Month: August 2020

August 31, 2020 Pastor Jason Gilbert | Menomonie

A cat’s point of view…

We named one of our cats “Kidden”, shortly after picking him up from the humane society. At the time, he was a little orange fluff ball with oversized paws. After seven years, he isn’t the size of a kitten anymore. He’s probably double his recommended BMI. In fact, I doubt he has ever seen the bottom of his food dish because Faye checks it every morning. Yet before his dish gets filled to the brim, Kidden stands in our path, meowing incessantly, as though he is about to die. He is deathly afraid that his food dish won’t get topped off before we leave.

If we allow this to go on, he gets so worked up that when he does eat, he overeats, doesn’t chew, and vomits it all back up in a warm pile somewhere in our house. He also meows just before that, signaling his masters to reach for the wet wipes and paper towels. Ah, the causes and effects of anxiety… from a cat’s point of view.

Do not be anxious about anything…

What do the scriptures teach us about anxiety? Paul tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Do not be anxious about anything? Just to clarify, the word anxious here can be translated full of care, or full of thought. Really, Paul? What about our responsibilities… at work… …in our ministries… with our family… in our finances… maintaining our stuff… concerning our health? Be careful… for nothing?

Jesus uses the same word in the parable of the seeds when speaking of the seed sown among the thorns. He says the thorns are the cares (i.e. anxieties) of this world. These cares choke out the seed (the Word of God), making it unfruitful. Take a minute and consider the last week… What caused us to be anxious, full of care, full of thought? How fruitful was that time for us… or for those around us?

We all face anxiety, no matter who we are. Even the sluggard doesn’t go out because he is worried there might be a lion in the streets (Proverbs 26:13). Nobody is exempt from the temptation to worry. And no one gets a free pass to give in to it just because their circumstances are difficult.

Give thanks in all circumstances…

As emphatic as the bible is about what not to do, it is equally emphatic about what to do. Paul tells us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). God’s will is that we give thanks… in all circumstances. Really, Paul? Weren’t you the one who was whipped, beaten, stoned to death, shipwrecked, sleepless, without food, and exposed to the cold? Yet Paul tells us… in all circumstances… to give thanks. Take a minute and consider the last week. In what circumstances did we fail to give God thanks? Why? Did He fail to take care of us? Has He ever?

The peace of God…

I sometimes wonder what a morning would be like if Kidden wasn’t worried about getting more food. Would he be purring in my lap? Or would he be watching the birds out the window? Or would he enjoy his food instead of swallowing it whole? I know his masters would sure appreciate that…

I likewise wonder what God thinks when we are given to anxiety and worry. Would he shake his head at us and say, “Oh you of little faith… Don’t you realize that I’ll take care of you?” Would he ponder the various joys we are missing out on? Would he appreciate not having to clean up our mess afterward?

Paul goes on to say what happens when we put a stop to anxiety, and bring our requests in prayer to God, with thanksgiving… He tells us, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Are we experiencing this peace of God? Are we allowing it to guard our hearts and our minds… in all of our circumstances?

The next time anxiety attacks, how will we respond? Will we give ourselves over to worry… and its effects? Or will we cast all our cares upon God… and experience His peace?

For more on this subject, see Matthew 6:25-34.

August 28, 2020 The Homeschool Ministry

Our homeschool group recently transitioned from our (SD) walks on the Red Cedar Trail over the summer to taking more educational focus for the upcoming school year. Over the past month, we have made some changes to what our group does on Thursday afternoons.  Traditionally, we have done what we called “recess” which was a time for the kids and parents to get together. This was especially beneficial for us as we were able to play and talk about how the week’s been going at local parks. This gave the kids a chance for exercise and socialization. It also provided a time for the parents to spend some quality time talking together while watching the kids.

Moving forward on Thursdays, our time will look more academic by having a few different things happen. We plan to have guest speakers come in to teach us a lesson or skill a couple times a month.  In addition to this, time will be provided for kids to come together to work on projects or complete science experiments together. They also will be able to study for upcoming tests and share the projects they have already done to practice public speaking skills.

Church Recommended Curriculum

Starting this year, the church is promoting Alpha Omega Publishing as our recommended curriculum provider.  Alpha Omega creates different versions of their curriculum.  Switched on Schoolhouse is the computer-based program that Shofar School previously used in the Philippines.  Lifepac is the same curriculum, only in workbook form.  Both Switched on Schoolhouse and Lifepac provide a great academic education, while providing a Biblical foundation.

Having a church recommended curriculum makes the transition easier for new families beginning homeschooling, since all families are now using the material. It also provides kids in the same grade the opportunity to work on the same lessons at the same time. We will use some of our work-together time on Thursdays to work on the regular curriculum.

Sports and Fitness

We will also spend some of the time on physical education by learning different sports together.  In the month of August, we learned all about baseball.  Although we weren’t able to play an actual game due to COVID restrictions, we still had a great time!  Parents and kids practiced throwing, catching and batting family-style, as well as learning the ins and outs of the game. In the up-coming fall months, we are looking forward to continuing with a variety of sports.  Several covenant members have volunteered to teach us about volleyball, football and basketball. 

With these changes we hope to provide a better learning and fitness opportunities for the kids and get more involvement from the church members who will occasionally join us. Thanks for all your support and prayers as we start a new school year, and especially for our new homeschooling families!

A Recent Field Trip to the Environmental Site

August 25, 2020 Shofar Missions Cebu

Read the latest update from Shofar Mission in Cebu City, Philippines.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Psalm 121:1-2

One end of our road has been barricaded since quarantine started in March. Therefore, we are forced to go in and out of our community by turning left instead of right (which has always been our normal and most direct route out). The change isn’t so bad, though, since the other direction provides a stunning view of the mountains. No, we can’t climb them or cross them just yet, but every time I see them, I’m reminded of God’s presence and help in Psalm 121:1-2.

Over the past few weeks, God has allowed us to move about the city a little more freely than before. We’ve been able to work from the office most days, which has been a breath of fresh air. It’s nice to get out on our bikes, to see the city, and reunite with familiar faces of some people we haven’t seen in months!

Thankful for brief moments of fellowship at the office!

Exploring Creation Science

Virtual lessons have ended for the summer, so Laura has been preparing to start virtual lessons for the school year. Some of the private schools have started to meet online already, while the opening of all public schools has been postponed until October. This school year, Laura’s planning to develop new curriculum (hint: it’s out of this world), reach out to new schools, build up a media library for teachers to have access to resources, and continue the Daily Bible Reading posts that started during the summer. Other “creative ideas” are in the works as things are continually changing!

University Outreach

None of the universities in the city are planning to meet in person this semester, so we’re seeking God’s guidance and open doors to minister in whatever ways we can. Currently, the newest issue of Word on the Street Magazine is being printed and should be ready this week. We are planning to distribute online and mail copies to the Street Level Ministries members to share where they live. We have also requested approval from the University of the Visayas to include a copy with each modular learning packet that will be mailed to students who are not taking online classes. At the beginning of September, we will kick off the semester by resuming our Friday night Bible discussions – albeit digitally for now. Our hope and prayer is to meet in person as the semester goes on (and if the government eases restrictions).

Prayer Requests

  • God’s hand to be upon all the branches of Shofar Mission. For open doors to minister, and ultimately that our labor would build the kingdom in the Philippines.
  • The expansion of Shofar Cable TV as we are actively seeking to broadcast in Cebu City. We have all the equipment we need, have met with the cable company and are waiting for their approval.
  • Scheduling of virtual science lessons, new and continued relationships with schools, and the development of new curriculum.
  • Passion and desire among the SLM members to keep following God and reaching out to other students this semester.
August 21, 2020 Nehemiah Deacon Ministry
Tuck pointing

Hello all from the Nehemiah ministry! We have been up to some outdoor work as of late. The big focus has been tuck pointing around our church. A wall by the radio room and the back step’s west wall have been getting some much-needed attention. One of the major feats has been completing the “missing” capstone project. Two years ago, the northwest capstone and several feet of the bricks below it were taken clean off the building by sliding snow. Last summer we were able to slowly rebuild the wall and just recently, with the help of a lift, we were able to set the 80 plus pound capstone back in place. We have been learning much about tuck pointing in the meantime too. It’s been a real team building experience.

Campground improvements

Another big project has been preparing the church campground for the annual church camp-out. In early July Nehemiah invited several covenant church members to help us start clearing more camping space in the woods. We seeded the new area down for grass, cut and split more firewood, cleared the hiking trails around the woods, and built a few bridges for the hiking trails as well. The campground is looking very nice these days. Thank you for those who helped us out with that project.

Closing thoughts

Looking forward Nehemiah is going to be upgrading light bulbs in the sanctuary to an LED dimming style. There will be the usual winterizing of the building which means out with the window air conditioners and screens in order to install the solid glass. Lastly, we will continue tuck pointing when we can. There are other things on the docket as well. We have been blessed with having plenty to do. Thank you for allowing us to serve our church body in this way. We are grateful as a ministry to do so.

August 19, 2020 River Falls Ministry

Get the latest news from Believers Church plant and Street Level college ministry in River Falls, WI.

Church Outreach

In early August, we did a coffee giveaway in Veterans Park, downtown on Main Street. We had a beautiful day to give away several gallons of cold brew, coffee, and Blind Munchies stickers. While we served the coffee we handed out information about our weekly Bible studies and also had several good conversations.

Recently, we restarted “live” Bible studies here in River Falls. We have, of course, had to change the flow of things to adapt to the current situation, but we are happy to be getting back to meeting in-person. Also, we’ve started eating simple meals outside after the our Sunday evening meeting – the time of fellowship time has been very welcome.

Additionally, it’s been fun for us to host one of the Wednesday night discussion groups from Menomonie. Each week different people have been traveling here and meeting at the coffeehouse for the discussion. It follows much the same format as in Menomonie, but we are watching the video live stream of Pastor Tim rather than listening on the radio. We follow it up with the same simple discussion format.

Street Level

Our preparation is fully underway for the Fall semester at UW-River Falls. This is the time of year that we start to see a lot of new faces and make new acquaintances. We hope some of these turn into friendship and discipleship relationships. We’ve recently brought on a new student president and have been working with her to navigate the fluid virus-influenced changes.

While we don’t know exactly what to expect, we are doing what we can to be as ready as we can: prepping coffee giveaways, online org presentations, flyers, etc. All these small preparatory projects have become the center of attention. We’re praying that God takes our small offerings and multiplies the effect to add to his kingdom.

Prayer Requests…

  • Pray for our student org president and for our planning: that God would lead us to make great connections with students over the next few weeks.
  • Helpful and creative advertising.
  • That we can have make real relationships with people in the city that would attend the Bible studies.

For Further Information

Get the latest news from Believers Church plant and Street Level college ministry in River Falls, WI.

August 16, 2020 Co/Mission Couples Ministry

The Spring and Summer

Well, this has been an unusual year but with its own interesting twists. OneLife began the spring suspending any gatherings since, well… you know. It was tough to know what we could do and how we would do it, but like the other groups, we began to gather online. First, it was a simple conversation. “What’s happening?” “How’s everyone doing?” We found ourselves talking for a longer period than we anticipated. Life was not great and people were feeling the disconnect. Online meetings were helpful but they kept most of us on the surface.

Then the online meetings morphed. After a cordial conversation, we began to read through a simple devotional and talk about marriage. This added a positive dimension to our online meetings albeit still missing some depth.

So next we tried a game… and on a shared WebEx screen at that. Interestingly, there is a very workable and fun online version of Scattergories. It was amazing to see how fast nobody could come up with obvious answers in 120 seconds. Man, did we laugh! It was people talking over people. It was ultra-chaotic at times for 12+ screens to play a game like this over the inter-webs. While fun, we vowed not to conduct such a competition like this again with so many screens at once.

Together

Since the death of the age of WebEx, we have begun to find ways to get together in person. Our first trek was out to Wakanda Park for a casual 8-mile morning bike ride around the lake loop followed by a picnic under the shaded canopy of hardwoods. The weather was wonderful. This day also marked our first full gathering with those who remain from our previously named older families group, Gnosko. That day was the birth of a new version of couples ministry. Welcome to the crew, guys!

Finally, in an effort to learn more about each other, our last fellowship took us out to the shoreline in Hudson, WI where we each brought curbside dinner and tidbits about ourselves. We went around the group and each couple answered these three questions:

  • How did you and your spouse meet?
  • What was something you remember vividly about your wedding?
  • What is one thing you have learned together from being married?

It was really nice to learn new things about our church family and to reminisce.

What Shall Be

Looking to the future, we have some exciting ideas to round out the warm weather months. Sadly, we will not be playing our annual flag-football game this fall but, never fear, we’re considering Drive-In movies, scavenger hunts, hikes, fires, etc. We also are working on hosting a retreat this fall. Pray for wisdom and clarity.

Meme of the day:

Seriously… me at EVERY store!