Why We Celebrate Easter

Dear Friends,

            “In the beginning…” are the first words that reveal the amazing story of God’s love for us.  These words are the words of God to the world he created with the intention that the creatures He made would worship Him.

            As we prepare for Easter, my prayer as your pastor, is that every person who hears the Easter story would recognize the love of God in a personal application.

            That love was made personal by a Savior, Jesus Christ, God’s Son so that we could be reconciled, that is brought back, to the relationship that sin broke between God and mankind!

            We celebrate at Easter Christ’s death and resurrection!  This action by our Savior gave us a new life and purpose for living for today!

            What is the purpose of the church and her mission?

            You need to go back to the beginning!

            This reminded me of an example of how successful companies recognize goals and expectations in promoting their product.

            For example, most soda manufacturing companies were shut down during WWII because sugar was in short supply, but the chairman of Coca-Cola convinced the U.S. Government that soldiers needed Coke as a morale booster.  Hence, Coke was distributed to all the theaters of battle.  After the war, Coke had an immediate foothold in overseas markets because they were instantly recognized!

            What does this have to do with our church, Easter and your spiritual life?

            There are two fronts in the church today where the church is being especially challenged.

            The first is to communicate the love of Jesus.  It’s basic but it involves the obvious.  How do we show Christian love modeled through Christ?

            You see successful companies were masters at communicating expectations.  At Sully Reformed, our goal should be to communicate, in various ways and means, the value of relationships built on Jesus Christ.

            The second front, that we as a church should be actively addressing, is the ability to envision a goal in Christ.

            Basically, this means to develop plans to “run the race for Christ” in a way that connects our mission with the needs our community and world we face today and tomorrow!

            I see so many dead, stagnant and lethargic churches populated with members content to be the last one to “turn the light out”! Pray that we never embrace that direction.

            Easter is a time to return “to the beginning” and celebrate being a church that is not self serving, but serving for Christ!

Have a Blessed Easter!

In Christ,

Work Faithfully & Diligently

Dear Friends,

            I spent several evenings last week watching the Winter Olympics. 

            I am amazed at the skills demonstrated by the athletes as they participated in their particular winter sports event.

            What also generated my interest, are the stories that are often behind the athletes medals of gold, silver or bronze.

            One of my favorite stories this year is of the USA’s snowboarding bronze medalist, Alex Deibold.  He was an unknown behind the scenes Olympic participant that no one knew!

            In the last winter Olympics, he went as a snowboard technician.  This means he would wax and scrape and grind the snowboards for his teammates who were participants in the events.

            This year he stood on the ceremony podium representing the USA as a bronze medalist.

            This reminded me of Elisha’s servant Gehazi.  He worked alongside the greatly respected and God-anointed prophet Elisha.

            Gehazi was often charged to go to difficult situations.  Remember the widow whose son had died?  Gehazi was there but nothing happened when Gehazi was on the scene.  Enter Elisha.  A miracle occurs.  The child was raised.

            Later on in the chapter (2 Kings 4), a famine struck the area.  Gehazi was told to make stew. Inadvertently poisonous plants were used to make the stew and everybody cried out they were going to die!  Again Elisha shows up to fix the problem.

            Gehazi had done all the work and Elisha gets all the credit!  So it is with serving today!  It is so easy to feel used and unappreciated!

            I want to thank all those who serve behind the scenes in ministry.  You work faithfully and diligently, yet someone else gets the praise and attention!  Your efforts make the individual or program a success!

            Our God who rewards in secret will never overlook your commitment.

            Thank you again to all of you who serve the Lord and his church in so many unseen but powerful ways!

I love the verse, “For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have shown towards His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints!”  Hebrews 6:10

Have a great day in the Lord!

Pastor Wayne

Mercy, Hospitality and Listening – Care Ministry

Dear Friends,

                Sunday (January 19) we began a new era of caring ministry in our congregation.

                We commissioned twelve new care teams that will aid our 7 elder and deacon teams.  This makes nineteen teams that will be using their gifts of care and nurture for Christ’s church in the body we call Sully First Reformed.

                As your pastor, this has been one of my dreams to help develop and disciple our congregation into a caring and loving body of believers.

                The care team ministry was developed so that there is not one person who is inadvertently missing the Christian care and love that we desire to show one another.

                It also is an opportunity to allow members to use their gifts of mercy, hospitality and listening.

                Our care teams will compliment the care of the elders and deacons that has and will continue to be so faithfully done but will give everyone a greater opportunity to serve.

                As your pastor, I am aware of the needs that a congregation of our size represents as well as the great possibilities of service that God has in store for us if we are willing to serve together and refresh ourselves.

                I am reminded of this example of coming together and refueling our care service.

                The Strategic Air Command – our nations’ defense system – operates 24 hours a day as a shield of protection for our nation.  That means that at any point in a given day there are planes carrying nuclear warheads in the air over our country.  If these planes fly constantly, how do they keep them full of fuel?  In the military, they do what’s called mid-flight refueling.  A refueling plane actually flies up next to the Strategic Air Command plane, docks in, and refuels in flight.

                We know together we can provide the care needed for each other as we help one another care for one another in Christ.

                “For this reasons we never become discouraged … yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day.”  2 Corinthians 4:16

                May we be ready to receive the Lord’s blessings as we love and care for one another in Christ!

Blessings!

Pastor Wayne

                

"WATCH YOUR WALK"            

            Last Saturday as the weather grew worse and the mist turned the sidewalks into a deadly ice rink filled with potential dangerous slips and slides, I remarked to staff members at church to “watch your walk” as they headed out the door.

            Reflecting on my warning, I thought to myself, I said that wrong. I wanted to say, “Watch where you step.”

            However, reflecting on my verbal misuse I thought about what I did say.

            “Watch your walk” I thought descirbes how we as Christians and as a church should approach the new year of 2014.

            Matthew 7:14 says, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

            Does that mean it is impossible to lead a Godly life? No.

            What it means is that in the world people will often walk a path of life that is not obedient to the call of our Lord.

            It is easy to walk that walk because the path is wide and the choices we make do not take into consideration what God has asked us to do.

            For the Christian, it means that we put aside our desires, our ability to control things for our own wants and needs and put others first.

            The implications for our church is one where we “do these things” in the name of Christ and put ourselves second.

            When a church and its members have a vision that gives empowerment to the Holy Spirit, watch it grow and go!

            It now has a purpose that is not hidden in words and formal statements but lived out where the community and world sees it!

            I call on our church not to be a spectator for the events that God has placed before us.  Be a participant in the body of Christ and “watch your walk” become filled with purpose and enthusiasm for the Christ we call Lord. 

            I am looking forward to the year as we pray the prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”  And God granted his request.

Blessings!

Pastor Wayne

“Our Vision:  Our Intent Not to be Content”

Dear Friends,

                Can you believe it!  It was over three years ago, in the summer of 2010, that we started the journey towards the completion of a vision we now know as the Legacy project!

                Now on November 17, 2013 at our Sunday morning worship service, we will dedicate the Legacy addition to the glory of God.

                From the beginning, we sought to incorporate the transitions of needs (we called them values) with the expression of our faith mission.

                Our theme scripture verse was taken from Psalm 71:17-18, “Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.  Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.”

                It was from this understanding of scripture that gave us the purpose of the building project we named the Legacy Project.

                Before we broke ground in June of 2012, the building committee narrowed down the value needs that were identified from our congregational forums.

                Thus, the fellowship hall represented the need to develop relationships; the expanded kitchen, a need to share ministry through meals; the elevator, an opportunity to allow everyone access to worship; relocated offices allowed an expanded education and youth ministry, etc.

                These examples reflect just a portion of those values that were identified and are being lived out.

                During the journey of the building of the Legacy addition, came the added benefit of congregational members using their gifts for God.

                It has been a project marked by enthusiasm and unity!

                Thus, it is fitting to thank all who have participated in this project.  A special thank you is extended to the members of the building committee who have spent long and countless hours working through the details that have become a reality.

                The congregation has been outstanding in their faithful giving and stewardship in support of this project.  As we transition from the construction phase, we have around $425,000 on our building loan.

                “Are we done?”

                “No, we have just begun!”  I say!

                I believe this church, as member of the body of Christ have a tremendous message to share with those who have yet to find a church home, to those who have yet to know a personal Jesus.

                This addition represents our intent not to be content, but to make it our mission to Impact lives for Christ!

                Join us in this celebration in worship and a meal together on November 17 at 10:00 a.m.

                Let’s pass the Legacy of faith even as we “pass the potatoes”!

                Way to go First Reformed!

In Christ,

Pastor Wayne

"Finishing Touches"

When I went to college, the first item of business was to get moved in to my dorm room.  It was usually a picture of mayhem. There would be people in every nook and cranny of every staircase in every level all the way to the parking lot. A mixture of parents and students would fill the halls. Boxes and pillows intermingled with books and second hand sofas filled the dorm halls. Eventually, all would be crammed and stowed in rooms that would become your home for nine months.

But not all was done!!

Each roommate would begin to personalize their section of the room. I would hang up my favorite poster including Dick Butkus-Chicago Bears-(even though I was a Vikings fan) and place my girlfriend’s picture (Tammy-yes the same who become my wife) next to that of my family on the top shelf of the little study cubicle. I then would arrange my stash of food in the order of how easy is was to find. The best stash was hidden from marauding friends that were always looking to score a quick bite to satisfy an omnipresent hunger!

Finally, when all this was completed I would echo the words of Genesis 1:31 “And God saw all that he had made, and it was very good”

Finishing touches were not the first efforts of the process of getting moved in to my room. They came in the end when I had figured out where I wanted things to be.

This memory of mine reminds me of where we are with our Legacy project. We are just about complete with the project. We are entering the phase of finishing touches. We make an adjustment here and make tweak there to get the “lay of the land”! We are anxious to begin to use it and have begun to do so as the project has allowed. Classes have begun to meet in areas of the new building and the nursery has been put to use. This past vwSunday (Sept. 22), our fellowship hall will be used for coffee after church for the first time. The Sunday of dedication has been set for November 24 where we will celebrate God’s faithfulness and the unity of His people who “had a mind to build”. We will dedicate this building to the glory of God and to the continued mission of the ministry of First Reformed to be a light for Jesus Christ.

Finishing touches! Are we done?

Like a good craftsman who constantly seeks to improve his skill we will continue to seek the Lord’s guidance in ministering to our community and world. Our task is not done until the Lord declares it so!

May we be encouraged by the opportunity and mission God has given us. The Legacy Building project has given us a reminder of what we are meant to be as a community of believers.

Enjoy the moving in!  See you in Church!

Blessings!

Pastor Wayne

The church is in full fall mode as we prepare to set in motion the educational programs of the fall.  The opportunities to serve as teachers, youth sponsors, power point volunteers, kitchen help, STARS (our after school program) volunteers and countless other areas of the church abound. Take a look in the church bulletin and pick your area of service!

First Reformed’s motto is “Impacting Lives for Christ”.

Sometimes the opportunity to be a student of our motto literally comes to your doorstep. Last week Sunday, a family of four stood at the entrance to our south parking lot with a large sign asking for work.  What is a Christian to do?  What do we do at First Reformed?

I spotted this situation as I walked home to help host Connections, our post high young adult class. Following a quick conversation of broken English that revealed a story that I have heard many times before, I decided to see what we could do to provide legitimate assistance. 

The following is written in the words of one of those young adults, Taylor Van Wyk, when I asked for a volunteer to assist me with this family. I believe Taylor’s response gives an insight into the struggle we all have when our calling as followers of Christ comes knocking at our front door.

“Pastor Wayne walked through his kitchen doorway on August 18 and stated that he will be back in a little bit because he had a “special situation” that he had to go investigate. At this exact moment, Connections for post high students, was taking place in his home. Before he could explain what he was doing, my mind was reeling about what could possibly be the special situation here in Sully. It turns out, in the south parking lot, there was a family traveling back from New York to California and was asking for work around the area. After Pastor Wayne communicated with this family, he came back and said he was bringing food out to them. I was blessed with the opportunity to carry water bottles and pop to this family. My heart was filled with happiness after having an encounter with the little girl of the family. Pure innocence was written across her face as she had no idea why I was giving her the bottles of water. After reflecting on what I had just experience , I felt that the most frustrating part in a situation of helping the homeless or those in need is that one will never have the answer if it was a hoax or whether they were truly in need of our help. However, who are we to judge. This brings me to a couple verses. Luke 14: 12-14 states, Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a dinner,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors.  For they will repay you by inviting you back.  Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the godly, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” I found this to be a fitting passage because instead of inviting them over, we brought our company to them and assisted to their needs. The greatest rewards come when you least expect them to as we are touching lives little by little. “

Taylor, I could not have said that any better!

The church exists for moments such as these, the expected and the unexpected, when we respond to being the hands and feet of Jesus. It is putting into practice the lessons of our Teacher, our Lord Jesus Christ!

Let us be prepared when our calling as a student of Jesus comes knocking at our door!

Blessings!

Pastor Wayne and Taylor Van Wyk