Elevation North has News for YOU!

“ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS IN LIFE IS ENDING SOMETHING THAT ISN’T OVER YET!” I heard this quote yesterday by Pastor Brian Houston from Hillsong Church in Australia, and it really got me to thinking! More than dwelling on the question of wondering how many times in my life I might have ended something that wasn’t over yet … I decided that from this day forward I will make sure I stay in there for the long-haul. No quitting before it’s over. No thoughts of giving in – or giving up. No premature endings. If you, like me, has ever ended something before God was done with it – I wonder what we missed out on! How sad that we might have missed the divine outcome: the miracle … the answer … the unexpected result … the solution … the dream-turned-into reality … the provision … the healing … the restoration … the promotion … the surprise blessing … the extraordinary idea ... the life that previously we’ve only dreamed about! If we had kept on, we would have experienced God’s plan to the fullest measure! Hopefully we can all say that we HAVE kept on more times than not – and we HAVE experienced the joy of receiving what God loves to bring into our lives. But for those moments that do come to us with fleeting thoughts that “this” is just too hard – that we cannot do it any longer – that we are not able to hang on for even one more day, this is your reminder that God is here. Right now. Today. For you. He’s right here with you in whatever you are going through! A long time ago, I saw a small poster with some powerful words that impacted me so greatly back then. I haven’t read those words for several years, but today a co-worker shared them with me after hearing them on a Christian radio station. And though I shared them with my written audience way back then … I feel led to share them with you now, so that you, too, can be impacted by them. Written by Helen Mallicoat, here is the message: “I was regretting the past and fearing the future. Suddenly my Lord was speaking. ‘My name is I AM.’ He paused. I waited. He continued, ‘When you live in the past, with its mistakes and regrets, it is hard. I am not there. My name is not I WAS. When you live in the future, with its problems and fears, it is hard. I am not there. My name is not I WILL BE. When you live in this moment, it is not hard. I am here. My name is I AM.’” You see, whatever we need in the present, God is so able to take care of. Because HE is present. Because His promise is true – that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us. Because He is bigger than any of our problems or trials or circumstances. And because He WANTS to be a part of our lives, every day – in THIS moment! He loves walking with us, and He loves living in us! He loves helping us and rescuing us! He loves enabling and empowering us! It is so true that the divine power of God will meet us at the level of the commitment that we make. When we commit to living as sold-out followers of Jesus Christ in the here and now, God will be with us in the here and now. Like the words I shared on Sunday from the song, “City on Bended Knee”, let’s make this our daily theme ~ our heart’s cry . . . “If we’ve got to start somewhere – why not here? If we’ve got to start sometime – why not now? If we’ve got to start somewhere, I say here. If we’ve got to start sometime, I say now. Today’s the day!” May this become the clarion call of Elevation North as God leads us down the path of this new year. Each new day CAN be THE day! After all, it’s the day God has given us … and He’s promised to be there with us … for after all, He is . . . “I AM”!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- THIS PAST SUNDAY, Pastor Doug shared an awesome message from a variety of scriptures on fasting and prayer as we continue on the 21-Day Fast, teaching us more about God’s commands and blessings. He related the experiences of several people in the Bible who obeyed God and received spiritual breakthroughs and supernatural favor. As a church body, we can fast forward to 2010 and record our own victories and blessings in this time of fasting and praying at the first of the year! No one but God will ever know the far-reaching effects of what He has impressed on our hearts to do, but already we are seeing things happening for His glory! And out of the Visionary Meeting that followed the service, we’ve laid a great foundation to build upon for what comes next! Thanks to everyone for attending!
- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Brent who came to worship with us for the first time on Sunday morning! We pray that you sensed the Spirit of God, and we pray God’s best in your life!
- BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS to our grandson, Tyler, on his 20th birthday, on the 24th! We love you, Tyler!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 24TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – Don’t miss out on this message straight from God’s Word as we seek to pursue what and where He wants us to be following our season of fasting and prayer as a body of believers. Pastor Doug will share God’s Word boldly and challenge your heart to step up to the plate in your Kingdom walk! Be a part of the God-focused, anointed, energetic singing and the great fellowship! You’ll feel right at home!
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES – for all ages, with lessons geared to every level as we learn more about our God and His plan for us as His children!
- AFTERNOON MOVIE YOUTH EVENT – details and time to be announced! Let your friends know so they can join us, too! The following week we will be back at Pastor’s and Debbie’s home!
- PLANNING MEETING for upcoming ministries and schedules – date to be announced!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNTIES . . .
- A LOT OF KNEELING WILL KEEP YOU IN GOOD STANDING! That’s true for every arena of our lives! This week let’s continue to be on our knees before our God as we remember not only each other’s needs, but the needs of our brothers and sisters around the world! Especially, for those in Haiti who are experiencing such devastation from the recent earthquake, that God’s love and care might be revealed to them through His people! Also, be in prayer for Larry and Gloria Lundstrom as they begin their series of rallies in Hawaii, and for Josh and Sarah Seykora as they prepare for upcoming ministry in Asia. We can be a part through prayer!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks.” ~ Max Lucado


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

GOD’S WORD IS SO EXCITING! Reading this morning before work, there was a portion that just about jumped off the pages at me! Midway through Matthew chapter 16, I was listening in on Jesus’ conversation with His disciples when they were in Caesarea Philippi. And actually, He was questioning them. Jesus wanted to know what the people were saying about who He was. His disciples passed on the thoughts of others – that perhaps he was John the Baptist or Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Following that, I love what happens next in their dialogue. Jesus goes further. He goes to the core of their hearts – to what REALLY matters to Him. More important than what others were thinking, was what THEY were thinking. So Jesus asks, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?” It was Simon Peter who shot back an answer without having to pause to think … “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus poured out His pleasure at Peter’s response, even going so far as to speak prophetically about His church! This is how He replied: “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books, or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God Himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.” INCREDIBLE!!! Did you get that??? If you didn’t realize it before, when you do, it will be life-changing! ELEVATION NORTH, IN GOD’S DESIGN, IS A CHURCH SO EXPANSIVE WITH ENERGY THAT NOT EVEN THE GATES OF HELL WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP IT OUT! Do we realize how powerful we are … just how powerful we can be? God has spoken that kind of energy and power into being so long ago – and now we just have to believe it and tap into it! How different our churches in America would be if all of us believed who we were! You see, in that chat between Jesus and His disciples, it wasn’t just about who they thought He was. Remember, He said, “And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are!” I believe that’s what’s missing in many of our churches. God’s people do not know who they are! And without that knowledge, the church becomes powerless and ineffective. The church forgets that we are an integral part of God’s Kingdom work here on earth. The church at that point doesn’t have what it takes to be actively engaged in what God wants to do through it. Let’s go back to the conversation again. Because Jesus pushes even further. He goes on, “And that’s not all. You will have compete and free access to God’s Kingdom, keys to open any and every door; no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.” (verses 13-19) It’s literally breathtaking when you catch the impact of what Jesus was telling Peter. And because we are His church, these words are recorded for us to take as ours, as well. WE have complete and free access to God’s Kingdom. WE have keys to open any and every door. WE have no more barriers between heaven and earth. What we speak on earth is spoken in heaven. Dear ones, let’s grasp as much as we can, the magnitude of what Jesus was telling His disciples that day. For you see, it is His message to us today ~ especially for today! If we want to flourish as God’s church, then bottom-line, our choice must be to take God at His Word, and believe what He says to us! Someone has said, “Without the power of God, the church will wither into nothing – it will die!” Our heart’s cry at Elevation North is that God will infuse us with His divine power and remove any blinders so that we might see ourselves as God sees us. So that we may truly know who we are in Christ!!! So that we might stand strong, shining the light of Jesus into the darkness of this world, fulfilling the destiny He has planned for us as His disciples! Let’s BE who we are! There’s no more exciting life than that, precious people!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- THIS PAST SUNDAY we were so blessed to have ALL of you with us to lift up the Name of Jesus! We want to WELCOME Justin and Carianne and Isaiah, Elise, and Katelyn; Dennis and Jean and Lindsey and Britney, Frank and Louise and family, and each one of the family and friends of little Zaleigh who was dedicated to the Lord on Sunday morning! May God’s hand always be upon her life! And may God’s blessing rest upon each of you who joined us for worship for the first time ~ we hope to see you again soon!
- 21-DAY FAST – We are so excited that so many of our church families have made the commitment before God to fast and pray on behalf of Elevation North, for family needs, and many, many other needs. God is definitely at work and we are experiencing miraculous answers and divine favor! Let’s continue to be strong and diligent in our fasting and praying, and let’s uphold each other as we corporately seek God’s face and expect His best!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 17th:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – Join us as we move into week three of this spiritual journey of our 21-day fast, listening to Pastor Doug’s message and learning from the godly examples of those who have gone on before us as recorded in God’s Word. When we see what God has done in the lives of others … that increases our faith to believe for His work in our own lives! And focusing on what a great God we love and serve, makes it as natural as breathing to worship with passion – so come prepared to pour your hearts out in song, in prayer, in taking in the Word, and in fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ!
- 11:15 A.M. – ALL CHURCH VISIONARY MEETING following worship, with an over-view report of our past year of ministry and outreach, the treasurer’s report, and a time for sharing the vision God is placing before us for the new year to come! We value your participation, so plan to stay after!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH – RE: FUEL session for all of our junior and senior high at the home of Pastor Doug and Debbie with opportunity for an interesting time of learning from God’s Word, for lots of fun with friends, and of course, great snacks, as always! Make some phone calls and invite your friends to come along!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- There is never anything better we can do than to lift up the Lord Jesus Christ, and claim all that He has for us! And He loves hearing from us about things that concern us and that we care about. This week let’s be in prayer for Tina as she attends a Women of Faith conference in Texas in preparation for leading our group this fall! Let’s remember to lift up those who need prayer for healing and for breakthrough with unspoken requests – nothing is too large or too small for our God! Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “That we are alive today is proof positive that God has something for us to do today.” (Anna R.B. Lindsay) And … “Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt on the door at night.” (unknown)


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

WELL … HERE WE ARE! 2010!!! WHAT NOW?! There’s lots of options, I guess … but we really love what singer/songwriter, Lincoln Brewster said recently. He actually posed a question that we think all of us should take to heart and activate immediately. Not tomorrow. Or next week. But today ~ right away early in this New Year! This is what Lincoln asked: “What would happen if every Christian lived their life with the belief that their best days were IN FRONT OF THEM and NOT BEHIND THEM?” We LOVE that, because we believe that living this way is the premise upon which God can do His best work in us and through us. And what better time to believe this, than at the beginning of a brand new year, when everyone is eager for the fresh start – the new beginnings. You see, we don’t get a fresh start by living in the past, or by thinking that our best days are done with – over. The fresh start continues on only if we change what we didn’t like about our past, making our future better than ever before. And that goes for thinking that we cannot do any better than some of our high points of the past. Our God is a “stretching-God”! He stretches us to maximize our impact on His Kingdom work. He wants us to realize that the best thing we’ve ever done CAN be topped ~ with His help! We can reach for higher peaks and strive for greater depth; we can withstand tougher battles and achieve greater victories! We can imagine more magnificent ideas and create life-changing ministries and careers and businesses – all the way from one-on-one encounters all the way to community, national, or even global outreaches! We can sing new songs, write new music, etch our visions on paper, on the internet, and even on hearts and lives. We can express a purer love, a no holds-barred-forgiveness, and outstretched arms of welcome to even the least desirable of characters. We can jump over higher hurdles and run longer marathons than ever before. We can leave our losses in the past and leap to the successes in front of us! We can surge forward and quit looking back – (that stance only takes us backwards)! We can put on spiritual muscle that ripples with strength that we didn’t have in our yesterdays. We can bridge the brokenness in relationships and discover a fusion of soul-support that will remain with us for the rest of our days! We can set aside the negative and drink in the positive – (and the BEST is found tucked inside the pages of God’s Word)! We CAN look back at all we’ve learned ~ all we’ve experienced ~ all we’ve overcome, because of Jesus! We CAN build on that foundation that our days behind us have laid for us. But we want to keep moving forward. May none of us just settle for the accolades of our past … but let us press in and take hold of the BEST that God still has in His hand for us. Some of those “bests” will be experienced yet today; some of them, tomorrow. And more in the days to come! God never runs out of “bests”. In His vault of treasures that He has stored up for His kids, there’s an endless supply! If we could peek inside that limitless storage space – our eyes would pop and our hearts would nearly stop! How could we ever think that our best days were behind us when we compare that – with ALL THIS! Wow, God, You are SO incredible! Your plans for each of us are beyond comprehension! Please help us believe … and live our lives believing that OUR BEST DAYS ARE IN FRONT OF US!!! Living that way will make 2010 completely different than what it will be otherwise. Dare we live any other way? Let’s just DO it! LET’S HOPE AGAIN ~ IN 2010! (Our new theme for Elevation North this year!) Romans 15:13 puts it this way: “Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!” (The Message Bible) Yes, yes! Fill us up to overflowing, Lord!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- THIS PAST SUNDAY was so very cold outdoors … but ever so warm inside as God’s Spirit filled our place of worship with His presence and His anointing! We kicked off our series of messages on “A CALL TO FASTING & PRAYER ~ 2010” with Debbie sharing her heart’s cry and challenge to the congregation to join her and Pastor Doug in their 21-day fast for breakthrough and victories and miracles – in the life of Elevation North, in their own lives, and for each of our church families in every area of their lives. Isaiah 58: 6 says, “Is this not the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke.” When things in our lives are not easy, it takes the sacrifice of a fast to break the strongholds. Fasting is not easy – but it is powerful and precious, and God steps up His response to our seriousness about what we are praying about! See Pastor Doug and Debbie for your copy of the “Fasting Contract” with points of preparation and encouragement for your own personal time of fasting, however God may lead you to join us.

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 10TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – We hope you are as excited as we are about what God is doing and wants to do in our midst! Come with hearts prepared to set everything aside and worship and adore our Lord; come with hearts eager to learn; and come with hearts full of love and ready to stand in the gap for each other! Pastor Doug will be preaching about Biblical accounts of people who committed themselves to times of fasting and prayer, and received God’s miraculous intervention and victories! Fasting brings God’s release, restoration, and reward!
- DURING THIS SUNDAY’S SERVICE, little Kayleigh will be dedicated to the Lord surrounded by her family and friends!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH – RE: FUEL session for our junior and senior high kids! Nothing is ever humdrum when this group of kids get together … so join in on the excitement of both learning and fun as we hang out together at Pastor Doug’s and Debbie’s home! See you there!
- YOU CAN HELP!!! Begin saving your used, empty ink or toner cartridges and we will turn them in to Office Max for $3 rewards credit each. We can turn in up to 20 per month, which will give us $60 in rewards credit to use for free office supplies for our church! They need to be visibly undamaged and the following brands qualify: HP, Dell, Lexmark, Brother, Epson, Samsung, Kodak, Sharp, or Canon. You can bring them to church and we will drop them off once a month. Thanks for helping Elevation North!
- SUNDAY, JANUARY 17th: ANNUAL VISIONARY CHURCH MEETING (following worship) to recap where God has taken us this past year, and to envision where He wants to take us in this new year! Reports will be available, and your participation is encouraged!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- What a perfect time to be in more fervent prayer than ever before as we continue on this corporate 21-day fast as a church! Each of our church families represent some very real needs: unsaved loved ones, healing and renewed strength, jobs, housing, finances, relationships, seeking God’s perfect will, and even unspoken needs! How grateful we are for a God who is big enough to undertake in each situation! Let’s thank Him as we pray!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “There is a past which is gone forever, but there is a future which is still our own.” ~ F.W. Robertson (With hope, let’s seek GOD’S plan for our future in this New Year!)


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

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

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

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

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

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


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

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

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

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

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

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

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

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

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

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

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

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


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

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

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

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

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

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

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

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


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

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

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

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

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

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

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

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

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


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

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

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

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

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

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

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITES . . .

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

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

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

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

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

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

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

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

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

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


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie