Friday, July 27, 2012

Word on the Street

The furnishings campaign for our new building has begun. It is called "From the Heart" and it gives us all the opportunity to remember and pay tribute to the special people in our lives. On our website there is a brochure that describes the guidelines and all the items being requested for the new building (click here). I invite you to carefully read through this brochure and spend time in prayer about your contribution to this effort. You can also get a printed brochure at the church.


I believe it is very important to clearly understand what we are doing. This is a furnishings campaign not a furniture campaign. Every item on this list will someday have to be replaced but the legacy of love we generate through this campaign will never be replaced. In preparing to make a contribution to this campaign ask yourself these questions before you choose any of the items:

  1. Do I love this church?
  2. Do I love someone who I want to honor or remember?

After you answer these questions, then begin to search for items that represent the people you care about. The Furnishings Committee has given us a wonderful set of choices that will affect the ministry we perform at Grace Avenue in a wide number of areas. For those who simply want to honor or remember someone, but do not know which area or items they want choose, there is a great gift card option. If you so desire, contributions can be made anonymously or simply "to the glory of God."

My family is planning on choosing six items; four items to honor each of our four children, one item to honor Laura's parents and one item to remember my parents. As we have prayed about this, we plan to spend at least $1000 on each of the six items. Your plan needs to be based on your prayers but this much I know; everyone can do something.


I am so excited about the progress on our new building and the plans for the renovation of our existing Worship Center. The new building still looks like it is on target to open sometime in December of this year, but I am even more excited about the ministry of "Making Disciples and Making a Difference through Jesus Christ" that will happen in this new building. Thank you in advance for the generosity I know you will show "From the Heart".



Friday, July 20, 2012

Word on the Street

July 20, 2012

The echoes of Vacation Bible Camp resound: Look Up & Trust God!

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Friday, July 13, 2012

Word on the Street

July 13, 2012

One of my favorite storytellers is Garrison Keillor. He is famous for his yarns about a fictional small town in Minnesota called Lake Wobegon often told on the syndicated radio program "A Prairie Home Companion". The parody is about the fact that, from the outside, nothing much exciting happens there, but if you live in Lake Wobegon, there is always "news". Keillor finishes every newscast from Lake Wobegon with the phrase; "where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking and all the children, above average".


It is a bit of an overstatement to say that we don't live in Lake Wobegon. We live in the extremes of stress and escape. We are either so busy with so many important things or we run away to mindless, self-indulgent, sometimes dysfunctional endeavors. Psychologists call it "fight or flight".


God calls us to the simple joys of everyday living. God calls us to appreciate the ordinary experiences in our lives that are extraordinary because of God's love. Philippians 4: 4-7 says: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."


Garrison Keillor states: "Gentleness is everywhere in daily life, a sign that faith rules through ordinary things: through cooking and small talk, through storytelling, making love, fishing, tending animals and sweet corn and flowers, through sports, music and books, raising kids-- all the places where the gravy soaks in and grace shines through."


This week are you living in the extremes or in the places where "the gravy soaks in and the grace shines through"?

Monday, July 2, 2012

Word on the Street

I was on vacation last week in Washington D.C. It is always amazing to see the richness of our nation's heritage depicted in the buildings, museums, monuments and institutions. When I go there and experience these things I realize that I am not simply encountering the past. I am also encountering a challenge as to what kind of citizen I will be in the future.

One evening we went to the area of the Tidal Basin just before sunset. A walk around the south and west side of the Tidal Basin will now take you to the Thomas Jefferson, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, Jr. memorials. In the Jefferson Memorial stands the large statue of Jefferson along with four panels of inscription quoting the famous Founding Father from Virginia. On the fourth panel are the words:

"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

As I read these words I thought about our country and our church. No one would ever have accused Thomas Jefferson of "Good Ol' Days" syndrome. Jesus said it this way: "No one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. (Luke 5: 37-38).

With you on Grace Avenue,

Billy Echols-Richter
Pastor