Paul addresses it in his letters to the churches…

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. ² Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.  Romans 16:1-2 (NLT)

Welcome him (Epaphroditus) with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. Philippians 2:29 (NLT)

How can we best welcome a new leader to our fellowship?  I have a few suggestions.  First, pray for him and for his family.  Pray for their health and for encouragement in the stresses of locating to a new home and ministry context.  Pray for wisdom as they adjust to a new environment and new responsibilities.

Help them get to know you.  When you meet, introduce yourself; not just the first time, but for the first month or two, especially if your primary interactions are on Sunday morning.  Remember that we established folks know most others and only need to learn the new family names; they are trying to connect hundreds of faces and names, all at once.  If you are addressed by the wrong name, gently give the correct one. (By the way, these are helpful ideas for welcoming any new folks you see at CCC!)  Give them time to absorb other information about you (children’s names, spouse and family connections, ministry involvement, etc.).

Send a note or an email expressing your welcome, including a picture of you and/or family.

Introduce them to others in the community when you have the opportunity.

Invite them to do something together; remembering that they will have others asking them also and in the initial stages of transition will have a busy calendar, both with work and social interactions.

Offer an I.O.U. for some service you can provide that would be of help.

I am confident that God will empower your bent toward “Bringing Compassion to People at the CrossRoads of Life” as they approach their new life among us here in Central New York.

This weekend we will look at the contrast of decision-making through fear or through faith.

I look forward to seeing you.

God bless,

Mick

Following that meeting, on Thursday AM the elders and staff met to review the input and the options.  The decision was made to table the Pre K initiative for this fiscal year; but to keep pursuing it for the future; partly because of the timeframe, partly because of other priorities which need to be addressed.  It was also decided that we refill the part-time youth leader position that was vacated when Ryan Callahan moved away last fall.  The elders are currently assessing how much time and cost would be needed.  In addition we discussed some program changes in process to alleviate some stresses in space and to bring more opportunities for our youth to connect outside of Sunday morning class time.  We draw youth from a variety of schools and situations and see the need for them to build more bridges with one another and with the leaders.  Finally, we would like to find a volunteer with teaching and people skills to serve as a “chaplain” to the ASP providing some biblical talks as well as spending some relational time with the students.

I see all of these as good signs of God leading us.  I am also confident that our capacity to influence our church family and our community has far more potential than we imagine.  We are truly blessed to be discussing “what” to do rather than addressing “if” we can do anything.  God has provided the resources needed to follow His leading and will always provide for what He calls us to do.  The proposed budget for next year is being finalized with these ideas in mind and we will meet on the evening of May 20^th to review the budget proposal.  Your prayers and participation in fulfilling His mission among us are welcome and appreciated!

I am excited to be honoring our ladies this weekend for Mother’s Day and look forward to fellowship with you!

God bless,

Mick

This Sunday evening we will be taking an important step in the decision-making process for seeking the Lord’s will here at CrossRoads.  The goal is to spend time in dialogue about ministry plans for the next fiscal year, to look at the current situation, to consider possibilities, and listen to one another’s thought on what God might have us pursue or not pursue.  There are many options and many needs—more than we will be able to address.  In the process of dialogue I believe God can guide us toward that place of knowing His desire for us while retaining our respect and love for one another in the process.  We plan no votes or final decisions at this meeting.  I am praying that if at all possible, if you are a regular attendee, you will participate at least with your presence, even if you find it hard to speak in such a setting.

During last year’s strategic planning process we had a number of healthy discussions with various groups.  I believe the strategic initiatives which resulted were and will continue to be fruitful for our future.  I hope you will be a part of this step in that process.

I want to thank the “work crew” for the spring “facelift” a weekend ago.  It is encouraging to see the enhanced landscape and interior clean-up.  Your sacrificial efforts are appreciated.

We continue our series on Winning Choices this weekend, looking at the life of Joseph; the younger brother with the fancy coat.  I hope you will be able to join us!

Until then—Mick

Somehow I (and we) can see this differently and act on it positively.  The “what if?” question is one we need to take on for ourselves.  There are things we might be able to do differently to influence our surroundings more fruitfully.  Are there “mission” opportunities around us where each of us can bring and “incarnational” (Christ in us!) presence to the people suffering from the effects of the landmines mentioned above?  I believe the answer is a resounding “yes.”  If you and I are redeemed by Jesus, indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit and directed by the Father then we are truly the ambassadors Paul described in his letter to the Corinthian church…

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! ¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  ¹⁸ And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. ¹⁹ For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. ²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” ²¹ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,so that we could be made right with God through Christ.                                    2 Corinthians 5: 16-21 (NIV)

As individuals and as a faith community in this church; we have been entrusted with being incarnating and representing Jesus in this place at this time.  The spiritual landscape defines our task, not our outcomes.  Our effectiveness will be proportional to our “walk with God.”  To help others through the challenges we need not and won’t be perfect; but we need to be demonstrating and leading on a redemptive path and following the leadership of the One who is perfect.  We don’t determine the success of the impact on others, but we, through our choices as individuals and as a church certainly influence that success.

I pray that we can all resist the temptation to despair and discouragement and instead serve with faithfulness and endurance; trusting God to do His work in us and through us.

I look forward to seeing you this weekend as we look at another critical decision-maker in a time of crisis—Jacob.  Until then—Mick

“But you, O Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,
⁹ I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
¹⁰ So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:8-10 NIV)

Notice Abraham’s epitaph; God says “Abraham, my friend.”   Wouldn’t it be great if at the end our life’s journey God would say to those after us, this person was “My friend.”   Why do you think God referred to Abraham that way?  What makes a person a friend in your eyes?

With Abraham and God it seems like a reciprocal relationship as good friendships tend to be, though certainly things are different when one of the parties happens to be the almighty creator of the universe and the other is a mortal imperfect being.  But as I review Abraham’s life, I can see why God refers to him this way.  At a time when people were set on making themselves equal with God (tower of Babel in Genesis 11); Abraham seems content to relate to God as God, not a peer.  He demonstrates his trust in God and his high regard for God by pursuing God’s design for his life, leaving his home and going to Canaan.  Later when God reveals that judgment is coming to Sodom and Gomorrah, he intercedes with God, showing that he believes in God’s mercy and justice.  There are many other incidents we could relate.  Abraham is not always perfect, not always full of faith—he uses a plan of deceit when he fears that he will be killed by others who may want to have his lovely wife, Sarah.  But even in his imperfections, God sees his faith.  To be a friend of God like Abraham we would be wise to absorb and live by the encouragement of verse 10 above.  Fear can derail us and enslave us; driving our decisions away from truth—fear of others opinions, fear of hardship, fear of loss, fear of isolation or fear of God’s plans for us.  The difference for a friend of God is that their faith overcomes their fear.  They trust that friendship with God is the ultimate reward that makes those things we fear fade in the light of the joy and glory of that friendship.

This weekend we will look at how Abraham’s choices cultivated his friendship with God.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Mick

While they may not be constrained to split second timing, there are biblical heroes who give us examples of how to choose wisely in critical times.  We will be investigating several of these individuals in the next few weeks in our Sunday services.  Hopefully we will see and absorb principles for making our own choices that will bring honor to God and greater Christ-likeness to our character.  Our example for this weekend will be Noah.  You can find him and his crisis in Genesis chapters 6-9.

Thank you to Steve and Sue Case, Danielle Cann, and Mark Campitello as the leaders of creativity and production for “Witnessed” last weekend.  Of course leaders are always blessed by the faithfulness of the team and this was no exception.  The tech team provided expert light and sound support; the sets, props and costumes were labors of love, the pit orchestra and singers provided beautiful music; and the cast spent many hours rehearsing lines, songs and movements.  Off stage, the smaller children were treated to fun and learned about the resurrection.  The hospitality team wrapped things up for our guests as they displayed and distributed the snacks and refreshments (snacks prepared by many of you!).  Finally, volunteers stayed well into the afternoon loading, transporting, unloading and resetting all the equipment (on Easter Sunday!).  As Paul says, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)

Some of you may have noted the presence of our soon to be Associate Pastor, Anthony Pratt last weekend.  He drove up for a couple days of house hunting and to drop off a vehicle.  Anthony, Ashley and family are expecting to move here in late May and start ministry in June.

Please be in prayer for the Staff and Elders as we prepare our budget for the next fiscal year which begins July 1^st.  We hope to have an informational congregational meeting soon to discuss ideas and plans.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Mick

As present day followers of Jesus it should be the same for us.  Our encounter with Jesus through the dynamic influence of the written word and the testimony of others should change us.  We too should have eye-witness evidence of the experience we have had with Him.  We should have the sense of relief and peace that comes from knowing the grace, forgiveness, and fulfillment of knowing Him.  We should want to tell others, not because it is a duty, but because it is the most important thing we can convey to another human being.  Too often we think of evangelism as a program or a process engaged in only by specialists.  Evangelism literally means to convey good news.  The good news becomes most powerful when it is not only a historical truth; but a contemporary truth in our own life.  So how can we be an “effective witness” in the court of human opinion?  We become an effective witness first by having a living relationship with the Jesus—reading about and thinking about Him as He is revealed in the Scripture and spending time in prayer with Him.  We then express to others what we have seen, heard and experienced with Him and about Him.

The gospel record we will portray this weekend should motivate us.  The most powerful empire of its time took its best shot at squashing the infant movement of the church.  It failed miserably and the church has outlived the empire by over a millennium.  It all started with a frightened, confused, relatively powerless group of followers who simply acted on and passed on what they had seen and heard.  Imagine the impact if we followers of Jesus in our era drew close enough to Jesus to absorb that “eye-witness” level of confidence in the good news and then gave our testimony in that court of public opinion.

I hope you will join us and bring friends as the team presents “Witnessed” this weekend and I wish you and your families a blessed resurrection celebration!

Looking forward to seeing you!

Mick

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” ⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (NIV)

The resurrection of Jesus is the pivot point of history.  It marks the time when the curse of sin has met its match in the grace of God.  The evil one intent on dishonoring God and afflicting the people God created has been defeated.  We have new, immortal, imperishable bodies when we die.  These bodies are no longer prone to temptations, diseases or decay; but fit for the presence of the King of the Universe.

As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus we also anticipate the resurrection that is in our future.  His victory becomes ours showing the grace, wisdom and glory of God.  Following these verses, Paul closes the paragraph with this encouragement; one I won’t try to comment or improve upon… Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

I hope you will be inviting friends both to this weekend’s service where we will discuss the significance of the resurrection, and to the Easter musical “Witnessed” at the High School auditorium next weekend.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Mick

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. ²¹ Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  ²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.  ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.                                                       Ephesians 4:20-32 (NIV)

Each day as we make our choices of attitudes, words and actions we select the “clothes” that will be worn and seen by all we encounter and before the omniscient eye of the Lord.  We are encouraged to exchange wardrobe choices—truth instead of deception; sinless anger instead of unbounded rage; self-provision and generosity instead of stealing from others; words that build up others instead of tearing them down; Spiritually inspired kindness and compassion instead of ego driven bitter rage, physical violence, and destructive words.

Most of us, if we took the time to lay out the “clothing” on our bed for dressing, would never choose the unrighteous elements for our attire.  However we wake up with our sin nature functioning, essentially clothed with those elements until we intentionally seek the “righteous” and “holy” ensemble from God.  That’s a good reason for us to go to that wardrobe early in the day; spending time reading, praying and thinking about our purpose for the day as it begins.  I recognize that some of us are more of a “morning person” than others and that you may function better at night.  If that is the case, I recommend you “lay out your wardrobe” for the following day and then consciously put it on in the morning reminding yourself of the choices.

This weekend we will study chapters 13 &14 of 1 Corinthians addressing the question “How Are Spiritual Gifts Employed?”

Looking forward to seeing you!

Mick

The letter to the Ephesian church is the source:

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.            Ephesians 6:11-18 (NIV)

Paul didn’t write this passage just for children.  There are several important realities here that are hard to accept in our skeptical age, but important for our spiritual health.  First off, there is a real evil entity bent on harming human beings and dishonoring our creator God.  He is described as the accuser (as he did with Job), the tempter (as he did with Eve), and a warrior enemy (as the opposition to the good angels on their way to Daniel).  He is the deceiver, who calls evil good and good evil; enticing our sin nature to rebel against God and put anything else in God’s place.

It also teaches us that we need God to survive this evil.  The struggle is beyond our capacity to resist on our own.  The opposition feeds our pride wanting us to think we are fine on our own.

So ultimately we need to be properly “dressed” in God’s “armor.”  We need to get a grip on God’s truth.  That entails study of God’s written truth and pursue of all truth in observing things around us, measuring things by that truth from God.  It means acquiring the righteousness of Christ by faith; righteousness that we do not have in ourselves.  It means a readiness for battle that comes from knowing and committing our life to the process of communicating the good news to others and living the good news among them.  It means being people of faith—those who believe what is not seen based on the promises of God and whose faith quenches the deceptions and doubts by faith.  It means receiving the rescue—salvation; knowing that we cannot save ourselves and that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone, with nothing added or substituted.  It means having a thorough understanding of God’s word so that we can wield it as a means of correcting, confronting and revealing the deceptions that bring great harm to people’s lives.  The final part of the wardrobe is prayer.  It is the part that links us to God—speaking and listening to Him.

These concepts are not for scaring children.  They are not ancient superstitions.  They are descriptions of a reality we don’t often see, which God reveals to us for our good.  We would be wise to know them, and get appropriately dressed.

Looking forward to seeing you this weekend when we will be looking at Paul’s teaching about spiritual gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12.

Mick