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In His Grip – Dr. Chuck Betters
Dear Members and Friends of Glasgow Church:
Can you believe it is already mid-July? It has been a hot and humid summer thus far with no let up in sight. The grass is brown, the gardens are gasping for water, the blacktop is cracking and the farmer’s irrigation machines are in full swing. But, wasn’t it just a few months ago we were hip deep in snow with one blizzard after another burying us and immobilizing our communities? Most of us love mild winters and cool summers. And most of us are disappointed every year. It sure would be great if we could always bask in 72 degree low humidity temperatures with occasional rain to water the earth. But that is not life. That is an unrealistic expectation.
We seem to live in a world of high expectations but disappointing results. Sharon and I went to see Toy Story with our grandkids. The hype was that this movie would be shown in 3D. I expected Woody to look like he was sitting in my lap. Instead, I wore those silly glasses with a very limited 3D experience. The most fun was watching my little grandkids. They had very low expectations and were thrilled with what they received. My thrill was watching them.
Sometimes I feel as though many church people have unrealistic expectations of their churches. For some, the music has to be top notch, concert-like and flawless. The preacher needs to command the pulpit like George Whitfield with the content of Jonathan Edwards. The programs need to meet my personal needs, bar none. And there should be no talk of sacrifice, entering into the pain of another, or God-forbid, any push for money. The building needs to be clean enough to eat off the floor. I should be able to park my car wherever I want and sit in the seat of my choosing. The pastor should be at my beckoned call, a sort of rent-a-pastor, and the elders should make only the decisions with which I agree. After all, this is what I expect.
This is why so many of the sermons Jesus preached left people greatly disappointed. At the heart of His preaching was self-sacrifice, the needs of others, self-denial, cross bearing and other-oriented love. When we walk through life with a focus on how I can meet the needs of someone else, it is very difficult to be disappointed by unrealized expectations since the expectation is on my own performance and not on someone else.
The next time you plan to attend church, why not prepare your heart for aggressive instead of passive participation? Why not spend considerable time confessing personal sin and looking for the message God has in store for you that day? In other words, why not enter into worship with a heart bent on inward change with an outward focus on others? One of the most famous presidential sayings ever recorded starts off with these words, “Ask not….” You know the rest don’t you? Ask not what your church can do for you. Ask what you can do for your church!
Welcome to Charles Ballard
I am pleased to announce that Charles Ballard is being brought on as a part-time intern at CenterPoint Church. His specific role will be two-fold: first, he will be tasked with ministering to current members and regular attendees of CenterPoint who are recovering addicts. Through counseling and mentoring, Charles will work to help them grow in their relationship with the Lord, and strengthen them in their walk of recovery. Second, he will reach out to the Recovering Community in Dover and share the good news of hope found only in Jesus Christ. If the Lord leads some to join us on Sunday morning, Charles will seek to come alongside them in counseling and mentoring them as well.
For those who have limited or no experience in this, addiction to drugs and alcohol is a very real disease. Recovering from addictions is a life-long, difficult road for those who were once enslaved to them. In order to reach and work with recovering addicts, it typically takes someone who has lived through it themselves; someone who has battled their own addiction and are on the same road to recovery now. Those who are further along the road are always reaching back to help those who are not as far along, just as they were once helped by someone further along than them.
As a recovering addict himself who just celebrated two years being clean, Charles will be able to reach the Recovering Addict community in a way I cannot. Charles has “been there.” He can be trusted and listened to by former addicts because he has “earned the right” to speak. More importantly, Charles is also a devout man of God who loves Jesus. He is a long-time member of our church, involved with the Prison ministry through Glasgow, and is currently in our Leadership Training class to test his call as a Deacon. He understands full well that it is Christ and Christ alone who gives us delivery from the bondage of sin, including our addictions. And it is this message of hope that Charles will bring to those who desperately need it.
I am very excited to be working with Charles and can’t wait to see how God blesses our church and those he is called to work with as a result. Charles is being paid a small salary via a short-term grant that was given to our church. We would like to give a special thanks to the Gospel Growth Fund for their generous funding of this position.
- Damon Cinaglia, CenterPoint Campus
In His Grip – Dr Chuck Betters
Dear Members and Friends of Glasgow Church:
As the fall approaches, I have a question for you? Are you “connected” at the church? At Glasgow Church…it is really inexcusable if you are not. Few churches offer a better plethora of opportunities to network with other believers than we do. Allow me to enumerate ten ways that come to mind:
- You can start by visiting the “Connections Café” (Sunday from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m.) and meet other folks who may be looking for the same thing. We meet in the fellowship hall. Just follow the signs. Perhaps you can even help out with the set up. Our contact is Barbie L’Italien at bll1@dca.net.
- You can join the music or tech teams. They all have a great time of fellowship and fun as they use their gifts to glorify God. Choir is on break until September but you can contact Tracey Wallace now at twallace@glasgowchurch.com. For the music team, contact Randy Voight at rvoight@glasgowchurch.com. For the tech team, contact Adam Haas at ahaas@glasgowchurch.com.
- You can (and should) join a “Community” (former Journey) group. If there is no “Community” (Journey) group in your neighborhood, talk to the staff about starting one. You would be surprised at how many Glasgow folks are actually living in your same neighborhood or at least nearby. Contact young Chuck at clbetters@glasgowchurch.com.
- You can become a part of our “Woman to Woman” or “Man to Man” Bible studies. They are in recess right now but will resume on Wednesdays in September. For information on our women’s ministries contact Bev Lum at fb.lum@verizon.net. For information on our men’s Bible study contact Bill Strickland at bilhol@verizon.net.
- Take a glance at our ChurchNext newsletter. At the end of the newsletter is a list of contacts for a variety of ministries of Glasgow Church. Make a contact and see how you can help out.
- Meet someone new via “eye contact friendship.” This simply means that you and a friend look around on a Sunday morning for someone you do not know who appears to be alone or new. Introduce yourselves to them and invite them to sit with you and perhaps have lunch with you. In other words, do not interact ONLY with your friends but make some new ones as well. I cannot tell you how many people say that they feel so lonely even though they are surrounded by a thousand people on a Sunday morning.
- Participate in one of our sports and recreation teams. There is some awesome fellowship taking place there. Brian Cannelongo is your contact bcannelongo@glasgowchurch.com.
- Get involved in “First Touch,” our brand new effort to make folks feel at home on Sunday mornings. This involves everything from the parking lot to the pew. Sharon Betters is your contact there…sharbett@aol.com.
- Work in the nursery, “Kids Church” or youth ministry (REACH). These are some of the best ways to meet young families. Contact Stacey Long for the nursery mlong152@comcast.net. Contact Vicky Mullen for “Kids Church” at missvicky@glasgowchurch.com. Contact Randy Voight for REACH at rvoight@glasgowchurch.com.
- Get involved with our deacons in a variety of “serving” ministries. Contact Jesse Blanton jblanton25@verizon.net.
In His Grip,
PB
Internet Feed Down
The internet is down at church today. Comcast is working to resolve the issue, but as a result, you will not be able to view the service online today. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Worship Service On
Our 1/31 Worship Service is still on, and we look forward to worshipping with you at 10:30 am.
Christmas Concert & Christmas Eve
Thanks to the snow, there is more time to invite friends and family to two awesome music events: our Christmas Concert on Wednesday 12/23 at 7:00pm, and the Christmas Eve service at 6:00 pm. Put the last minute shopping on hold and take some time to rock out and sing out to God with Glasgow’s worship team. The songs over both services have been carefully selected to reflect our “Ancient-Future” model of worship. Below are updated flyers you can print out and use to invite friends and family.
The End of the Beginning
Friday, May 8, 2009 at 2:27pm
All of our business in India was complete. Siddhi was coming home, we were all still suffering under the influence of jet lag, and our taxi would be arriving in a few moments. The whirlwind was beginning to catch up with each of us. We all had our own ways of expressing the creeping feeling of exhaustion. My way is to be quick and curt and business-like. Let’s get the job done and then worry about our emotions.
Three M Art Show & Auction
May 6th
6:00 p.m.
GRPC Family Life Center
“One dollar for our art can change the world… or another person’s heart.” – Isabella Cannelongo, 9 years old.
The art students of the Three M Homeschool Co-op have been putting their hands and their hearts into their artistic creations for the 2009 Art Show and Auction. Each work of original art sold at our auction will benefit charities both here and abroad with art supplies. You are invited!
The evening will begin at 6:00 with a preview of the art work and a brief presentation. Bidding will be held by way of a silent auction. Bids will start at $5, and cash and checks are accepted. Please respond to Heart4Art2U@aol.com as soon as possible with the number of guests planning to attend.
Do you have hands to help?
We need lots of helping hands as we prepare for this exciting, fun evening. If you would be willing to volunteer your time for set-up or to assist the night of the auction, please email Jen Easterday at Heart4Art2U@aol.com with your name and phone number.
About the Charities
Boys and Girls Christian Home
The Mission of Boys and Girls Christian Home in India is to provide orphaned and needy children with all of the benefits of a Christian home: a safe place to live and grow, education, love and spiritual training. The Home does this to contribute to the development of productive citizens of India and to raise up effective citizens of the Kingdom of God. The Home also is committed to the widows of India through the Home of Peace, which provides them with a loving home and care.
Child, Inc.
Child, Inc. has been an advocate for Delaware?s children since 1963. They provide creative prevention and treatment programs that meet the changing needs of families. Child, Inc. serves dependent, neglected and abused children and their parents. They provide programs for those involved in domestic violence situations, especially children. By protecting the victims and treating those responsible for acts of domestic violence, Child, Inc. helps children heal.
Download the flyer here.
New Stewardship Newsletter Available
Click here for the scoop!
Christmas at Glasgow
Schedule of Events
Nov. 21 – Operation Christmas Child
(shoeboxes filled with toys, toiletries for children in third world countries)
Nov. 26 – Thanksgiving Eve Service
GRPC Sanctuary – 7:00 pm
Nov. 29 – Christmas Shoppe
(preschool and elementary school age children shop for parents, family members and leave with wrapped gifts)
GRPC Family Life Center – 9:00 am through noon
Family Kits available during the Christmas Shoppe (advent activities and devotions for December)
Dec. 2 – Annual Christmas T.E.A. – “The Gift of Christmas”
Hosted by Women in the Church (WIC) for women/girls (5 yr. and older)
Donations of a new teddy bear will be accepted and given to local police station who use them for children in crisis situations
Dec. 7, 14, 21 – Special Christmas Worship Services
9:15 – Pastor Dan – the book of Daniel
11:00 – Pastor Betters – “AVE MARIA – Gratia Plena”
Dec. 15 – Wing Bowl I
GRPC Loft (third floor) – 8:00 pm
Men’s Event – Monday Night Football and Food!
Dec. 24 – Candle Light Christmas Eve Service
GRPC Sanctuary – 6:00 pm
Nursery available for infants through 2 years old
Throughout the month of December our deacons will also be collecting gifts for local children in need.