ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

 

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT!  In today’s society, being different is probably a lot more difficult than it would have been years ago.  Several decades ago, most everyone “looked” pretty much the same.  There were not too many radical fashion styles – nor were there very many radical lifestyles.  Being different stood out at o glance.  Now you look around and there is no norm.  There is nothing to compare to.  Everyone is different – and supposedly everyone fits in, no matter how radical their chosen looks or lifestyle is.  Being different a long time ago, when measured by society’s rules, was often associated with being shunned.  Today, the more extreme, the better.  The greater the shock value, the better.  I’d like to chat with you for a bit about another type of different.  What if God’s people moved into action with an attitude that they would dare to be different – as God instructs them to?  What if they stood out in a crowd, not so much because of their outward appearance (though I will touch on that, too!), but because of their inward heart-devotion to God?  What if our very demeanor – even our facial expressions, drew people to us, and ultimately to our God?  What if we actually lived out the Golden Rule and treated people with the respect, kindness, and love that we long to receive from others – but often don’t get?  What if our words were affirming, rather than condemning?  Not of someone’s sin or weakness, but of them as a person.  What if we came alongside the dirty, the sinful, the not-so-beautiful, the down-and-out, the broken, the incarcerated … and actually showed them the love of Christ, as well as ours?  How do you think they would respond?  Probably with disbelief – at first.  Probably with some distrust.  Why?  Because experiencing people who treat them that way – would be different.  Let the dirty, the sinful, the not-so-beautiful, the down-and-out, the broken, and the incarcerated walk through the doors of many churches – and the typical response in today’s world would be an assortment of ignoring them, shunning them, or telling them point-blank that “their kind” does not belong there.  Wow!  Where did we ever get that?  Not from God’s Word, I can assure you!  Alright, let’s tackle the “outward appearance” for a few moments.  Without having to look “old and stuffy and outdated”, we can accomplish presenting ourselves in a way that would be pleasing to God and yes, pleasing to people.  You would be surprised how many people are much more comfortable with someone who dresses in a godly manner – than with someone who is just about half undressed!  Choosing our outward appearance to bring glory to God definitely sets us aside as different – but refreshing!  Doing things differently according to how God instructs us affects every facet of our lives, even the physical.  Take a look at Daniel in the Bible, and the young men who were in training to serve the king with him.  They made the choice to only put into their bodies the types of food that would make and keep them healthy.  Daring to be different, they stepped out and took a stand not wanting to go back on their commitment to keep themselves strong and healthy before God.  When assigned specific food and wine from the king’s table, “Daniel resolved not to defile himself this way,” and he asked for permission in a respectful way - “Please test your servants for ten days:  Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.  Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”  They were granted permission and God’s Word states that at the end of the test period, “they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.”  (from Daniel, chapter 1).  And so Daniel and his friends were given the food of their choice from that day forward and God showed them unusual favor with those in authority because they dared to be different!  I challenge you this day … dare to be different … for God!  It’s a quality that will make you a leader for Him!   

 

 

 

 IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

 

THIS SUNDAY, AUG 25:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP

10:30 A.M.  KIDZONE CHURCH

 

NEXT SUNDAY, SEP 01:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP

10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

 

PLAN A SUMMER VISIT:

with someone you've been wanting to get to know better - whether they are a part of Elevation North, or a neighbor, or just an acquaintance!  It's the perfect opportunity to reach out and start a new friendship that can benefit both them - and you!  Be a blessing; and you will be blessed!

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!
 

OUR FALL MINISTRIES KICK-OFF SUNDAY is just around the corner!  And we want YOU to be a part of this exciting time in the life of our church!  We are implementing a new format for our worship service, and that week will be the beginning of the new weekly schedule which will include 2-3 Bible Studies and plans for growth of existing ministries and the birthing of some additional ones.  We encourage you to pray about who you can invite for Sunday, the 8^th of September, for worship and Communion, for sharing about ministries, for the noon potluck luncheon, and for some great fellowship!  It’s going to be a Sunday you will NOT want to miss!!!   Let’s reach out and “dare to be different” – sharing Jesus with everyone we can!!!

 

REMEMBER . . . God’s Word says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” ~ Romans 12:2 

 

 

 Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

 

 Pastor Doug and Debbie

 

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

WE’LL NEVER GET OUT OF SCHOOL, WILL WE?  It’s that time of year again – and off our little ones – and not-so-little ones go to school!  Pre-schoolers move on to Kindergarten.  And those kindergarteners in their little caps and gowns go on to 1^st grade.  Then we just move the numbers up one after another – all the way through 12^th grade when suddenly … we see our grown-up seniors don adult size caps and gowns as they receive their diplomas.  College students climb the ladder of degrees until there is no higher degree to achieve – but perhaps another degree in another specialized field.  You get the picture!  Some schools have started this week – while others will wait a few more weeks until after Labor Day.  Even in the church realm, we focus on plans for teaching and learning and classes and ministries – which is a great thing!  I LOVE LEARNING ~ even though sometimes the Master Teacher sits us down in a class that we really wouldn’t have chosen.  It’s not to our liking, but our Teacher knows what the end result will be – and He knows we’ll love that part, provided we put in the study time and whatever it takes to learn the lesson He wants to teach us!  You know how sometimes God gives extra understanding and knowledge – where before there was only a blank space or a brick wall?  Suddenly, we see it!  Suddenly, we get it!!  I “got” something this week through someone else’s teaching.  It was so very powerful; I believe it will enable me to understand others, especially believers, to a degree that I’ve never understood this before.  Now how do I explain this to you?  Well, let me run for my Bible, and I would invite you to run for yours.  First of all, though, we need to return to the day that we said “yes” to Christ – the day that we became a new creature in Christ.  God’s Word says that our names were written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and I believe each of us got a new name to match our new direction, our new purpose in life … our Kingdom purpose!  I have little space to share with you what I learned, so I need to condense and simplify.  So here goes!  Check out the second half of Genesis chapter 32.  Remember Jacob in the Old Testament?  He WAS named Jacob in his natural, human, sinful state.  But at a point in time after stealing the birthright blessing from his brother, Esau, and after growing wealthy through the cunning, deceitful ways he dealt with his father-in-law, Laban … now Jacob finally finds himself alone with a man he wrestles with all night and recognizes as God.  All his life he has struggled and strived to be blessed – now in the presence of Almighty God, Jacob finally realizes that his blessings must come from God and not man.  Once Jacob gets it right and recognizes God as his source of blessing, then God turns around and crowns Jacob with a new name.  That’s quite a reward in itself, I would say!  Listen in:  “Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.’”  And then God blessed “Israel” right then and there.  It is interesting, though, that after that mind-boggling face-to-face experience, with his name changed and his life blessed, the next chapters again refer to him as “Jacob”.  Why?  Because “Israel” reverted to Jacob’s antics of fear, deceit, and lingering where he should not have been, and in those points in his life, he was again, “Jacob”.  Read chapters 33 and 35 and you will see God’s name present.  Read chapter 34 – and there is no mention of God’s name.  Why?  God chose to be absent from these awful events.  You see, when we act in our human name, we wrestle with men and often end up in sin.  Rather, we need to be living in our God-given name, wrestling with God and overcoming sin as we hang on for His blessing.  Suddenly, this journey that we are on as God’s people, makes so much more sense to me.  All along, we’ve heard others ask – and we’ve even asked these questions ourselves:  “How could so and so do this – or that?  I thought they were above that – or at least I thought they knew better than that!  I am so disillusioned by their actions!”  Well, do you get it now?  You can have the most powerful believers … even an Old Testament patriarch … live victoriously in their new name as an overcomer – and then turn around and blow it by spewing ungodly words or making horribly wrong, sinful choices – so bad, that God, in fact, just is no where to be seen.  And, then we, like Jacob, find ourselves alone again with God – wrestling all night long just to get things right with Him - again, to be in right relationship, so that we can finally live in His blessing once more, and then we hear those most sought after words, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel …”.  My heart and soul sees two life lessons here:  1)  While we are human and not perfect, and will sometimes fail – we should not be content bouncing back and forth from Jacob to Israel over and over and over.  God longs for us to live in the overcoming power He gives us as we wrestle with Him “until daybreak”.  He wants to call us “Israel”.  2)  This portion of scripture is proof that God does not give up on us as “Jacob” and He continues to shape us and use us, drawing us back to the “altar at Bethel”, where He instructs us to come and talk with Him and purge ourselves of everything foreign and distractive to godliness.  If God gives us a second chance, then should we not give others that same opportunity to be drawn close to God once again, rather than judging them harshly and writing them off? What an example our God is – we can learn so much from Him!  What name does God know YOU by?  YOUR name?  Or by the one HE has given you?  (Grateful thanks to T.D. Jakes for lighting my heart on fire with the thoughts for this message!)  



IN A NUTSHELL . . .

A SPECIAL WELCOME to Eva and her family who worshipped with us this past Sunday!  We were so blessed to have you join us again!


THIS SUNDAY, AUGUST 18:
10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP
10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH
11:30 A.M. - CHRISTIAN ED MTG for all willing to help with KidZone
Plan to join Wayne & Verla and let them know of your interest and/or commitment level!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23:
7:00 P.M. - LADIES NITE OUT at the church
Be sure to bring a baby photo of yourself for part of the evening's fun ...
and plan to bring a snack for munchies as we fellowship!

NEXT SUNDAY, AUGUST 25:
10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP
10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

WOMEN OF FAITH … God is calling you out to be just that!  Often we feel as if we cannot go even one more step – or one more day!  Life can just about engulf us – but then someone reminds us that we need to “Believe God Can Do Anything!”  And that is the theme of this year’s conference in St. Paul on Friday night and all day Saturday, October 18^th & 19^th.  You will be inspired, encouraged, and blessed as you drink in all that God has for you through the speakers and the worship!  Plus, we have our motel rooms reserved already, so get ready for a truly great time of fellowship with your sisters in Christ!  See Debbie for the event tickets, and for more information & details!  Invite a friend today to go with you!  She will never be the same!  And if you cannot go, consider blessing someone else with the gift of a ticket so they can go!

REMEMBER . . .”No matter what our past may have held, and no matter how many future days we have, God stands beside us and loves us.”  Gary Smalley and John Trent  



Serving Christ Joyfully . . .  


Pastor Doug and Debbie

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

 

YOU ARE MORE THAN YOU HAVE BECOME!  That’s the sub-title of a book by a pastor named Tony Scott … and that phrase intrigued me until I thought through it’s intended meaning and did some further research.  Simply put, what that means is that God is not finished with us yet!  We are who we are at this moment in time – but in God’s eyes, we are more than who we are or what we are today.  We are still in process as He is refining us and polishing us so that ultimately His Kingdom will be shown through us.  Have you ever thought much about the process that diamonds are subjected to?  Let me share just a few facts.  A diamond is known for having superlative physical qualities, having the highest hardness of any bulk material, and having relatively high optical dispersion.  Due to these characteristics, diamonds are used in cutting and polishing tools.  Because they can be contaminated only by a very few impurities, and because of their ability to disperse light of different colors, they have a sought-after luster. Unparalleled in their hardness and durability, diamonds have become the most popular gemstone ever. They are valuable, expensive, and most frequently used for adornment. But what makes them what they are?  Did you know that they are formed at extremely high temperatures and unimaginable pressure at depths up to 120 miles beneath the earth’s surface? They get transported via magma in a volcanic pipe much like an elevator - to the earth’s surface where they can then be discovered and used for their greatest purpose.  It is also interesting that diamonds are not very reactive.  There is little that can change or affect their chemical stability.  Diamonds are identified not only by their high thermal conductivity, but also through the skilled use of a magnifying glass “by eye”.  For the rough diamond to be sold at its highest price, it must be cut or drilled and polished to remove any possible flaws.  It must pass rigid tests to be marked as a highest grade diamond.  In those tests, the authentic diamond is distinguished apart from it synthetic or simulated counterparts.  It is set apart by what it has become.  We, like diamonds, were naturally born “in the rough” and through the spiritual process of being “born again” we find ourselves undergoing the fiery trials and tests … the sometimes unimaginable pressure that just about squeezes the life out of us.  When we are “120 miles under” – we feel like we will never see the light of day.  The weight of the hardening just about breaks us – before it makes us into what God sees we can become.  When we’ve been pressed and pressured enough, we are shot to the surface at volcanic speed, and we see the light of victory.  But a more amazing thing occurs:  others see us and our ability to disperse the Light of the world shines through with brilliance.  Had we never been put through the extreme fiery tests or the crushing weight of trials, we would never be able to be used as tools in the Kingdom of God.  We would never be durable enough, transparent enough, usable enough.  What amazes me even more, is that beyond being chosen by God to be used for His Kingdom purposes on this earth, He also adorns His earth with us – reflecting who He is to a world who so desperately needs to see Him.  Often we are unaware of how valuable and priceless we are to our Creator – because we never attribute our hurting in the diamond process to His commitment to make us more than we are.  We just know it hurts and we don’t like it.  We usually fight against it.  But recognizing God at work within us, we need to become submissive under the heat and the pressure, knowing that we will come forth as precious and polished in His sight … ready to be used mightily in these days.  I can share this message because just this week God allowed me to be pressed to what I thought was my limit … and then He turned around and used my durability to help cut and polish someone else, helping them to see beyond their crushing weight of hurt.  No wonder James wrote in the first chapter of his book:  “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.  So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely.  Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”  Lord Jesus, please make us more than we have become! 

 

 

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

 

OUR SPECIAL THANKS to Wayne and Verla for ministering this past Sunday while Pastor Doug and Debbie were visiting family!  We so appreciate how everyone stepped up to share in the ministry of our church! 

 

 

THIS SUNDAY, AUG 11:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP / COMMUNION

10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

FOLLOWING THE SERVICE - ANNUAL CHURCH PICNIC at Mineral Springs Park

(Be sure to bring your own table service - and plan on having a great time with your church family!)

 

NEXT SUNDAY, AUG 18:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP

10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

11:30 A.M. - CHRISTIAN ED MTG for all willing to help with KidZone

 

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

 

Our Christian Ed Leadership is planning for the Fall, Winter, and Spring edition of another season of ministries for all ages. That will include KidZone Church, as well as nursery, youth, Bible studies, and more!  We are praying for God’s direction as we choose topics and books of the Bible that will draw His children, young and old, into a deeper walk with Him!  Join us in prayer, that God’s will might be accomplished throughout this new year of seeking after God.  There will be a special meeting with Wayne and Verla following worship on Sunday, August 18^th, at 11:30 a.m. for everyone willing to help with the KidZone ministry here at Elevation North!  If you feel led to help support our Christian Ed ministries with a love offering, please mark it accordingly.  Thank you … may God bless you!

 

REMEMBER . . . “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” ~ Hebrews 10:23-24 

 

 

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

 

 

Pastor Doug and Debbie

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

LOVE, LOVE LIVING … BUT CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR HEAVEN!  It’s been a long, long time since I have had so many people talk to me about death as they have this week.  It’s a subject that most people avoid bringing up in casual conversation, but when death occurs their emotions rise to the surface and words come spilling out.  After all, when hearts are broken, there is a cry for consolation and comfort and peace.  It all started with a sad, tragic story that touched one of my co-workers … but in the days that ensued, stories of loss after loss began to come to light.  Semi-truck and pick-up truck accident – that left a young man in his early forties who was “the king of fitness” in this community – dead.  Real people, right where we live.  All young.  All encountered tragic accidents that snuffed their lives out.  No one was planning on their lives ending; and people began asking serious questions.  Why?  What’s happening?  Those who lost their lives were all connected with people that I know and see most every day.  But back to the young lady who poured out her tearful story to me just a week ago.  She was struggling so deeply with what she had seen as she came upon an accident that was literally happening before her very eyes just up ahead.  As if watching an action movie being played out, she saw the vehicle flip many times – perhaps ten times.  When it finally came to a rest, being an EMT, she rushed to the aid of the people inside.  Arriving before anyone else did, she witnessed the critical status of those trapped in the vehicle.  The man kept asking how his wife was, but my co-worker assessing the situation, attempted to help the little toddler in the baby seat first.  She could tell this little one’s life was hanging in the balance, so she did all she could do to try to save the child.  But … soon the small child breathed its last breath.  The man continued to yell for his wife, so my friend moved up to the front passenger seat where she saw a young woman that with one glance told her there was nothing she could do.  So she just bent close and tried to comfort her, and then she heard her say, “I’m eight months pregnant!”  And then … she was gone.  By now the officers and medical team had arrived, so my friend let them step in to take care of the man who was badly injured but looked as if he would survive.  And then her eyes caught some movement in the rear of the vehicle – there sat another child, a little boy, seemingly unhurt.  She turned to leave – she had done all she could do.  But the faces, the sights, the voices, the words all haunted her day and night, and she wondered why it happened and why she was the first on the scene.  Her heart was broken.  I listened.  I confessed I sure didn’t have all the answers.  Who does, especially when there is untimely tragedy?  But I told her that I knew the One who was there in those riveting, horrific moments. I told her He was there with everyone in that vehicle.  And I told her that while it perhaps didn’t seem comforting, God had chosen her to be placed there at that appointed time – to be the first one that those precious people saw coming to help them, and the sweet face they saw as they took their last breath.  I told her I didn’t know how she felt about God, but that He had hand-picked her for that assignment and that He would be there for her in the aftermath of what she had experienced.  I told her that the moment that little one stopped breathing, that child was being held by Jesus in heaven.  I told her how the very moment that young pregnant mom drew her last breath, her unborn baby was also being cradled in the arms of Jesus. The mom?  I do not know where she stood with God.  I told my friend if she knew Jesus she was there watching Him hold her children.  If she did not … that is the ultimate tragedy of any death.  Because it becomes a death for eternity – with no hope of heaven, ever.  Hell is the most horrific tragedy that can come to any living soul, because it never ends – it never goes away.  But for those who know Jesus personally, any death here – no matter the age or tragic circumstance, it is the glorious journey from earth to heaven.  It is just the beginning of a celebration that lasts forever that will never, ever end!  It is life with our Lord and Savior, our heavenly Father … an ongoing pouring out of worship and praise and adoration in the most indescribable, amazing place that is way, way beyond our wildest imagination!  For Jesus is there!  When my co-worker spoke with me, I was not in a place where I could pray with her, but you can be sure that I will invite her to a time and place where I can freely ask her where she is going – when she breathes her last!  Dear ones, this is what this life on earth is all about … it’s about making ourselves available to God to send us out as the first responders, rescuing those who are lost and injured, throwing out Eternity’s lifeline – while there is still breath in them!  We dare not wait … another hour, another day could be too late!  Let’s love our God-given lives here on earth … but let’s pursue souls for heaven! 

 

 

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

 

THIS SUNDAY, AUG 4:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP

10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

SATURDAY, AUG 10:

9:00 A.M. - BARNABAS TEAM MEETING at the church

Be in prayer for our leadership that God will anoint and

guide them in all planning and decision making!

NEXT SUNDAY, AUG 11:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP / COMMUNION

10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

FOLLOWING THE SERVICE - Annual Church Picnic at

Mineral Springs Park - please check out the sign-up

sheet!

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

All women are encouraged to consider attending this year’s Women of Faith Conference in St. Paul on October 18-19 … and to finalize plans for this incredibly blessed event!  You will definitely experience God’s anointing!  Pray about who else you can invite!  They will be encouraged and strengthened in the Lord through this ministry!  Be sure to see Debbie for more details!

 

REMEMBER . . . “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” ~ John 14:27 

 

 

 Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

 

 Pastor Doug and Debbie

 

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

 

HEAR US ROAR!  Since when have we believed that it is godly to be quiet and non-committal and invisible?  These are the days when the world needs to hear us and see us – pointing the way to Christ!  Gone are the days when it is acceptable to scream and yell and shout our cheers and applause for our favorite sports teams and our musical artists and bands – but not for our God and Father, the Lord of lords and King of kings.  Well, maybe those days are not gone … but they need to be!  These are the days when the children of God need to rise up and make themselves heard on the stage of the world – or in whatever tiny, remote place that He gives us a venue and a microphone.  People around us need to hear the Name of Jesus spoken from our lips … and not birthed out of a curse.  “Jesus … Jesus … Jesus” needs to be spoken in adoration and boldness and declaration.  His message, His love, and His redemption needs to flow from our hearts and be spoken into the lives of whoever God brings in front of us – every single day.  We dare not shy away and think that we will just leave that to someone else who is more gifted, more flamboyant, more impassioned.  It is our calling, dear people of God, to live and breathe and share our love for Christ!   And when we do, we must make sure that our voices lead people to hear His voice.  We don’t want our volume to be just empty, powerless noise.  We want our words to be energized and anointed in supernatural ways.  God promises that His words will not return to Him void.  In all essence that means that when we speak His message and His Name, things will happen.  There will be results.  What comes back to God will have merit, meaning, and multiplication to it.  God’s words returned to Him will come back with eternal decisions, with transformed lives, with ever-increasing throngs of people added to the Kingdom of God.  Those voices added to ours are going to begin sounding like a mighty roar as God’s army arises to slay the complacency that has so long been in the Church.  To slay the giants of fear and bondage and inferiority that have taped our mouths shut up until now.  To slay the giants of holding back and not stepping out in what feels like risky, dangerous faith.  To slay the giants of deceit that keep us from living with God as the highest priority in every arena of our lives.  To slay the giants that tell us we are second best and cannot compete with the world’s power and wealth.  To slay the giants of the million and one things that seek to keep us from our knees before the Living God and crying out for revival in our souls.  When these and a hundred more giants are slain, our mighty roar will cause the devil to shudder and shake in the wake of our newly empowered roles.  Nothing can stop us when we begin to live as the powerful sons and daughters of God that we are!  We will begin speaking with a boldness we didn’t know we had.  We will hear ourselves sharing words that we recognize as coming from the Spirit of God.  We will move forward in a power that we realize is not our own – and hesitancy will be replaced with an impassioned excitement.  Soon we will operate through the leading of the Holy Spirit in a mightier way than ever before as we listen for the Voice that sets itself apart from all others, including ours.  In these days, I see a Church, a blood-bought Church, a Bride of Christ that issues forth a call to righteousness, holiness, and purity as she looks forward to the arrival of her Bridegroom.  I see a Church whose voices will unite in true worship – rising to a volume that will be heard around the world.  You see, the devil doesn’t have a corner on roaring like a lion.  The difference is that in his roar, people are devoured.  In our roar, people are rescued, redeemed, and renewed to reflect the Lord God of Israel!  Let’s make our voices count, dear people … we are the Church!  Let’s be the victorious, overcoming church God planned for us to be!  Time is short … what we speak boldly now - will last for Eternity! 

 

 

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

A SPECIAL WELCOME to Celso & Marcella and family who worshipped with us for the first time this past Sunday!  May God bless you!  We were also blessed to have several of our family and friends who came to worship with us from out-of-state these past few weeks … what an encouragement your presence with us was! 

 

THIS SUNDAY, JULY 28:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP

10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

SATURDAY, AUG 03:

7:00 A.M. - 12:00 NOON - Farmer's Market table in Central Park

Plan to pray and help with homemade or homegrown items that we can fill our table with for the purpose of raising additional funds to help us continue expanding our various church ministries for the glory of God!  See Wayne, Verla, or Tina for more details!  And plan to help out at the table and fellowship with others in your church family!

NEXT SUN, AUG 04:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP

10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

 

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

If you are not familiar with our “Bless Back” ministry, then we want to introduce you!  This ministry has an entire room devoted to it which houses clothing (new or gently used), food items (non-perishable), household items (that someone else can use), plus more!  So if you have need of anything – please come and look and we encourage you to “receive” from the generosity of others.  If you have items you would love to give and share – please bring them to the “Bless Back” room so that we can continue to share from this storehouse.  May it overflow out of the abundance that God gives us – so we can give to others!

 

REMEMBER . . . “Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.  Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …”.  Matthew 28:18-19 

 

 

 

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

 

 

Pastor Doug and Debbie

 

 

 

 

ELEVATION NORTH has NEWS for YOU!

 

“LIFE IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE with the intention of arriving in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather sliding in sideways, totally used up, thoroughly worn out, loudly proclaiming, ‘Thank You, Jesus, what a ride!’”  I loved this recent quote from one of our friends out in Colorado!  And after smiling and shaking my head “yes” in full agreement with his statement, I read on a few lines more, and this is what he concluded with:  “Live life full steam ahead.  If you fall, you’ll cover a lot of ground moving forward!”  Now I was laughing!  Both statements struck home with how our lives must look to others in the midst of our crazy lifestyle – but I couldn’t agree more!  We do understand the high value that God places on priorities and pulling away from the hustle and bustle of life to actively rest.  We know how important it is to take time out to sit quietly and listen to His voice in a place of peace where there are no other voices.  There’s no place we would rather be.  Any other setting dulls in comparison.  But you know what?  When God puts a fire in your soul and gives you a Message that cannot be kept to yourself, that opening quote is pretty much how you live life!  If we’re going to give our lives for someone else, we choose to give it to Jesus.  In those times when the hours in the day melt into the late night, we remind ourselves it’s for the Kingdom of God.  If Paul could preach his heart out to share the gospel and be a tentmaker on the side … then so can we!  And if at some point He walks us back into full-time ministry, there will always be a part of us that will seek out people in the marketplace because that has definitely become our second pulpit every time God opens the door in that arena!  It happened again just today.  And I am always amazed.  I know – I shouldn’t be.  After all, He is God.  He will do what He wills.  But I just love seeing it take place!  We were gifted with a few evening hours with some precious ministry friends earlier this week.  How we love hearing about what God is bringing before them; but at the end of the evening, I think the scales were tipped in our favor when I recall how much time they spent listening to where God has us.  They have a gift for listening … and for sharing.  And they do both with no strings attached.  It is never their agenda – it is always about God’s priority.  That’s true friendship when it doesn’t matter who was on the receiving end more; it’s just whoever seems to be needing encouragement the most, I guess!  It’s a valued friendship that keeps us close no matter how great the time between our in-person visits.  It’s a treasured friendship that devotes time in prayer for each other’s families and ministries - and genuinely cares and intercedes for the times of struggles.  It’s a rare thing for ministry couples to both share the same heartbeat for lost souls – and to know that we cannot stop our pursuit of reaching people for Christ – wherever that takes us.  In my attempt to complete this message when I usually do, it seemed God was putting a hold on it.  At first I was frustrated, but when God brought before me some powerful words today, I knew why.  As I listened and received, the content rang true in my spirit.  This is what I heard:  “We need to make living our lives hearing God’s voice our highest priority.  It is only when we hear His voice that we can then choose to obey or to ignore.  Someday we will see that doing what He says – those things remain.  And everything we do that is not what HE asked us to do, will burn.  That’s pretty sobering.  What that all means is that if we are doing things based on our wants, those things will burn.  How do we know what God wants – or if it is our own will?  Why do people play church – when we can BE the church?  It is not now, or ever has been about pulpits and pews.  Being the church means that we are a living expression of the Living God!  It might not hurt any of us to think about doing an extended fast from all ‘other voices’ in the media, informational, and entertainment world that steal our time and distract us from hearing God’s voice alone.  You say, really?  How could I not watch TV or listen to music, or read a newspaper or check my e-mail or social connections like Facebook?  As I thought more about this, I had to readily admit that when we’re hearing so many other voices, God’s can easily get lost in the mix even though we don’t intend for it to.  Fasting like this would definitely help us get rid of lots of clutter in our lives and bring Christ back to the forefront where He desires to be.  We most likely need to have a bonfire – before the fire of God will fall!”  It’s time to give our all – and slide in sideways! 

 

 

 

IN A NUTSHELL . . .

 

You are invited to join us for worship on these summer Sundays:

 

THIS SUNDAY, JULY 21:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP

10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

NEXT SUNDAY, JULY 28:

10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP

10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHURCH

 

CHALLENGE:  In the next few weeks with more free time on the church calendar, we want to encourage each of you to choose at least one individual or family in our church that you can bless yet this month!  Ideas:  getting together for an uplifting visit, inviting them over for dessert - or just a glass of cold lemonade, sending them a card to tell them you are thinking of them, or if God leads, share a love gift with them!  They will be blessed and so will you!

 

ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!

 If ever you want an opportunity to reach outside yourself and think of others … walking the path along the thousands of lighted luminaries at night on the weekend Relay for Life is a great event to participate in!  Our church team was able to raise $855 for this wonderful cause – as we thanked God for the survivors and remembered the many others who lost their battle with cancer.  Our special thanks to everyone who helped in ANY way … and especially to our team captains, Tina and Wayne & Verla! 

 

REMEMBER . . . “Your heavenly Father knows your needs.  He will always give you all you need from day to day … For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.” ~ Luke 12:30-32 

 

 

 

Serving Christ Joyfully . . .

 

 

Pastor Doug and Debbie