From Hamas to Christian

Fox News will be interviewing Saturday night at 10 and Sunday night at 9 an interview with an Hamas leader's son who converted to Christianity. Some of the interview is posted here.

Software needed...

As you're cleaning out your basements, keep your eyes open for old Microsoft Office and other educational software. We've received donated laptops that use an NT2000 operating system and have the old-fashioned floppy disk drives (no CD drives). We would like to send them to our friends in Colombia so that school children can learn to type and receive job-skills training.

If you should stumble across anything that you're willing to give away, please email or call me (Liz).

Thanks!

Humanist Communion

They don't want religion, but they do want fellowship and moral support. So where are Humanist parents to go?...more

With the Lord

At our New Year's Eve testimony service, we closed by remembering church members and former ministers who were received by the Lord in 2008. Here is the list in the order of their passing (if I've missed anyone, please let me know).

Hannah Cohen
Mariano Di Gangi
Ed Young
Jane MacMoran
Reginald Hayes
Kay Hunt
John Padusis
Katherine Thorn
Bill Wittmer
Bill Houk

To the Lord

So what should the first posting of 2009 be? This passage comes to mind:

If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living (Romans 14:8-9).

Whatever 2009 brings to you, may you remember that you belong to the Lord and so accordingly respond to the good and the hard as who trusts and and who loves your Lord.

Ukraine Travellers

A few choir folks got on email yesterday. All is well. They had just returned from giving a concert in Belgorod (the church plant about an hour from Odessa).

Welcome, Micah!

John and Jessica Cropsey are quite pleased to announce the birth of Micah John, born on Christmas Day around 9pm. He was 7 lbs 4 oz.

Where's the Clock?

Why is there no longer a clock in the sanctuary?

Phil wanted me to answer that question. What do you think of that guy? He skips the country and gives the responsibility to me. Well, the answer is... it's all his fault!

Just kidding. I can't remember why the clock actually came down originally. There was either something wrong with the clock or it may have been due to the construction going on in the choir loft. Either way, the reason it stayed down is for two reasons I am aware of. I don't know who else Phil consulted with but he and I mutually agreed that we liked its disappearance. Phil's reason is a bit more spiritual than mine. I just liked the appearance of the back wall without the clock. We have a beautiful sanctuary and the clock, if anything, detracted from that beauty.

Phil appreciated worshipping in a sanctuary without a clock that visibly keeps worshippers' attention on the time. Sitting on the first floor, you don't notice it, but it is in plain view of those in the balconies, and especially in view of those of us leading worship. Indeed, there never was a time during worship, except in prayer, that the clock was not in our line of vision.

Don't worry, we still have a small clock in the pulpit to keep us on track, but it is not in the center of our sight as was the wall clock. It is nice now in worship not to always have the time on our minds.

Year Memories

We have reached the last day of the year. Perhaps you will join us tonight at 9:00 to testify and hear the testimonies of others about what the Lord has done. Also at 11:30 we will gather around the Lord's Table to usher in the New Year.

If you were to mention an event related to Tenth, what would you bring up? You are welcome to give a response at this site. I'll be checking in throughout the day.

Cheering for the Other Side

The fans are cheering, the cheerleaders are shouting their songs, but why for the opposing team?...more

End of Year Giving

Giving Information through Sunday, 12/28/2008:

..................................2007.........2008.........2008............2008
.................................Giving.......Giving.....Budgeted.....Difference
Outreach Fund YTD 939,215.....850,986...978,223........(127,237)
Ch Ministry 12/28...107,856 .......98,294......41,357.........56,937
Ch Ministry YTD...2,031,605 ...1,971,571..2,109,219....(137,648)
Building YTD.............225,854 ......205,281....245,855.....(40,574)

Of Fairy Tales

Fairy tales and Santa Claus prepare us to embrace the ultimate Fairy Tale, the one ingrained in our being...more

Sermon Help

I need help for my next sermon on January 11. (See how far ahead I think!) But I need help from the children of the church. Please pass on to your kids that I need questions they might have from Ephesians 6:1-2: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother'..."

I'd also be interested in their thoughts about verse 4, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger..." Not that their fathers would be guilty of this, but what might they have heard from other children about ways in which fathers can be frustrating. I (hmm, uh) would have little personal experience with this.

Word Loss

"Sin" and "devil" are gone, as are "acorn," "melon," and "tulip." According to Oxford's Junior Dictionary, Christianity and the countryside have lost their relevance...more

Daily Bible Reading

This past Sunday, we made available copies of the "One Year Daily Bible Reading Plan," prepared by Phil. It is a bit different from the regular straight through the Bible plan. Phil gives readings from four sections of the Bible each day, takes us through Psalms, Isaiah, Luke, and Romans twice, and through the OT prophetic books chronologically. There are a few copies left over, which we will put out in the lobbies. I'll see if I can get more for this Sunday. If you want to get started on New Year's Day, here are the readings through January 5:

1 - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Genesis 1; 1 Chronicles 1; Luke 1:1-25
2 - Psalm 1; Genesis 2; 1 Chronicles 2; Luke 1:26-56
3 - Psalm 2; Genesis 3; 1 Chronicles 3; Luke 1:57-80
4 - Psalm 3; Genesis 4; 1 Chronicles 4; Luke 2:1-21
5 - Psalm 4; Genesis 5; 1 Chronicles 5; Luke 2:22-52

New Year's Eve

I hope many of you will make the New Year's Eve services.

9:00-10:30 - Service of testimonies. This is the one time in the year that we share our testimonies of God's work in our lives.

11:30-12:00 - Watchnight Communion service. Is there a better way to greet the new year than being in the church celebrating the Lord's Supper?

Both services always prove to be uplifting. I look forward to seeing you.

Action News

Tenth's Christmas Eve service made Channel 6 news. Thanks to Bob Timms for sending in this link. Click the video feature which features interviews with Vince Spragins and Steve Bachman.

Yet God

Sunday's sermon, "Yet God," is now posted.

Travelers

Phil reached his destination. He is now out teaching and touring. I have not heard word yet from our team to the Ukraine.

Tenth at Night

For a nice picture of Tenth at night, click here.