday after church, and bring money for your meal!

- ADDITIONAL UNSPOKEN REQUESTS have come to our attention, equally urgent, along with previous unspoken requests that need continuing prayer for God’s miracle work! Let’s be in focused prayer, claiming and expecting answers from God!

- WE REJOICE with Josh and Sarah Seykora over the news that God is working supernaturally through their ministry outreach in Perth, Australia! Sharing Jesus with many different nationalities who come to Perth, God is giving them favor and many are responsive to the message of the Gospel. One man suddenly looked up as if he was seeing something, and when asked about it, he said, “I see Jesus!” (literally!) Can you imagine his response
to the salvation message presented to him?! Keep them in your prayers as they continue to bring Christ “to the nations”!

- ON THE ROAD . . . Debbie and Pastor’s mom. Shirley, will be heading west on a family trip while Pastor Doug holds down the fort here! Gramma Deb wants to be with their youngest grandchild, Miles, for his first birthday celebration on Saturday, May 23rd! Just cannot miss that 1st birthday!!! And they will also be stopping in to see other family ~ so pray for safe travels and that they will be a blessing to all! Thank you! And don’t forget to pray
for Pastor Doug while he is “batching it”!!!

- MEMORIAL DAY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER … and while many people think of it as just a weekend to get away … it is so much more than that! May we remember our loved ones – family and friends – who have gone on before, and countless men and women who have given their lives for us on faraway battlefields that we might live free! May we never forget! May gratitude fill your hearts for special memories – and for the gift of freedom!
And most importantly, plan to come to church on Sunday to share in this Memorial Day service of remembrance … and to hear the good news of the greatest freedom we can ever find, through the Lord Jesus Christ! Let’s make it an unforgettable time of worship and honor! See you there! And remember … YOU ARE LOVED!


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .