Hi All,
I am just getting home after tonights CCAKE Bible Study. PK did a wonderful job teaching tonight and I learned something new about Mary anointing Jesus' feet. Thank you for teaching us about letting our hair down in complete worship. (If you were there, you would be really laughing right about now)
I finished up mid-term stuff and the first half of the semester is behind me and I am looking forward to the second half. Someone once asked Eric Liddell how he ran the 400 meters for the Olympics. He said, "I run the first 200 as fast as I can and with God's help, I run the second 200 even faster". I am running the race to win!! After this semester I will have a summer full of classes and a hospital chaplaincy internship, a Fall and Spring semester and if all the classes are available, i could possibly graduate in May...but if they don't offer everything I need, I may have to take a couple of classes and finish in the fall 2014. No Biggie, still cut almost a year off my Seminary time. Gotta get done so I can concentrate more on my family and the ministry of Kenton Church in the world!!
Speaking of finishing a race, I am so glad that Jesus finished the race set before him. That I serve a God who is very much alive and within the hearts of us all. During that race there was the day where people cheered him on as he rode on a colt into the city of Jerusalem. That is what this coming Sunday's message will be about, Palm Sunday. As a mostly lectionary preacher, I have the choice to preach on the Palms or the Passion and I usually go back and forth each year so for this Sunday it will be on the palms.
Our scripture lesson will be on Luke 19:28-40. Read through the passage of scripture and maybe you would like to share a moment where you felt like you were in the presence of royalty or a time when you were so awestruck you couldn't even describe the event.
As an example, allow me to share one such moment. One of my Pastor heroes is Rev Alistair Begg from Parkside Church outside of Cleveland Ohio. I began listening to him shortly after I gave my life back to Christ. He is solid, his teaching is sound, and I love the fact that after 20 years of being in the United States he still has a wonderful Scottish brogue. While on vacation with the family we decided we would start at the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, head over to Sandusky Ohio to go to Cedar Point, and then to Cleveland for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. While leaving Cleveland I asked Dawn if it would be alright if we stopped by Parkside Church and see if Alistair was there. I figured there was no chance of that but at least I would be able to get my picture in front of the church sign so I could tell everyone at least I had been there. So it wasn't too far off the path, maybe 10 miles at most, and we got there and started walking around this huge church. (After Dawn got my picture in front of the church sign, lol). We walked around the church until we found the bookstore/coffee shop which was open. The lady at the counter asked if she could help me and I let her know that we were from Delaware and if there was a chance I would just like to introduce us to Alistair if he was there. The lady said in fact that he was there earlier but thought he was gone for the day but she would check. So we waited for what seemed like an eternity and finally I heard the woman's voice from the bookstore in conversation with a voice that I recognized that had this Scottish brogue...AND THERE HE WAS!!! I got to meet him and he shook my hand and met my family. He informed me that he had just gotten back from Scotland and wasn't supposed to be there but he wanted to stop in for a couple of things...talk about a God-incidence. He told us about the church, showed us their future building plans, and then asked about what was happening in Kenton Church. He was really interested in what I had to say and he was overjoyed about the lives that were being touched by God through the ministry of Kenton. He grabbed a couple of books and DVD's off of the bookstore shelf (that were written or about him) and he signed them to me!! I could barely speak! and the ride home was even better. For over 7 hours Dawn couldn't wipe the smile off of my face. And now I go back each year to the Pastor's Conference that he puts on for three days in May to rejuvenate and revive. When I went back my first year, he remembered me and my family which made me feel good.
So that''s my story...I hope you would share one as well. See you on Sunday and if you don't come to my church, I hope you find a church near you, at a time that's convenient for you and your family, so you can hear the Word of God proclaimed this Sunday. Church...there's nothing like it!
Esperanza!!
Pastor Scot
Monday, March 18, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
How Much Does it Cost
Hello and Good Monday Morning to you all...
I think Spring has finally sprung...We will be averaging 50 degree weather this week!! As I get older I have found that I can take the cold a lot less. I remember times when I used to play in the snow in shorts and a t-shirt. If I did that now, I think I would end up in the hospital and I definitely don't want to think about the cost of a hospital stay today even when we have insurance. The co-pays can be unreal.
According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (www.kff.org) "The average premium for single coverage in 2012 is $468 per month or $5,615 per year. The average premium for family coverage is $1,312 per month or $15,745 per year." How much does it cost us to be sick? Maybe a better question is how much does it cost us to be well?
As I was reflecting on the scripture passage for this upcoming week I also began to think about how much it costs to die. In the Gospel of John 12:1-8 a woman, most commonly we are told it was Mary, poured expensive perfume on the feet of Jesus. The perfume was worth a year's wages. Jesus did not have much time left physically on the earth so this act of surrender was in preparation. It cost her a whole year's wages.
What does it cost us to follow Christ? Has it cost us anything?
As you read and reflect on the scripture for this upcoming Sunday, I want you to think of the cost of following Christ. Would you have been as willing as Mary, to "pour out" an entire years wages upon the Lord? How much are you willing to give to be spiritually well and in a full relationship with God?
Share your struggles with this text and what it means for you in your life and walk with Jesus.
Esperanza!
Pastor Scot
I think Spring has finally sprung...We will be averaging 50 degree weather this week!! As I get older I have found that I can take the cold a lot less. I remember times when I used to play in the snow in shorts and a t-shirt. If I did that now, I think I would end up in the hospital and I definitely don't want to think about the cost of a hospital stay today even when we have insurance. The co-pays can be unreal.
According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (www.kff.org) "The average premium for single coverage in 2012 is $468 per month or $5,615 per year. The average premium for family coverage is $1,312 per month or $15,745 per year." How much does it cost us to be sick? Maybe a better question is how much does it cost us to be well?
As I was reflecting on the scripture passage for this upcoming week I also began to think about how much it costs to die. In the Gospel of John 12:1-8 a woman, most commonly we are told it was Mary, poured expensive perfume on the feet of Jesus. The perfume was worth a year's wages. Jesus did not have much time left physically on the earth so this act of surrender was in preparation. It cost her a whole year's wages.
What does it cost us to follow Christ? Has it cost us anything?
As you read and reflect on the scripture for this upcoming Sunday, I want you to think of the cost of following Christ. Would you have been as willing as Mary, to "pour out" an entire years wages upon the Lord? How much are you willing to give to be spiritually well and in a full relationship with God?
Share your struggles with this text and what it means for you in your life and walk with Jesus.
Esperanza!
Pastor Scot
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Your Story
Hi everybody,
I hope all is well with your souls this day.
In this past Sunday's sermon I mentioned how important it is to listen to people's stories. Listen with the intent to hear what they are saying and only after we have heard their stories and have understood them, then we share ours.
So this week I would love to hear from you. Please share your story. I want to hear all about you. I want to hear where you came from, where you have been, and where you are going. This is a time for you to put down in your own words...your story. Maybe you have never shared your story with anyone. Maybe you feel that you would be judged by your story. Maybe you don't know where to begin. So let me give you some insight/advice. First off...I just want to know about you and I would love for you to get comfortable sharing your story. Secondly, start at the beginning...where were you born, did your parents go to church, are you from this area or somewhere else in the country? Just start at the beginning. It can be as long or short as you want. But I want to hear you.
The Bible scripture for this Sunday is on the Parable of the Lost Son or the Prodigal Son (it's known by several names). We will be reading from Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. Read this scripture after you have shared your story. Then on this coming Sunday March 10th, I will be sharing my testimony (story) with all of you. Invite your friends and family members or your neighbors. This son was lost but is now found!!
DONT FORGET TO SPRING FORWARD THIS SATURDAY NIGHT
See ya Sunday!!
Esperanza!
Pastor Scot
I hope all is well with your souls this day.
In this past Sunday's sermon I mentioned how important it is to listen to people's stories. Listen with the intent to hear what they are saying and only after we have heard their stories and have understood them, then we share ours.
So this week I would love to hear from you. Please share your story. I want to hear all about you. I want to hear where you came from, where you have been, and where you are going. This is a time for you to put down in your own words...your story. Maybe you have never shared your story with anyone. Maybe you feel that you would be judged by your story. Maybe you don't know where to begin. So let me give you some insight/advice. First off...I just want to know about you and I would love for you to get comfortable sharing your story. Secondly, start at the beginning...where were you born, did your parents go to church, are you from this area or somewhere else in the country? Just start at the beginning. It can be as long or short as you want. But I want to hear you.
The Bible scripture for this Sunday is on the Parable of the Lost Son or the Prodigal Son (it's known by several names). We will be reading from Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. Read this scripture after you have shared your story. Then on this coming Sunday March 10th, I will be sharing my testimony (story) with all of you. Invite your friends and family members or your neighbors. This son was lost but is now found!!
DONT FORGET TO SPRING FORWARD THIS SATURDAY NIGHT
See ya Sunday!!
Esperanza!
Pastor Scot
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