Elevation North has News for YOU!

UNLIMITED POTENTIAL! That’s what YOU’VE got!!! It’s a gift from God … but you’ve got to open it and use it everyday! Look at where you’re standing now ~ what a breathtaking view! The entire universe stretches across the horizon – and it’s all yours for the taking! But just eighteen short years ago, we were the ones standing there ~ gazing at the breathtaking view of our first granddaughter … fresh from Heaven! What a gift you were then, and what a gift you are now! And you’re just about to step across the stage of accomplishment with all of the other high school seniors to receive your diploma. Countdown! To your future … to God’s perfect plans for you! Flashbacks show us awaiting your arrival, your parents at the hospital for that long, drawn-out twenty-four hours – and us, eleven hundred miles away, praying in the day-time and praying through the night. And then there was that magical moment when your daddy told me to listen through the phone, and I heard this constant, little “thump, thump, thump” of your heart! So far away, yet I could hear our first grandbaby’s heartbeat with you still nestled inside your mommy. The labor was long and hard, and as morning dawned after a long night of praying, I “saw” a white flowing form in the delivery room that I know was Jesus. I caught my breath and said, “Jesus, You’re there! I don’t have to be! Now I know that everything will be fine! Thank You, Lord!” With Jesus standing by, exactly at 5:07 p.m. on September 17, 1991 … you, Whitney Danielle Jones, breathed your first God-given breath! And you’ve been going strong ever since! There’s been nothing you couldn’t do that you put your mind to: a whirlwind of energy, you pushed to do the unimaginable; either astounding your parents to the point of amazement, wonder, and pride – or – driving them to sheer frustration at your strong-willed antics! (Let’s write a book ~ it would definitely be a best-seller!) You fell in love with Jesus early, and there wasn’t a friend that you didn’t tell about Him – you didn’t care what they thought. You just knew if they wanted to be your friend, they had to take Jesus, too! You may not have realized it back then, but Jesus was still standing by … and He was so touched by your passion for Him! The years zoomed by and an insatiable love of music and rock stars took over; you devoured the notes and the lyrics and learned so much about their lives that you could have been their private biographer. You drew posters and wore their t-shirts. But Jesus was still standing by … and He wasn’t going to let the world steal you away! While in high school, you met “that special someone” from Utah, and so many states away in Michigan, you’ve devoted countless hours to that relationship over the phone. You two have logged more hours of communication in just a few years – than most married couples do in many, many years! And in all of that chatting, Jesus was still standing by … when you introduced Alex to Jesus, and later he asked Him into His heart! Now, in a few short weeks, the world will await you on the horizon of your life, Whitney. It’s all there … the good and the bad. The beautiful and the ugly. The opportunities and the hard times. The joys and the struggles. The love and the hate. The easy and the difficult. The decisions and the indecision. The choices and the consequences. The godly influences and the pull of evil. The celebrations of milestones and the tears in sad and trying times. The special moments and the routine hours. The dreams for today and tomorrow or the regret over yesterday. The devotion to God or lack of it. It’s all going to be there for you when you cross that stage … and best of all, Jesus will be standing there, smiling at you … and He will walk across that stage with you into your future! You will never be alone. You will never have to wonder if He’s going with you or before you. He will be! That’s His promise! It’s like a wedding vow … He promises to be with you in “all” the times of your life, Whitney. Thank you for being our granddaughter … for blessing us in countless ways! Every day it is our special privilege to lift you before the Lord and claim all of His good and perfect gifts for you! May you always envision God’s full potential for your life, Whitney, and we will always be standing with you, as well, loving and nurturing and praying you to your fullest potential in Christ! Congratulations, granddaughter, on all of your accomplishments, commitment and gifts that have brought you to this memorable day in your life! We love you, Whitney! May God’s blessings and favor rest upon you always, we pray!

(Audience of readers, we thank you for allowing us to share these personal thoughts with you in this season of graduation for so many students. And to our own Elevation North graduate, Chaya, consider this our tribute to you, as well. You have your own story, which is written on the hearts of your family and friends, which includes us! Thank you for touching our lives, and remember that Jesus will always be standing with you … today as we celebrate you, and every day of your future!)

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WE LOVED GATHERING together in the House of the Lord, lifting our voices in praise, and being fed by His Word! Pastor Doug challenged us to take a look at “What True Salvation Really Is!” (Matthew 15)
- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Jesse, who joined us for worship for the first time! It was great having you with us!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MAY 2ND: GRADUATION SUNDAY
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE with COMMUNION, focusing on “A Heart that Seeks to Follow Hard after God.” Who do you know who wants to know God better and walk more closely to Him? Invite them to come!
- 11:15 A.M. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – with classes for everyone! Our special thanks to Cierra, who has taught the little ones and will be going to visit family for the summer ~ we’ll miss you SO much! May God go with you and make you a blessing, even as you are blessed! And welcome to Liz, who has offered to step in and teach … we’re glad to have you on board!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH: RE: FUEL session at Clinton Falls with Justin! Enjoy a powerful lesson AND the outdoors! Be sure to call friends … let’s double our group, and then double it again! And again!
- MAY 1ST, Saturday, at 2:30 P.M. – MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA with gourmet refreshments from “Hazel’s Bistro”, in a setting of butterfly decorations/music/theme, and the message, “Set Free ~ To Fly” shared by Debbie. We still have a few open spots; hurry and call us with your reservation! It will be an outstanding time!
- SUNDAY, MAY 9th – A SPECIAL MOTHER’S DAY SERVICE … honoring all of our mothers and women!
- OTHER INFO TO KEEP IN MIND: Save your ink cartridges for office reward $ for our church / Share in our special fund for the extra expense for the new projector / Be working on Relay for Life contributions / Start saving $ for and planning to attend Women of Faith in the fall / Hymn Sing tentatively set for May 16th.

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- WE SHOULD COUNT IT OUR HIGHEST PRIVILEGE to thank God for Who He is … and for all He does for us! Let’s remember several urgent, unspoken requests; be in prayer for the Larry Lundstrom Ministries annual board meeting this coming week; lift up the Seykora’s as they anticipate the birth of baby #2 any day now, as well as for an upcoming trip home this summer to see family and friends and raise needed support; healing for several in our church family; and that Pastor & Debbie might be able to return to full-time ministry soon!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “We better pay attention to the future, because that’s where we’re going to spend the rest of our lives!” ~ Unknown


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

“AND I RUN TO YOU”! There’s a new song out right now that has hit the charts in a big way, and all I knew about it was that I heard it played over and over during the course of my shifts at work … day after day. Actually, it was one of those that kind of popped out at me, in the midst of all those you hear time and time again. Most often, when you are focusing on something else, the music and lyrics just kind of get lost in the background. So to say that the music and words caught my attention means that something about it stood out above the rest of the songs. Well, at least for me. I think it was the words, “and I run to you” – not that it was written about God, but every time I’d hear those words, something inside me would be stirred. All I could think of was running to Jesus! Then one evening during one of those rare opportunities to flip through a few TV channels, we came across an outdoor concert and there was a group singing this same song! Seeing them, put voices and personalities to that song, and the very next time I heard it at work, it brought new meaning to it! I couldn’t help but think about how like us and God that is. All of our lives many of us have heard about God, heard about how He is there for us, and even heard about how He is coming back for us – soon. And after awhile, it’s like we don’t really hear it anymore. It gets lost in the noise of life. It gets shut out. Muffled. We might think, “Hey, that’s not me. I always try to live in an awareness of God and His presence in my life.” But if we were all to be honest, the urgency of God’s voice prompting us to point people to Him so they’ll be ready too, has gotten dimmed. Do we really live life with Eternity in sight … or do we just live with our work places in sight? Do we live life running to Jesus and pursuing the lost with His message of hope … or do we just run after the elusive things and pursue our own interests? Are we even just … waiting? Are we waiting with expectation and excitement? Are we waiting … knowing He could come yet today? Or tomorrow? If we really knew how soon He was coming, wouldn’t that change the way we spend our time and effort and money? These past few days as God has put this message on my heart, my mind has gone back to a story about our youngest son when he was just a toddler and we were attending the national church conference in Wheaton, Illinois. Let me share what I penned back then (on July 19, 1989). “I had taken Dusty (our three and a half year old) to the location of the children’s session so I could join the adults at the Chapel for the worship hour and business session. When I left him, he was rather tearful, having just awakened; and besides that, he did not know a single little person in that room. When I returned three hours later to pick him up, my heart was so touched. Seeing each other across the room, I exclaimed, “Dusty!” and he shouted out, “Mommy!” and ran quickly to my outstretched arms. His swift strides began with a smile – but by the time he reached me and I swept him up in my arms, he burst into sad sobs and cried with emotion, “Mommy, I waited so long for you to come!” (end of quote) I have a feeling that those three hours seemed like an eternity to such a little boy, and I’ve asked myself what must have been going through his mind. But he waited, and waited, and waited. He waited bravely – he wasn’t crying when I arrived. He had held on, because he knew his mommy. He knew that she would come. I’m sure he had thought I would come much quicker than I did. Yet he didn’t give up! He just kept expecting me to walk through that door … and finally that moment came … and I DID! And just as surely as I walked through that door to get our little boy, so Jesus will come for His children someday – a day known only to the Father. We need to be ready! We need to help others get ready! When we “see” Jesus now, do we run to His outstretched arms? I think I understand Dusty’s tears of joy. When the time comes for me to be swept up into the arms of God, I’m sure I will cry with emotion, “Oh Jesus, I’ve waited so long for you to come!” But until then, may His Spirit of renewal and revival cause us to return to our first love, seeking HIM first of all. May the sparks of emotion and depths of love well up in our soul as once again we sit at the feet of Jesus, having fallen in love with Him all over again. Lord, give us hungering spirits that need to be filled, quench our thirst, and after we have been broken, pour us out so that we may be filled with YOU! Lord, help us “run to You” so that we can “run with Your message of salvation to a world who is destitute without You”. May we be used like never before, dear people! We challenge you to make yourselves available for His Kingdom work – and be amazed at how He will use you!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- GOD BLESSES US each week in new and fresh ways as His Spirit comes afresh into our midst to minister to each of us personally, and to us corporately as a church family! Pastor Doug preached from Galatians 5 on being set free in Christ, and having freedom from the bondages that we often find ourselves placed into.
- WELCOME BACK to Judy who was able to join us again for worship and fellowship! May God bless you, Judy!
- SPECIAL BELATED BIRTHDAY WISHES (April 12th) to Noah on his 2nd birthday! We miss you since you moved away!!!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 25TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – with Pastor Doug continuing in the New Testament, this time from Luke chapter 11, on “Asking and Seeking God With All Our Hearts”. Who can you invite to bring along with you to God’s House this Lord’s Day? They’ll be so glad you asked!
- 11:15 A.M. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – with a class just for you that will connect your heart to God’s Word!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH: RE: FUEL session at Clinton Falls … Justin is back! Don’t miss what is planned for YOU and your friends!
- MAY 1ST, Saturday, at 2:30 P.M. – MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA with a “Butterfly Transformation” theme planned by Hazel - to be held at Senior Place. Truly a delightful time that you will want to share with every mom, daughter, sister, and friend that you know! Get your reservations in right away and we’ll see YOU there!
- SUNDAY, MAY 2ND: WORSHIP AND COMMUNION, and the honoring of our high school graduate, Chaya!
- SPECIAL FUND – if you feel led to help out with the extra expenses for the projector that we purchased with the generous donation given towards this ministry tool for worship, please note “special fund” on your check!
- CONTINUE PLANNING for RELAY FOR LIFE and WOMEN OF FAITH, coming later this year! More to come!
- HYMN SING – coming in the month of May, with a time of fellowship and refreshments, will be scheduled on a Sunday afternoon! Plan to come and sing your heart out!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- GOD NEVER SLEEPS! Aren’t you glad He’s always awake and watching over us? Whatever is heavy on our hearts, He knows about and is actively engaged in working it out for His glory! Every need that touches our church family in some way, we are trusting for our God to do His personal work in each of our circumstances! Continue to pray for God to open doors for full-time support for Pastor and Debbie in ministry and for a facility that will help Elevation North offer all of the ministries we desire to share with our community!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “He loves each one of us, as if there were only one of us.” ~ Augustine


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

“THERE IS NO GREATER EXERCISE FOR THE HEART THAN REACHING DOWN AND LIFTING SOMEONE UP!” (Unknown) What’s that? Oh, you don’t like to exercise? Well, it’s true that most people aren’t crazy about it … yet they force themselves to pay big money to go to health clubs and get on exercise machines and work up a sweat – and then they are sore for days afterwards!! And all the while, they’d rather be home chillin’ out on the couch and munchin’ on snacks! If you are one of those self-motivated individuals, you can save the money and exercise at home ~ but even some of the most dedicated will “fall off the bandwagon” from time to time, reverting back to their old ways. So … it all comes down to the fact that exercising has to become a lifestyle, a new way of life, for it to have any long-lasting benefits. Or we just go through the motions – for nothing! Well, it’s the same for “heart exercises” in the spiritual sense. And, it’s the same for “heart exercises” in our relationships. Let me share a few examples. Even at this moment as I write this, there is a young woman in our church who is on the phone long-distance with her mom, praying with her to invite Jesus into her heart to become her personal Savior! This gal has been talking with her mom several times a week, sharing what Christ means to her. She hasn’t pushed her mom, but has just kept on talking about Jesus as naturally as she would share anything else. While her mom has always held God at arm’s length, she has recently received some huge miracles from Him. And this last one was so dramatic, perhaps it was the turning point that drew her to open her heart just a bit more – until tonight, she was ready to say “yes” to Christ! That’s the beauty of “reaching down and lifting someone up.” You see, Tina has been there for her mom through thick and thin. She has exercised her heart and shown love beyond her own, so that finally now as her mom’s heart has softened, she was able to experience the rich gift of leading her own mom to the Lord! What can be better than that?! And what better benefit can you get from “exercising” than that?! Like I told her … ALL OF HEAVEN IS REJOICING!!! And then, there’s the opposite effect of what happens when we don’t exercise our heart by reaching down and lifting someone up. It’s called “contamination” – it’s what happens when we tear others down by our words and our actions. Just this week I’ve witnessed that as I heard someone’s loud voice with very angry overtones demeaning another … out of my eyesight, but not earshot. Hearing it made me squirm for them, and when they came to me around the corner, this person was visibly shaken and was fighting back the tears, not totally successful. Deeply hurt, not understanding, she retreated out of public view, and though I had tried to comfort her and reassure her, I could tell she felt sliced and torn to shreds. I couldn’t help but wonder, “why” do adults do these things to each other? Shouldn’t we know better than to hurt another like this? I guess people would know, if they had taken the time to exercise their hearts by reaching down and lifting someone else up! That should be a great incentive for us! Just think, exercising this way will bring about a heart that is strong spiritually, a heart that is filled to overflowing, a heart that pours out what God has poured in. God’s Word explains it this way: “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34b, NIV) You see, what’s inside, comes out. The Message Bible, same verse, defines it this way: “It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words.” Now, one last, very precious example … our second son and his family blessed us by coming this past weekend from Michigan to lift us up. They drove ten hours each way to spend two and a half days with us ~ and we squeezed into every hour, every ounce of togetherness and enjoyment that we could! Dana and Stacey shared their love and encouraged us in so many ways – it was like a drink of fresh water just when we needed it most! Whitney, who will graduate in about six weeks, sat up in bed late at night while I sat on the edge and we talked and talked, mostly about things of God, and then we held hands and prayed together. Dylan became our devoted helper and even took on the assistant chef title as we gathered in the kitchen to make a special family dinner that first evening. Thanks for the hugs, the fun, the talks … and for the gift of time – two and a half days to escape our crazy work schedule and to be blessed by you! You are all a priceless gift from God! You definitely reached down and lifted us up! And now we challenge each of you reading this: set a new goal and make the decision to exercise your heart … by reaching down and lifting someone up! The rewards are great!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE SUNDAY as together we experienced God in so many ways … through uplifting worship songs, in fellowship with each other, bowing before our Lord in prayer and pouring out our hearts … giving Him a portion of what He’s given to us … and being challenged by a very powerful message by Pastor Doug as he preached about “The Seven-Fold Commitment to Promises Worth Keeping”. Let’s DO it!
- HOW WE LOVED having our family, Dana and Stacey & Whitney and Dylan, (from Michigan) with us this past Sunday morning! Thanks for coming ~ we love you all!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to Caia ~ and to my mom in ND on her 86th birthday, both on April 15th … and to Hazel on April 17th! May all of you be blessed by God above with His very best gifts!
- OUR SPECIAL THANKS to the Bucholz family for their generous donation for a new projector to use for Power Point presentations in our services! How you’ve blessed us as a congregation with your prayers and loving support! May God bless you richly for sharing so faithfully!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 18TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – with Pastor Doug beginning a new sermon series to be announced on Sunday! Call a friend and bring them with you to Elevation North this Sunday!
- 11:15 A.M. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – with classes for all ages that will take you deeper into God’s Word!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH: RE: FUEL session with Cierra at Pastor D’s and Debbie’s home. Don’t miss out!!!
- MAY 1ST, Saturday, at 2:30 P.M. – MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA … come and join us in this “Butterfly Transformation” time being planned by Hazel! Let’s reach out to family and friends for this wondrous event! Be sure to pick up some decorative butterfly invitations to give to them! Your pastor’s wife, Debbie, will be sharing the message ~ and there will be mouth-watering refreshments and fun prizes!
- RELAY FOR LIFE – is scheduled for July 16-17 this year, and Sean is our new captain for the Elevation North team. Let’s support this worthy cause by getting as many donations as possible for the fight against cancer!
- WOMEN OF FAITH – is slated to be at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul this fall – dates to be announced.

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- OUR GOD CONTINUES TO AMAZE US! Let’s remember Tina’s mom, Sean, Julia and her brother, Justin, Lundstroms, Seykoras, several in search of extra jobs/more hours, and … a place to worship with more space!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “Among God’s best gifts to us are the people who love us!” ~ Unknown


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

GREAT EXPECTATIONS! We all have them. Well, for many Americans and others around the world, maybe our expectations have changed a bit now from what they were a few years ago. Maybe now, our great expectations are enough money to pay the bills and put food on the table. Enough hours on the job to meet the budget. Or perhaps, even a job to begin with. What we had hoped to accomplish in the next five years … well, we feel like we’re still at the starting gate. The signal gun goes off and though we put our best efforts forward, the end of the track seems forever indomitable. We keep putting one foot in front of the other, but how come the black-checkered flag never seems to appear? Am I hitting a nerve that most everyone is feeling right now? And whatever happened to those original great expectations that we had? Another question: “WHAT ARE WE HUNGRY FOR?” Maybe in survival mode people give up on what seems extraordinary. Maybe they board the train of “just getting by because nothing seems to ever work out – nothing different or bigger or greater seems to be happening”. They’re on board the train, but didn’t notice when they got on that there was no destination posted. It just goes and goes and goes, on a never-ending circular track. There’s never a place to stop or a place to get off. We soon settle for any kind of dry crumbs because we’ve basically almost forgotten what a warm, moist, freshly-baked chocolate chip scone tastes like. It’s no longer a part of our thought process. But why isn’t it? In this post-Easter week, I’m once again awed at the glorious signs of spring’s arrival. As I’ve gazed at the popping green grass and emerging perennials, I make myself sit down for a few moments and glory in the sights that have long been dormant through the cold, grey months we call “winter”. And I begin to wonder if our spiritual expectations are no longer great, either. Have they, too, changed? When we first asked Jesus to come into our hearts, there was a newness ~ a freshness, that we could not explain. But we definitely could not deny it. It was the driving force of our very lives, of each new day. It carried us above the mundane, the mediocre. Far above. It birthed our great expectations, and then ignited our child-like faith to believe for more than just the ordinary. That included everything we needed for our daily living: our home, our food and clothing, our jobs, our transportation – all of our basic necessities. And then we dared to step out in faith and ask for more. We dared to ask that God would bless us, and bless us indeed. We dared to ask that God would enlarge our territories and boundaries. We dared to ask that God would put His hand on us. We even dared to ask that God would keep us from evil so that we would not cause harm or pain. (I Chronicles 4:9-10) At times in our lives, as God’s children, we get it right – at least most of the time. At least, the times that we are keeping our eyes on Jesus. Then 9/11 happens. The economic downturn happens. Earthquakes and hurricanes and tsunamis happen. Well, maybe not in our neighborhood. But eventually all of these traumatic events affect us either directly or indirectly. And we forget what God wanted us TO BE HUNGRY FOR. In the aftermath of these debilitating forces, we often curl up in the fetal position and wring our hands in despair – forgetting that God wants us to excel during these times, even in extraordinary ways. These are the days that we should have greater expectations than ever before! These are the days when God wants to show the world through us WHO He really is and WHAT He is about. We cannot do that curled up in the fetal position. We need to be stretched out on that race track, extended to the fullest strides through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ … physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and yes, financially. God WANTS to bless His people, so that we can glorify Him and be a bigger part of His Kingdom work on this earth. But that takes “right thinking” … “God-thinking” … “break-the-barrier” thinking … and “thinking outside the box”! It takes “taking God at His Word” thinking. Then, we’ll be able to reach more people than ever before with the amazing message of Christ, impacting lives for eternity. After all, isn’t THAT what we are TO BE HUNGRY FOR? Souls! Let’s not only be hungry for the fulfilled, abundant life that God wants to give us … but for souls to fill Heaven up with!!! You see, God can take our greatest expectations and turn them into realities! So … let’s be EXPECTING “above and beyond” … and see what God will do through us!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT A GREAT RESURRECTION SUNDAY we shared together as we were blessed with the sweetness of the presence of the Lord! From the empty cross to the Easter flowers, from the vibrant singing to the inspiring message about the power of the risen Christ, from the excitement of the little ones going on their Easter Egg Hunt to the relaxed fellowship of the adults over the delicious refreshments – it was a blessed morning enjoyed by all! Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped in so many ways!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to Jimmy, who celebrated his birthday on April 5th! May God bless you with your best year ever, is our prayer!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 11TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – This promises to be a memorable Sunday as Pastor Doug shares “The Seven-Fold Commitment to Promises Worth Keeping” – recapping the 50-Day Spiritual Adventure and spurring us on to godly life-changes that will be lasting! Don’t miss out on this challenge to step up your walk with the Lord, taking it to the next level with His help!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH: RE: FUEL session at the home of Pastor D and Debbie! An awesome evening of devotions, fun, food … and so much more, is being planned! Think about who you can call or text and invite to come along with you!
- REPORT! Over 25 Easter meals were provided for the homeless that come to the Union Gospel Mission looking for help. Thank you for your part in touching the lives of 25 people, filling them with a warm meal and a gift of hope through the message of God’s love that they heard that day!
- MAY 1st, Saturday, at 2:30 P.M. – MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA centered around a “Butterfly Transformation” theme, with decorations and gourmet refreshments by Hazel, and an uplifting message by your pastor’s wife, Debbie. This will be a great opportunity for fun and fellowship with moms/sisters/daughters/grammas/and friends, so pick up some invitations and begin to encourage someone or several to attend with you! (No cost!)

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!!! We continue to hear of answered prayers and we continue to trust God in faith for answers to come ~ for YOU, for us, for others, and for our church family! Let’s be on our knees for our nation and for its leaders, that we might return to a dependency on God Almighty! Let’s keep each other’s names on our lips - for healing, for jobs, for financial provision, for peace in the midst of trials! Let’s seek God for His perfect will concerning a place with more space for our Elevation North church family! He can do it!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember God’s promise to us: “I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palm of my hands.” Isaiah 49:15-16


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

IN DEATH … OUR LIFE REVEALS WHO WE REALLY WERE! Just stand in the wings around a family when their loved one is close to death, and remain close by through the days following their final moments on earth. Walk beside them in the hospital or in the nursing home or at the funeral home, and finally at the church. Even if you didn’t know the person at all, by the time you’ve seen all their family and friends, neighbors and acquaintances – and listened to them share how they felt about the person now gone … you’ll feel like you knew them pretty well! And amazingly, what stands out from everything else, is the heart of who they were. You’ll hear about how they touched others and what defined who they really were - at the core of their heart. That’s exactly what I experienced this past week, when my youngest sister, Darlene, and I traveled out to North Dakota to be by our Aunt Vivian’s side and tell her how much we have loved and appreciated her all these years. Especially since the sudden death of our dad when we were still teens and children living at home with our mother! Her love and compassion shone, and she was faithful with birthday cards and Christmas letters. Every time we saw her (maybe once a year – or less), she affirmed us lovingly with her words and hugs. She would always tuck some of her hard-earned money in the cards, and somehow we felt as if it was her way of trying to fill a part of the gap that our dad’s death left. And since Aunt Vivian’s Home-going was during this Holy Week preceding Resurrection Sunday, my mind did back-flips and landed on the hill of Golgotha where there was another Person struggling for what would soon be His last breath as He hung there on that rough-hewn cross. I stood at first far back … I could see that Jesus (that was His Name) was close to death. The breaths came in excruciating, shortened gasps. Something in how He was suffering drew me closer. I stepped out of the safe boundaries and into that risky place where when I looked into His eyes, I had to face the fact that His suffering was – for ME! I remained close by, because I dared not move … not even an inch away, for fear that I’d miss what defined this Man who was dying – for ME! I had walked along the path where He drug the cross. I had watched. I saw, but I didn’t fully understand. The drops of blood. The torn flesh. The mocking crown of thorns. The breathing was becoming only intermittent as the final breath drew near. It broke my heart to think that His life would soon be over: the love, the compassion, and this … this death. It seemed to transcend the normal end of life. It seemed to hold hope … and life … and promise. But it was more than I could fathom. And then the end came. The people came. They talked, they shared. They remembered, they recalled. The love, the care. The miracles, the out-of-ordinary life He lived. The stories He told. The lives He changed. The message they could not get out of their minds ~ because it had changed their hearts. And then I realized something: in His death … His life revealed who He really was. Or rather, who He really IS. Because that final breath on the cross was not the end. It was only the beginning, at least – FOR ME. It was wrapped in shrouded cloths - for a short time. It was still and lifeless – for a short time. It was sealed off from the world, from all of humanity – for a short time. It breathed not – for a short time. But in that short time – eternity was taking shape. Life was getting ready – to burst forth. Hope would not be held back. The cloths could not contain His life – or the life He was bringing me … and you. The breathless form would not remain lifeless. The tomb could not contain the One who eternity was created for. In that electrifying, transforming moment in Time … all of earth stopped, but Jesus moved. He moved - out of His grave-cloths. He moved – towards those He loved. He moved – to bring them, and us, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He moved – in a flash of Resurrection Power – to His Throne. And this world will never, ever be the same. He breathes again. He lives again. He reigns forever and ever. He awaits us, even now. The cross is empty. The tomb is empty. Heaven is filled – with our future! The gap is filled. And we weep no more. Aunt Vivian, we’ll see you soon!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- THIS PAST SUNDAY was rich with the presence and the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, as Pastor Doug challenged the church to “Influence our Worlds with the Love of Christ” – another learning point as we head down the home-stretch on our spiritual adventure!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to Darrius, who celebrates his birthday on April 2nd! God bless you, Darrius!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 4th, RESURRECTION SUNDAY CELEBRATION! Rejoice, Christ is RISEN!!!
- 9:00 A.M. – EASTER WORSHIP & PRAISE (Note earlier time schedule for this week only!) Come and join us in lively worship as we celebrate this special time in the life of the church! Thorns give way to lilies, and forgiveness gives way to freedom! Pastor Doug will be preaching the concluding message of our 50-Day Spiritual Adventure: “Living One Day at a Time through the Power of the Risen Christ”. Get excited about the transforming changes that God has in store for us!
- EASTER EGG HUNT – outdoors on the lawn, for all of the Sunday School children following our worship time!
- EASTER FELLOWSHIP – with juice and rolls for the church family, following the worship celebration!
- NO YOUTH RE: FUEL session this evening. Enjoy Easter with your family!
- THANK YOU for sharing delicious Easter meals and life-changing messages with those in need at the Union Gospel Mission. An updated report with totals will be shared next week!
- MAY 1ST, Saturday, 2:30 P.M. – MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA with Hazel’s special touch! Plan NOW to invite your family and friends for a delightful time! You won’t want to miss this incredible afternoon!
- A NEW SLATE OF FUN CHURCH EVENTS is underway; be watching for how YOU can be involved, in leadership and with participation!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- Isaiah 30:18 tells us that the Lord longs to be gracious to us! That means that He loves to intervene and answer and give to us His good and perfect gifts! We praise the Lord for safe travels over spring break for so many of our church families, and how we thank God and rejoice that the doctors found Tina’s mom’s heart to be in perfect rhythm and didn’t need to do the procedure! We continue to trust God for miracles for Julia and her brother needing the liver transplant; for healing for Helen, for Jeff, for Michael, for Shirley, and many others. We know God can bring about the sale of the Bucholz home, and meet financial needs for many in our midst, that God might be glorified! We are trusting God for a home for our church, for the return of our nation to God, for protection for our military, for energizing of God’s people, and anointing and strength for Ron and Lundstroms and Seykoras as they share Christ here and abroad. Let’s be engaged in daily prayer for each other, as well!

- THIS WEEK . . . “Lift up your eyes. The heavenly Father wants to bless you ~ in inconceivable ways to make your life what you never dreamed it could be.” ~ Anne Ortlund


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

SUFFERING. None of us like it. None of us run after it. Most of us dread it. Some even fear it. And it is never an invited guest. Yet, it can and does effect great changes within and without. Most often, suffering has a negative connotation. Webster defines it as: “undergoing pain and unpleasantness”. Who of us can identify with those feelings? Yes, we hear you. We know. Because we’ve been there, too. We’ve been in those hurting places … in body and soul. While at the outset, suffering is better known as physical, it is just as painful when it is emotional or mental or financial. It is multi-dimensional. It is also spiritual. WHAT? Yes, we heard that, too! No, we haven’t “lost it”! While God wants us free and healed and victorious in our lives as believers, there is also another facet to suffering that we often overlook. And what might that be? Well, believe it or not, there’s actually a positive side to suffering. After all, who of us would want to suffer for no reason at all? What’s that saying … “no pain, no gain”! Be that as it may, we don’t know of anyone that gets really excited about suffering, but perhaps we should take a second look at what God has to say about it. In Romans, chapter 5, the apostle Paul writes … “we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.” (verse 3) So first of all, this lets us know that God doesn’t expect us to be joyous because OF the trials, but IN the suffering. We can be assured that God has a purpose that goes along with whatever we are going through, and that is to develop more character in us – in this context, patience. The Message Bible puts it this way: “ … We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary – we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 5:3-5) This part of scripture is about us and what God wants to do in us. But the part that follows is about Christ and what He did for us on that rough-hewn cross on Calvary. It’s hard for us to even imagine not only WHAT Christ did for us … but WHY He would go to such great lengths by laying down His very life and suffering the agonizing death that a crucifixion produced. Let’s see what the next few verses tell us: “Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented Himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God puts His love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death wile we were of no use whatever to Him.” A love like that is difficult to wrap our minds around. That’s why it’s totally a heart thing. It’s the ultimate gift that anyone can ever give to another. The “WHY” is explained in the next set of verses, 9-11. God longed for us to be His children, and since we couldn’t become a part of the family through anything we could do, He sent His Son to do what we couldn’t. And He signed our adoption papers in red, with the ink of Jesus’ blood. Listen: “Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way. If, when we were at our worst, we were put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of His Son, now that we’re at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of His resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in prodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!” Dear ones, we have so much to look forward to, even in the midst of our sufferings, as we experience His resurrection power and get to be a partner with Him in His suffering! (Philippians 3:10) As Palm Sunday approaches and we remember the events leading up to Christ’s death, may we be focused afresh on His sacrifice that forever changed our lives – here on this earth, and for all of Eternity!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- CAN YOU HAVE FUN IN GOD’S HOUSE? Well, we sure did, as we experienced the drama skit that played out the message about “Hidden Prejudices in our Hearts” on Sunday! We love how God uses a variety of ways to teach us and pin-point it straight into our souls! Thanks to Cierra and Isaac for helping round out the team!
- SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY WISHES to James and Tina, who celebrated 20 years together on March 24th! May God continue to bless your lives and your love!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 28TH, PALM SUNDAY:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – Come and celebrate with us on this Easter Week journey as we ponder the scriptural accounts of Jesus’ last days on earth before His crucifixion. Pastor Doug will be preaching another message in our 50-Day Spiritual Adventure as we focus on “Promises Worth Keeping: Influencing Our Worlds With The Love of Christ.” Who do we know around us that needs life-saving? We just may be their rescuers!
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – with classes for all ages, giving you opportunity to learn more from God’s Word! Don’t miss out on this time of sharing in discussions with your church family!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH – RE: FUEL session with Justin at Clinton Falls! Come and participate in the planned lesson, the fun events, and as always, some great snacks! Feed your soul along with your body – and grab your cell phone and invite not just one, but several of your friends to share the evening with you!
- EASTER MISSION PROJECT – this is your opportunity to share a gospel message and an Easter meal with someone who needs to know that God died for them and loves them! Two dollars is all it costs … how many meals can YOU provide? Checks can be made out to: Union Gospel Mission. Thanks for helping and giving!
- EASTER SERVICES:
- APRIL 2ND, 7:00 P.M. – GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE with Communion (a change from Thursday service plans)
- APRIL 4TH, 9:00 A.M. – RESURRECTION SUNDAY WORSHIP CELEBRATION, with an Easter Egg Hunt that follows for the Sunday School children, and juice & rolls & fellowship for everyone!
- MAY 1ST, 2:30 P.M. – MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA is being planned by Hazel; start inviting your family & friends!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- Each new day presents new things to praise God for, and new needs to lay at His feet! This week please lift up Tina & Sean as they travel to be with her mom for a heart procedure; Mary and Chaya as they travel; Julia and her brothers, for Helen, for Jeff, for Michael – all for healing; for Nancy & Pam at new jobs; for God’s provision for a place to worship with classrooms and more space for our Elevation North church family, for our nation and a return to godliness; and that God will use each of us mightily to advance His Kingdom work every day!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “God whispers through pleasures, and shouts through pain.” ~ C.S. Lewis


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

RENEWAL! There’s nothing like being renewed … rejuvenated … refreshed! How we love those rare days when we only have ONE job to go to, or those nights when we get to come home BEFORE 9:00 at night!!! And there really IS no place like home! We walk in the door, knowing that we’ve just entered our safe haven, our retreat, our “sanctuary” outside of church, if you will! We are fully aware that there is a long list awaiting us to work away at over the next twenty-four hours or so before going back to all our jobs. But for this moment, we just sit in our chairs for a bit and breathe in deeply. We actually get to see each other face to face and we talk and we share and we talk some more. Sometimes we hold hands and pray together for someone or something that we want to bring before our Lord. We might run for a glass of juice or a piece of fruit (or a small dish of yummy ice cream!), and we just chill out and munch a bit. We might sit in quietness with the Word, or laugh over something in the newspaper. Sometimes we make a call or write a note or get some bills ready to be sent out. Other times we dig into laundry or cleaning. Sometimes it’s studying and planning and brainstorming. Mostly, it’s work of some sort ~ because with a schedule like ours right now, a day off never ends up being a day off. It’s just a different kind of work day! And we absolutely love being at home and getting to work on things that are important to us! We have to be honest, though, and say that we while we have never minded working hard and long … we just long for a span of time to totally retreat and give our bodies and minds the gift of more than a few hours of sleep and renewal. We dream of a place hidden away somewhere private, tucked away in a breathtakingly beautiful part of God’s creation! But … until then … the amazing thing about all of this is that God is somehow (supernaturally) bringing to us little vignettes of rejuvenation in the midst of our long days. And it comes in a variety of forms. A friend sees us at work and stops to chat for a few minutes … and the enjoyable exchange allows us to stand still for a bit, and as they walk away we discover that both our body and soul have been refreshed. Someone comes up beside us, a bit breathless, as they exclaim about a wondrous answer to prayer! Our spirits soar, and we find we have the spring back in our steps! Someone else lets us know that they are tucking home-cooked meals for us in one of the work refrigerators each Thursday! Wow, God! How great is that … one day a week we don’t have to pack lunches!!! A surge of strength comes over us and we find that at the end of the day we were far more productive than we had anticipated as we began! Item after item gets crossed off our list, and we were even able to spend a short time with a friend over a cup of coffee! Yes, there are still lots and lots of things awaiting our attention … so many friends we haven’t been able to talk with for such a long time … less time to chat with our kids and grandkids than we’d like – since they all live away from us … books upon books waiting for us to open their pages … photographs still to be sorted from years past … even photos and letters from the past two Christmases waiting to be taken and written and sent out … but you know what? Along with the longing for renewal and rejuvenation and refreshing that only God can bring in full measure, He is refining us. In that process, we are taking the steps necessary to live in daily renewal as we steep ourselves in His Word and practice the very presence of Christ. Oh, is He teaching us! He’s revealing to us where we’ve made mistakes, where we are lacking – and He’s helping us get on track to experience daily doses of refreshing, though smaller in measure yet than what we are seeking Him for. And in this journey we’re on … so help us, God … we are getting the message loud and clear … that we could be witnesses to things far greater than we could even wrap our minds around ~ if only we worked as hard for God and His Kingdom, as we did for our earthly provisions. Lord God, help us get to that place, with Your help and by Your grace! While we love the opportunities for ministry in the workplace, we long for the time to come when once again we will be on God’s time-clock, 24/7! Pray with us for the dawning of that day. And in the meantime, pray with us that we will be faithful in the place God has us now! We ARE loving each day and we ARE in God’s employ ~ just in many different places!!! We’re sure that many of you can relate to what we’ve just shared; and be assured that God is with you on your “stepping-stone journey” which is just as important as the next journey God will send you on! So … happy living! Be renewed, rejuvenated, refreshed … and yes, even refined!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- HOW WE LOVE MEETING WITH OUR GOD! Each Sunday provides its own gift of blessing and fellowship as we focus on our Lord and Savior, and care for each other! We were challenged to seek out the place of service that God has for us in His church. It’s a place that only each of us can fill individually. And what a privilege it is to serve our God and each other as we continue to reach out beyond the walls of our church!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES are just around the corner for Pam Klages on Monday, March 22nd! God bless you, Pam! And thank you for sharing your ministry of music with us each week in worship!
- A LOVING FAREWELL to the Todd family: Michael and Mollie and their children, who have moved to Minnesota Lakes. We will miss all of you, and pray for God’s best in your new home!
- REMEMBER to save your ink cartridges to help us with office expenses; each one turned in is worth $3.00!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 21ST:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – with our continuing 50-Day Spiritual Adventure, this week centering on “Identifying and Addressing the Hidden Prejudices of our Hearts”. Whether we admit it or not, all of us have some prejudices that God would love to break us free from so that His work on this earth will not be hindered. Come and see what God reveals to you about your heart!
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – with a class just for you taught by caring, passionate teachers who love God’s Word and His people! We encourage your input, ideas, and sharing from God’s Word as we learn together!!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. - YOUTH – RE: FUEL session with Justin at Clinton Falls! Plan for an exciting time after a brief break! You’ll want to invite as many of your friends as possible to join in on the studies and the activities – the more the better! Let Justin know how many are coming so we can have enough snacks for everyone!
- EASTER MISSION PROJECT – help us feed souls and bodies with a $2 Easter meal and the message of Christ’s love at the Union Gospel Mission in the Twin Cities! This is just one more way for you to help reach the lost!
- EASTER SERVICES:
- MARCH 28TH: - 10:00 A.M. – PALM SUNDAY SERVICE
- APRIL 1ST - 7:00 P.M. – Maundy Thursday Service with Communion
- APRIL 4th – 9:00 A.M. – EASTER SUNDAY CELEBRATION, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt for the Sunday School children, and then juice and rolls and a time of fellowship for everyone!
- MAY 1ST – 2:30 P.M. – MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA (Hazel is already busy planning an incredible time for us!)

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- Let’s be in prayer not only for the needs we list each week, but for many unspoken requests that are so real in our lives as we desire God’s touch!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “Don’t be anxious for tomorrow, God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.” (Matthew 6:34)

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

IT’S TIME FOR BREAKTHROUGH! Why would we say that? Because in God’s timing, He is always ready and waiting to bring to us what we cannot make happen on our own. He invites us to claim the breaking down of strongholds and the lifting up of Christ in all things. May we remind each other of the theme verse of our church, Ephesians 3:20, which tells us that “He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, BEYOND all we can imagine”! No … WE can’t. But … HE CAN!!! And while we can imagine LOTS ~ our imaginations barely scratch the surface of all that our God has in mind when it comes to our lives personally, and yes, our church, too! The more we study and research the scriptures for what God is telling us about the impending doom of our daily headlines, we see that He is very present in all of it. He has not been caught off guard. He’s not disappeared into oblivion, and He has not left us to face it all alone. No financial forecast, no escalation of evil, no downward spiral of morals and values, no attempted control by government can dim our view of our God who sits on the Throne of this universe. Well, that is, if He sits on the Throne of our hearts. It is from that premise that we stand on His promises. And from that vantage point, we can see our breakthroughs! He is the One who long ago inspired godly men to write of these things as fast as their fingers would move across the scrolls. They may not have understood what they were writing, but as long as God’s divine inspiration hung heavy on them, the words took form as the ink flowed from the quills. They were writing of the exact time that we are now living in. That knowledge should bring to us an excitement unequalled by anything else we’ve ever been privy to. WE could be the generation that sees the return of Christ! Literally! Generations and generations before us have prayed for this time, have waited for this time, have longed for this time ~ for the return of Christ for His bride, the Church. Will we be as radiant, as pure, as beautiful as He wants His Bride to be? Will we be as prepared as He wants us to be? Will we be as filled with Him and as consumed by our love for Him as He desires us to be? Will we be fully engaged in what He’s asked us to do, and yet focused on that first glimpse of our Bridegroom? What a day THAT will be! What a moment in time THAT will be! It is our heart’s cry as we pastor the wonderful people of Elevation North – that God would help us to be agents of breakthrough. May we have a burning desire to be agents of change in our community. You see, we don’t go through all these tough times for nothing. God has us in training when we’re fighting battles. We’re being cued up for action when yet another onslaught is served up to us on a platter that we’d rather not be served. I’ve been asking myself some tough questions this week. Some new, intensive training on the job has been challenging, schedule-wise … but I can already see just how valuable this is going to be - not just for this job, but for personal growth, as well as for ministry and every other facet of my life. I have had to take on a whole new stance of attempting to make everything work together as I adjust to these added hours, but I must say that it is only working because God is holding me up by His righteous right hand. And, I believe He has me in a new place of training right now. That part is really exciting! When we find ourselves in these hard places, it makes us wonder what we are in training for. We wonder what is just around the bend. What is coming up next? God evidently knows that we wouldn’t be ready for the next phase without this present training. The best part of all this is realizing more than ever before, that THIS is the place God has for us to enjoy right now. The training times as we await breakthrough are not meant to be seen as dreadful or stifling. God means for us to “give it all we’ve got” – yes, even with some extra “blood, sweat, and tears”. But at the same time, we do not have to wait for the “perfect tomorrow” that we think will bring us everything we’ve been waiting for – to laugh and enjoy life! We can do that RIGHT NOW … in the midst of our training. Making the most of today … as if it were our last day, can be freeing! We will realize that TODAY is the tomorrow we were waiting for yesterday. So if we let today slide by waiting for yet another tomorrow to come before we can enjoy the life God meant for us to have, just think how many days will be lost forever. Let’s grab onto the breakthroughs of today, as we train for the breakthroughs of tomorrow … and let’s smile and laugh through the twists and the turns. I think I can see the first glimpse of breakthrough ~ just up ahead! Do you see it, too? And … there’s Jesus! He’s waving us on! Let’s run!!!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- THERE’S NOTHING LIKE REMEMBERING! Which is just what we did as we were led into worship, through the Word, and into soul-searching as we partook of Communion this past Sunday. As He left this earth to go to Heaven, it was Jesus’ instructions that we should remember Him and what He did for us. What a precious time of remembering!
- OUR THANKS AND APPRECIATION go to Pastor’s mom, Shirley, for all the beautiful doilies she hand-stitches to give to our visitors each week! What a wonderful ministry that is!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES are coming up for Nancy who will be celebrating this Monday, March 15th! God bless you, Nancy! We are so glad that God has brought you to us!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 14TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – with hearts ready to receive God’s message for us as Pastor Doug continues on with our 50-day Spiritual Adventure! This week we will be zeroing in on how we can keep our promises to God as we “Support The Ministry of our Church and Pastor”. Each of us who are a part of God’s church are important as we get involved and do what God lays on our heart to do! Don’t miss out on this practical message that will help you get fired up in your work for the Lord!
- 11:15 a.m. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – just one more way for us to experience learning how to apply God’s Word and His truths to our lives! Come and participate by taking notes and sharing your insights as we grow together!
- YOUTH – RE: FUEL session will resume next week on the 22nd, since Justin will not be here this weekend. In the meantime, carry on by looking around you to see who would benefit by coming to youth with you next time!
- EASTER MISSION PROJECT – let’s help provide a portion of 30,000 meals for the hungry in the Twin Cities this Easter season, giving them not only food for their bodies, but “food for their souls”! Just $2 is all it takes to touch someone’s life this Easter! Let’s see how many two dollar meals we can provide!
- MARK ON YOUR CALENDARS: Easter Services in April – and - Mother-Daughter Tea on May 1st!
- DON’T FORGET TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD ONE HOUR this Saturday evening on March 13th for DST!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR OUR GOD! Your prayers are valuable as we remember Matthias & Liz as they travel home from NY; Julia and her brothers, Jim & Pat as they await the liver transplant; Jeff & Michael for complete healing of brain conditions; a miracle buyer for Bucholz’ house; and for many other needs in our church family! Let’s be on our knees as we trust God and praise Him in advance for answered prayer!!!

- THIS WEEK . . . “Remember, “A great deal can be done for the Kingdom by “little servants” with “little skill” and “little training” if they have big hearts for God.” ~ Jill Briscoe

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

HE KNOWS HOW TO TAKE CARE OF HIS OWN! And I’m so very glad He does! Who’s HE? Well, none other than our Father in Heaven! And how do I know? Well, because THIS week, He has held my hand, walked beside me, gone ahead of me, flanked me on the rear, invited me to draw close, intervened for me, literally infused His strength and spirit into me, and then, He even carried me! He has kept me well, given me resources beyond my own in every way imaginable, ministered to me divine protection, stirred my dreams and passions, sent family and friends to touch my life – including my sweet husband, put new opportunities into my path, reminded me of His promises, and in a voice a bit louder than usual, told me to come to Him and rest! And so, I did. That’s why this weekly update is coming a few days late. And you know what? Even though it’s late … I know that life will go on! And I will have been a bit more renewed and refreshed to tackle whatever lies ahead in the coming week that will be filled to overflowing! I will be more effective to undertake God’s work in our ministry ~ both in the church and in the marketplace! I love the first part of Jesus’ teaching in the Beatitudes as written for us in Matthew 5. This is what He said, “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.” That’s so true! When we’ve done all we can, all we know how to do … and there’s still more waiting to be done, we RUN to God for help. We FOCUS on His promises. We SEEK out His perfect will. We ABANDON ourselves to His plan. And when we live our lives that way, God can take even better care of us, because we’re actually giving Him permission to be in control – to rule His way! And of course, His way is always best, anyhow! Also, in Matthew, chapter 5, following the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us why we are here on this earth. It’s not about us, but about a life so much bigger than we usually can grasp. He says, “Here’s another way to put it: 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. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, 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.” That’s how I see our ministry, both as individual followers of Christ … and corporately, as our Elevation North church family. We were never created to be a secret. We were never gifted to have those gifts unused. We were never called to shun our God-given mission. We are never enabled to give up. We are never filled and not asked to be poured out. We are never given God-appointments that we cannot keep. What we DO need, is wisdom and discernment from God, so that we will always be tuned in. Ready to engage. Willing to obey. Eager to be used. We think of Jeff, who we’ve been praying for. A man in his mid-sixties, suffering from brain deterioration that sometimes pushed him towards violence because his medication could not be balanced, was on the verge of being put in a mental facility. This broke his son’s heart, and the family pursued 27 nursing facilities, hoping to place him there instead. They all refused to take Jeff because of the tendency towards violence. We’ve never met Jeff, but God prompted us so strongly to lay hands on a relative and anoint her with oil as she stood in for him as we prayed for a miracle on his behalf. As the hours and next few days passed, God wouldn’t release Jeff from our hearts and we continued to believe for God’s divine touch in his life. Less than a week later, we were informed by this relative, that a nursing home had taken him in as a resident! Miraculous! But not because of our power. God did it all, yet He prompted us to become a part of that miracle through obedience to what He asked us to do. We’re still praying for complete healing and restoration in Jeff! And now we’re also praying for a young 13 year old boy whose brain is being pulled into his spine, and without divine intervention, this condition will take his life. Please join us in standing on the promises of God and claiming a supernatural miracle for Michael. Who knows what God has planned for his life? Remember why we’re here? God’s Word says, repeating from Matthew 5: “By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” What more can I say? Let’s just do what He says, for He really knows how to care for His own!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT A POWERFUL MESSAGE we received this past Sunday as Pastor Doug poured out his heart through the Word of God as we continue on our 50-Day Spiritual Adventure! He emphasized how much we need each other, and explained the benefits of choosing an accountability partner who will spur us on to greater things in God as they come alongside us and stand with us in our walk with the Lord.
- OUR SPECIAL THANKS to Isaac, who runs the sound system for us; to Mary, who takes care of our tithes and offerings and obligations through her treasury position, and to Chuck and Merv who assist her on Sundays, to Pam, who helps lead worship songs; to Cierra for teaching our little ones, and to Justin, who leads our youth group. All of you are ministering through your gifts, and we thank you for blessing us at Elevation North! And to everyone else who helps us with the “taking-down” process each week after worship, and the many other ways you bless us in your own unique way, we thank you and are so grateful! May God bless each one!
- BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES to Zalee and to Charlotte on March 4th! May God bless you both!!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 7TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – focusing on our Lord Jesus Christ, and moving forward into our 50-Day Spiritual Adventure, “Promises Worth Keeping”, with Pastor Doug preaching on “Practicing Purity in Thought and Action”. Our sins push us to the tendency to fall and fail, but God helps us get back up and on track to live a winning, victorious life through the Holy Spirit. Come and be a part of this powerful service – don’t miss it!
- 11:15 A.M. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – we are never too young or too old to continue learning more about our God and what He has put in His Word to help us live overcoming, exciting lives! Please join us for classes!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH – RE: FUEL session at Clinton Falls Town Hall with Justin planning an exciting time of going deeper in your walk with God - plus always, a great time of fun and fellowship with activities and snacks! Let’s work on doubling our group ~ and then doubling it again! Invite, reach out, and keep reaching out!!!
- COMING SOON … EASTER SERVICES, MOTHER-DAUGHTER TEA, & MORE CHURCH FAMILY EVENTS!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNTIES . . .

- HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!!! That is not only the title of a beautiful song, it is pure truth! God reveals His greatness to us day after day – from morning to evening – and all night long! He is still in the prayer-answering business, and we’d love to have you continue to pray with us for Jeff and Michael with brain conditions; for Nancy in her job-search; for the sale of Bucholz’ house; for healing for Julia, her brother, Shirley, Hazel, Helen; for God to be with Leslie and his family; for wisdom for each of us; and for God’s servants in ministry!

- THIS WEEK . . . “Remember, “Praise is the best auxiliary to prayer.” ~ Andrew Melville


Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie

Elevation North has News for YOU!

PROMISE FEVER! What’s THAT, you say? Well, haven’t you heard of sports fever, dance fever, fashion fever, fast food fever, video game fever, travelin’ fever, and _________ fever (you just insert the word – I’m sure there’s a fever that goes along with it)! But, we’re not talking about any of those fevers today … we’re talking about “promise fever”. We’re thinking that this fever is something that God would love for all of His people to catch! After all, promises are meant to be kept – yet all too often broken. And just what can we do about that? Well, first of all, what is a promise, really? They are so easy to make, and just as easy to break. It’s keeping them that’s a bit more difficult. A promise by definition is: a declaration to do something specified. It is also the solid foundation for the expectation of success, improvement, or excellence in our lives or in specific circumstances. Keeping them takes a strong commitment … lots of integrity … and being diligent to follow through. That’s where the “fever” part comes in! Having a fever is punctuated by a bodily high temperature and a rapid pulse. We need to raise our spiritual temps and get excited about being a child of God who keeps his/her promises. Not only will we become more like Jesus when we do this, but we will be a visible reflection of what God meant for us to look like in this world to the people around us. In our homes. Our churches. Our workplace. Our community. When they see us keeping our promises, they’ll know they can go to the bank with whatever we say, no matter what. That will give us much greater credibility when we open our mouths to talk about Jesus. They’ll know they can believe what we’re saying about other things, when we’ve already backed up our words and promises with follow-through action. But still, it’s not easy. And it’s not easy to do by ourselves. What if we had some help? Well, we always have God’s help … that’s HIS promise to US! But what about the help of others? Our church? Our friends? That’s just what we will be learning about as we continue through this spiritual 50-day adventure called, “Promises Worth Keeping: Resolving To Live What We Say We Believe.” We are SO excited about this! We want Elevation North to be known as a group of people who keep our promises … to God, to family, to each other, and to everyone who our lives touch. So often we attempt to do things on our own. And often we fail. We wonder how come we cannot follow through on our promises to God or to others. We suggest that you choose an accountability partner – someone you can trust who will help keep you focused on what you intend to do. Someone who will come alongside you when those unexpected things pop up. Someone who will stand in the gap for you and hold you up in prayer. Someone who will give you encouragement and keep you moving forward. Someone who will be caring and compassionate, but not let you off the hook! Scripture tells us that two is better than one. Ecclesiastes 4:12 puts it this way: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” So you see … you and a friend and God … together are strong enough so that what you undertake will not be easily torn apart. Besides, the joy of having another share with us in keeping a promise or any other undertaking – is always more pleasant than having to tackle something alone. God gave us family and friends for a purpose, so allow and engage them on this 50-day spiritual adventure! It will not only enrich your life – but theirs, as well! All of us will be able to stand on the other side of these 50 days and see a change in ourselves that most importantly will be visible in God’s eyes … and also to those around us. Author Larry Crabb said in his book, Connecting, “I have come to believe that the root of all our personal and emotional difficulties is a lack of togetherness, a failure to connect that keeps us from receiving and prevents the life in us from spilling over onto others. I therefore believe that the surest route to overcoming problems and becoming the people we were meant to be is reconnecting with God and with our community.” This week, let’s catch “Promise Fever” and ask for God’s help so that we can truly live what we say we believe!

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

- WHAT A JOY IT IS to come together on the Lord’s Day and offer Him our very best as we worship and praise Him! And while as a young church we may not yet be able to offer a full-fledged ministry, we always seek to offer God our best as we give of our time and our talents and our monies. We continue praying for the day when this ministry will be fully fleshed out so that we will have in place ministries available for every group and age and need imaginable! Until then, may we be faithful with what we have as we seek to bless and honor God, and everyone who comes through our doors!
- A SPECIAL WELCOME to Ryan and Pam, Adam and Rebecca, who worshipped with us this past Sunday! How you blessed us with your presence, and our prayer is that you were touched by the presence of God while in our midst!
- SPECIAL BIRTHDAY WISHES to our daughter, Becky, on March 4th – and to our grandson, Wade, who will be 16 on March 7th! We hope you both know just how very much you are loved; and may God’s BEST be yours!!!

- LOOKING AHEAD . . .

- THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – continuing on our exciting 50-Day Spiritual Adventure! This week Pastor Doug will be focusing on “Cultivating Vital Friendships That Encourage Us To Keep Our Promises!” You won’t want to miss this service! Why not invite some friends who do not attend church anywhere?!
- 11:15 A.M. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – with a class just for you that will stir and encourage your heart at the same time! Why not invite some friends to come and learn with us as we dig deeper into God’s Word!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH – RE: FUEL session at Clinton Falls Town Hall with Justin taking this time to draw out the best in our youth and with God’s help, to ignite that into fired-up junior/senior high kids who will be able to help change their world around them! So kids, reach out to your friends and bring them along! Learning, snacking, and adventure will be awaiting you!
- CONTINUING – Sunday visits to our church families with Pastor Doug and Debbie! We’ll be calling YOU!
- COMING UP SOON – A Sunday afternoon “Ladies Time-IN!” with Debbie! More details to come!
- MAY 1ST – MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA is already in the planning stages!

- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .

- There’s nothing quite like being right in the middle of where God is working! And He is definitely at work in our midst, and how thankful we are to Him for that! This week, please join us in praying for: Jeff, who is suffering from brain deterioration; Nancy, who is job-searching; healing for Julia & her brother, also for Shirley, for Hazel, and for Helen; for God’s presence to be with Leslie and his family; for those we support in evangelism and missions; for unspoken financial needs. Great are our needs … but greater is our God!

- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “The journey begins just where you are ~ with blessings in every step!”



Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

Pastor Doug and Debbie