Funkyjimmer's Blog

Saturday, June 19, 2004

A NEW GROUP FORMING IN MY CHURCH

I don’t know how to begin this “Post”. I’m not sure I even know how to say what I want to communicate. I have wanted to tell about a new group forming within my church, Countryside Christian Fellowship. But I also want to communicate about more than just another “group” forming within an already existing group. This new group is about “community”. I think every group ought to be about community, at least to some extent.

As I was contemplating this Post, one of my friends wrote some very relevant truths about community in his latest journal entry. I don’t have his permission to do this, but I don’t think he’ll object to being quoted!

“A healthy church is a community. If a person wants to get into church, and an individual connects them to the church, they won’t feel satisfied in that church if there’s no sense of community. If the body in a given area isn’t healthy, if there isn’t a fullness of Christ’s image present in the congregation, it will be clear to the visitor. If they are a true seeker, they will probably hop from church to church until they can find a church where they imagine the image of Christ is most present.”

What he writes is so true. For many years I have witnessed people “church hopping” for the exact reason my friend states in his journal. And this will continue to happen until the church realizes the importance of community.

We think and talk a lot about community at Countryside. Hopefully we are doing more than just talking about it. I observe that Countryside practices community far more than most churches I have known. And people continue to be attracted to Countryside. And we have joy, peace, harmony and unity even though we have diversity within the Body of Believers at Countryside. But we have unity in Christ.

My friend continues in his journal:

“Community is the whole purpose of the Church. When I read the New Testament, I don’t find a bunch of individual followers of Jesus just trying to make individual followers of Jesus. Instead, I find Paul and Jesus establishing communities of people, communities that can reflect Jesus’ own character. These people don’t simply preach to individuals; they convert people and immediately make them a part of a group, if a group is somehow present. It’s not like we can run around being disconnected Christians. It’s just not healthy to divorce yourself from the Body. Why would Christ’s Body want parts of itself to be disconnected?”

I say, “Amen! Right on, my friend!”
Our world and certainly many of our Western churches have lost (if they ever had it) a sense of community that is important to the church’s well being.

So what? Why am I writing this? Within our Community of Believers at Countryside Christian Fellowship we have a special group of people who, until now, have been only “fragments” within the Body. They have not been connected in their own Community. This group could be called Young Adults. A young adult has been defined as someone between the ages of 18 and 35, single or married, with or without children, a college student or a working professional.

I mean they are part of the Body of Believers and they are an integral, active part of the fellowship of Countryside. But as far as the church or congregation is concerned, they have no sense of community, of being connected together at Countryside. We believe that it is vital to help young adults feel connected at CCF. After all, young adults have specific needs and interests that can be fulfilled by spending time with God and people of their own age; people who are experiencing similar things in life.

This group had a successful beginning last Sunday. There were 11 present for their first “official” meeting. This group is quickly getting organized and already has had their first group activity.

The group will continue to meet Sunday mornings following the worship service for study, fellowship and planning future activities and service opportunities to insure developing community within the group.

We have hopes this will occur. We have some excellent gifted people within the age group who are serving as facilitators for this group. Our prayers to God are that this group can serve as a model for the entire church of a true Christian Community. We’ll see. I’ll try to let you know how it turns out. But it takes time and effort to develop community.

Jim

posted by jim 11:35 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, June 09, 2004

THOUGHTS ON BEING A CARE GIVER

Karon was discharged from the Rehab Center last Friday evening. She is at home, bound to a wheelchair, walker or her “lift” chair. She goes to Rehab 3 times a week. They will provide transportation in a wheel chair van for a cost of $10 round trip. We have used it once so far. She has to be non-weight bearing on the leg for a total of 8 weeks.

This has been a most painful experience for her and the doctor told me it would very slow and painful during the next few weeks due to the severity of the break. He placed a rod and several “screws” to hold the rod in place.

We are trying to re-arrange our lives to accommodate her current situation. The house has been prepared to accommodate a wheelchair and walker.

BOY! I had no conception that this care giving would consume so much of a person's time. It seems as if every minute is spent in some form of care giving. And Karon is somewhat ambulatory and able to do many things for herself! I can't imagine what it would be like if the afflicted person were a paraplegic or a quadriplegic! As it is, there doesn't seem to be a spare minute in my day to even think of ministry or to do anything else. I've been only working half-days (and to be honest, not really even that much!)

I didn’t preach at my church the Sunday after Karon fell and broke her hip. The next Sunday Joel preached and I attended with all three of our girls! Anita was home over the Memorial Day weekend. I preached last Sunday but honestly I don’t know how I managed to find time to prepare! It is a good thing I had some idea of what I wanted to share from the Word. Ladies from our former church, Traders Point Christian Church, stayed with Karon mornings I had to be gone, including last Sunday morning.

The two churches, Traders Point and Countryside, have been excellent to us. Both churches are cooperating in providing food for us and house cleaning. The Traders Point church has meals scheduled through September! There is a crew that sees to mowing our lawn. Anything else we need, we just have to ask. But you know that may be one of the hardest parts of this life experience for me – the asking. It seems as though I should be able to care for my wife and household situation as the husband and man of the house! But because of the shoulder surgery a few months ago and the many “hats” I wear, it is difficult to find the time and the physical strength to accomplish everything. My blood pressure, which is usually well within the desired range, has shot “sky high” and it keeps climbing. If it hits the dangerous level I may have to give in and call my doctor.

I suppose I am whining. I don’t want to be a “complainer”. I know there are lessons to be learned from all this. I just pray that I will be a gracious “student” as God continues to teach me and refine me. I know that I have failed Him in a couple of very important areas during this time – of which I am aware. There are no doubt other areas I have failed to glorify God with my life.

Joel preached from Psalm 119:1-24. It was an excellent message (as his always are!) The Holy Spirit used Joel’s message to really convict me. Verses 5 and 6 of that Psalm really got my attention: “Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.” I have not been steadfast in obeying and I have thus been ashamed.

I have neglected my Quiet Times in the Word. And when that happens, other things “go to pot” as well. I have failed in another area with which I struggle constantly. I think partly I got prideful and let my guard down. Then Satan moved in and I fell for his deceptive temptations. So my prayer life suffered a bit also.

Hopefully my God and I are getting back on better terms again. Please understand He didn’t fail me – as is always the case, I failed Him.

Enough of this. Hopefully I’ll post again before another 2 weeks! Karon was supposed to have her surgical staples removed this afternoon. However, her doctor had an emergency and they re-scheduled it for Friday. I hope his “emergency” didn’t involve a change in “Tee-time” on the golf course! (I know, I’m being cynical. Sorry.)

Jim

posted by jim 3:03 PM 0 comments