The Flame May / June 2011

8/7/2019 The Flame May / June 2011

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The FameThe magazine of Christ Church

Rev. Shane BishopSenior Pastor

Rev. Aen MierAssociate Pastor

Donna HarrisonEditor

Justin AmerDirector of Communications

Service TimesSunday8:30am, 10:30am, 6:00pm

Saturday5:00pm

Barbara GermanProof Reader

Christ Church339 Frank Scott Pkwy EFairview Heights, IL 62208618.277.4659

For a complete listing of the ChristChurch Staff and to learn more aboutChrist Church please visit:

www.mchristchurch.com

Copyright 2011, Christ Church.Questions about the Flame?Contact Donna Harrison at:[email protected]

A Note From The Editor

When I think of family, I see my handsome husband of 30 years this July,my adult children, their spouses and my 4 beautiful grandchildren. But myfamily consists of more than those who sit at my dinner table and call meMom and Grandma.

Each time I walk through the doors at Christ Church I am surrounded by mybrothers and sisters in Christ. What a blessed and precious bond we shareId like to encourage you to open your heart to God, the loving Father whogave His one and only Son so we may have life eternal. Find a place to serveyour church family; when you do, youll be in the company of those who loveGod, love neighbor and want to see others connect with Jesus Christ.

In His Name, Donna Harrison

Contents3 Newlyweds: The Family Begins...or Continues.By Jeff Allen

4 The World As I See ItBy Rev. Shane Bishop

5 Spotlight On Ministry6 A Farewell MessageBy Rev. Allen

7 Wide, and Long, and High, and DeepBy Mary Ann Turner

8 RhythmBy Rachel Frazure

9 Getting To Know You

10 Were Family!By Rev. Allen

11 A Grand (Fathers) LifeBy Fred Bishop

12 Your Childs Spiritual Survival: How Far Will You Go?By Demian Farnworth

13 The Power of a DadBy Nick Turner

14 Family NeedsBy Steve Barrett

14 CEPIMBy Larry Weber

15 Watch Us Grow


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The Word As I See ItBy Rev. Shane Bishop

As I write this article I am reecting upon what itmeans to be 49 years of age. For one, it means thatnext year at precisely 2:22 in the afternoon of April 2,I will be 50. I will clearly have to set more time asideto ponder that one.

The concept of family looms foremost in my mindtoday. I am so glad to be a part of the family of God.As I mature as a person of faith, I am constantlyoverwhelmed by the wonder of Christs acceptanceof me. Despite my selshness, pride, failures and

short comings, Christ died for me and because ofthe work of Easter, I am accepted by God! I rejoicein my decision to accept Christ years ago, but I amblown away by the fact that Christ accepts me! Iam so thankful for my biological family. When bothof our children married three years ago, Melissaand I suddenly went from two children to four. Withthe emergence of Maddox Bishop Blaha and ElijahChristian Bishop, the family again expanded. AsI write, I have just returned from Memorial Hospitalwelcoming my rst granddaughter to the world. To addto the joy, my sister Jills family and my parents all live

within a couple of miles of us. Being near my family isnot something I take for granted. I am so thankful forthe Christ Church family. As I prepare to enter yearfteen as your Senior Pastor, I nd that I truly love thischurch and the people who comprise her more eachday. We have so many dedicated people here whoso freely give of their gifts, talents and time to makethis a truly unique church. I cant wait for Sundays tocome around. It seems God never fails to show upin unexpected ways when we worship. I love going

to work everyday! You are each a true gift to my lifeand ministry. I am grateful for my United Methodisfamily. It is an absolute joy to serve under BishopGregory Palmer and Superintendent Gary Wilson. My

colleagues in ministry comprise some of my closestfriends and God has given me many opportunities tolead both regionally and nationally in this denominationin this past year. John Wesleys message has nevebeen more relevant! I am delighted to be a part of thehuman family. As we emerge from The Hole in OuGospel study, I am acutely aware of the blessings have as a USAmerican and of the responsibility I havein being a blessing to the world. I am just beginningto understand that I am indeed my brothers keeperand in this epiphany, I nd myself wanting to better

serve my neighbor and loving God all the more for myefforts.

So I am 49. I have lost some of my foot speed, rangeand vertical leap; they moved me from shortstopto second base on the tournament softball team. can barely see without glasses, my hair is white andthinning and a normal day now consists of achesand pains that would have constituted an emergencyroom visit twenty years ago. But I still have plenty ore in my belly, Holy Spirit rattling in my bones anda few hundred more line drives to hit. I have some

good sermons yet to preach, a shift from mortgageto mission to navigate and there are plenty of peoplewho need introduced to Jesus Christ. Good heavensI am just getting started!

And that is the worldas I see it.


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Spotight OnMinistr

BIRTHDAy WISHES FOR CHIlDREN

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)Therefore, my dear brothers, stand rm. Let nothingmove you. Always give yourselves fully to the workof the Lord, because you know that your labor in theLord is not in vain.

Today we often spoil our kiddos with birthday parties

suitable for a rock star! How blessed are we to live insuch favor? For those we serve there are no optionsfor lavish parties with a lengthy invitation list; no bouncycastles or party favors; gifts and birthday cakes. TheChristian Activity Center (CAC) staff estimates over80% of the 500 children they serve weekly haveNEVER had a birthday party. At an alarming 57% inextreme poverty, birthdays are often overlooked.

We connect people with Jesus Christ using onesimple tool: a birthday party! Birthday Wishes ForChildren (BWFC) bring parties to children who may

otherwise never have a celebration. We recognizethe signicance of a birthday in a childs life andbelieve the gift of a party provides joy and hope inan otherwise chaotic time. Our committed volunteersmake all children feel special regardless of their livingsituation. Guiding our work is the belief that we areall Gods children and we celebrate together as partof His family. There is no greater reward than seeinga smiling child proclaiming, This is the BEST dayEVER!

BWFC serves 3 locations: Nikki Gentes leads CACEast St Louis (http://cacesl.org/), Lona Berndt leadsAlmost Home/St. Louis (http://www.almosthomestl

org/), and Amy Walter leads Violence PreventionCenter/Belleville. Seeds are being prayerfullyplanted to expand to another local teen mothersshelter. Monthly visits allow us to develop valuablerelationships while offering our presence, prayers andsupport. We assemble 20-50 gift bags monthly; giveprayer & devotion on topics like peer pressure, kindwords, or weathering lifes storms. Enjoy gamescrafts, cake, ice cream, presents and hugs! Our prayewarriors pray in earnest over prayer bag requestsFrom the heart of one teen mom: Pray that I nd a

way to live by Gods word so that I may go to heavenPray that I live in his presence and to make a changein my life. Pray that I let God in my life to guide me todo positive things.

Your generous donations bless BWFC! We use newor gently-used toys, books, kids bibles/Christianmaterials to ll the gift bags with loving remindersthat God loves and remembers them. Sabra Cabochampions our offshoot Welcome Home ministryhelping teen moms furnish their rst apartments withdonated furniture and household items. Your gifts

bless them with a fresh start.

BWFC is an energetic ministry full of power-hitters foChrist! Some volunteers were once teen parents whoshare their experience, strength, and hope. Join thispowerful ministry as we roll up our sleeves and washthe feet of others together - theres always room at outable and we need your talents! For more informationcontact Julie Eichholz at [email protected] 618.799.9888.


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A Farewe MessageBy Rev. AllenThe deeper I travel into life (I am 41 years old yeah,I cant believe it either), the more I come to realizethat life is all about relationships. Theres a lot of giveand take in relationships. Within relationships, I havelearned, life is also lled with many transitions. In thepast, I remember how hard it was saying goodbye toCarla, my girlfriend/playmate from preschool up tothird grade back in my East Alton days. We saidso long to each other. I moved. My family moved to

Belleville. Since the days of Carla and early childhood,I have said goodbye to several friends, a couple of oldgirlfriends, my home church family, several churchesI served, a few family members and the restaurantbusiness. Well, I still eat in restaurants Nowmy family and I face the ritual of saying goodbyegraciously to our Christ Church Family as well as tothe city of Fairview Heights.

My Call into the ministry began when I was 10 yearsold. I began answering Gods Call on my life backin 1996. Now, I continue to answer Gods Call as I

return to the familiar landscape and role of solo pastor.The lingo is Directing Pastor up in Central Illinois.At this time of year pastors receive phone calls. Ireceived a phone call! I will begin to serve as pastorof Sugar Creek Church in Chatham in the SangamonRiver District, effective July 1. That leaves all of us ahandful of weeks to say goodbye. Throughout the lifeand ministry, I have both given and received at ChristChurch; I have had many memorable, wonderfulexperiences as well as dening, formative experiences

while serving as your associate pastor. Thanks fothe hugs, tears, words of love and encouragement wehave shared with each other.

While speculation of my move may run rampant, this isa move I requested. The decision to initiate the moveresides solely with me. I have served as a solo pastoin the past, and strongly desire to return to that role. am interested in preaching every Sunday morning. saw Jesus and He spoke to me almost 10 years agoThat has forever changed my life and impacted whoI am. I had a raging re burning inside me the lasseven years before I came to Christ Church as I ledchurches to increase some of their vitality and improveon some of their effectiveness, as I went on my Walkto Emmaus, as I went to a Holy Spirit Conferencecalled Aldersgate in Decatur, and as I went to severaLeadership Summits sponsored by Willow CreekI was a pastor on re. I couldnt sit still. I didnsleep much at night out of the sheer excitement over

what God was doing in me, my churches and myparishioners lives. When I came to Christ ChurchI left my village of 500 people behind and entered awhole new world I transitioned from a pastor onre to a pastor with some re. As an associate, humbled myself, or I was humbled, however it workedout. The re remains inside of me who else is goingto invite 600-800+ people to church this summer? Mydeepest desire and passion is to see changed livesfor Jesus Christ including mine. Jesus is in my lifeand God is working on me! My lifes purpose is tolead churches. Thats my calling. My passion is to domy part to grow churches.

Over the course of the last several months, I havebeen lled with longing, restlessness, tugging andthe presence of God nudging me. I trust God to leadme. It is a wonderful and hard thing to explain, buseveral times Ive been up late into the night, sensingthat God is tugging on me. Ive told my future districsuperintendent Terry Harter that I do not have all theanswers, but Im eager to keep learning. And I wilshare the gifts and graces that I do have. My hear

is in parish ministry. I have been with hundreds andhundreds of you in our Christ Church Family. Thankyou so much for your patience, your love, your supportand your encouragement! We have a few weeks fothis move to soak in and spend time together, thenwell say goodbye at the end of June. Please keepme and my family in prayer as we travel through thistime of transition. I appreciate all that you have donefor my family and the support, encouragement andlove you have shared with me!


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Wide, and long, andHigh, and DeepBy Mary Ann Turner

The possibility of a mothers love is as deep as the

ocean. It will cause her to embrace laughter likenone other, have pride that needs to be reigned in,passion revealing the depth of her own needs andshortcomings, and memories that remain as real aswhen she rst lived them. At times she will experiencedesperation driving her to her knees, nights lled withhalf sleep, tears of intense joy or pain, and ultimately,a deeper understanding of the love of God.

We would never sacrice our children willingly yet weserve a God who sacriced His only son, a God who

reached down to us, who made a way for us to stripoff the pride and pretension and repent of our sin andreceive Life. If you have ever listened to a confessiongiven by your child, whatever other emotions you mayhave experienced at the time, the one that I thinkstands out the most is compassion and the desire tohold them close, to communicate a depth of love thathas no words. Its a desire to take it away and make itright. That is what God does for us. My children havetaught me so much about the love of Christ and forthat I am eternally grateful.

Just ve more questions mommy . . . just ve more.I can still hear my daughters little voice at bedtimedelaying sleep and me submitting, with every tiredbone in my body, to her questions. I recall thesweetness of looking at her little face and then kissingher goodnight, all tucked in with songs and prayers.We learned that God never tires of our questions.

With happy songs about re trucks, boats and planesand goodnight kisses and hugs, my son fell asleep

easily but would often awake in the night. Hearingthose little feet and feeling the touch of his preciouslittle hand, I was able to instantly open my eyes(Mommy radar!) Wed pray and learn together to trusour God that never slumbers and never sleeps.

The rewards are priceless--childhood voices offering

a Mommy, let me pray for you, the wuv notes found scattered throughout the days, the celebrationof knowing they are saved by the grace and love ofChrist alone. I cant think of a better calling in life thanbeing a mother and raising disciples of and for Christ

God gives grace and wisdom to release our children alittle at a time. Children, according to Psalm 127, arearrows in our quiver--not meant to be hovered overthey are meant to be released to make an impact inthe world for Christ. There is no greater joy than this!

I am a grandmother now.Grammy. I amexperiencing pure delight. This season of life affordsmore time to savor the moments, time to fully realizethat the mistakes and pleasures of motherhood arecovered with a certainty of Gods mercy and gracewith much more to learn in the years God will give tome. Thankfully, the God designed rhythm of life goeson and I trust that my grandson will have plenty toteach me. I plan on teaching him too, about Love thatis deeper than the ocean, found only in Jesus Christ.

(In the real life stuff of motherhood our experiencesare varied. As I pondered the writing of this piece itis with deep respect for each reader and any painregret, or loss we experience on lifes journey. We canhave complete condence that Jesus Christ covers itall with His love and His bloodshed on the cross fous. Gods love is the only perfect parental love. I prayfor all of us to be condent in the comfort found undethe covering of His unending love.)


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RhthmBy Rachel Frazure

Rhythm? My familyhas it. I would like tosay it is in the genes.My husband Don and Ihad a feeling that any

children that the Lordwould bless us withwould have at least a slight inkling of artistic air dueto our musical backgrounds. Juliana, our 8 year old,has been doing her own version of scat singing sinceshe was 2, often inserting syncopated rhythms. Shealso has a thing for the drums. Shelby, our 4 yearold, has a very pretty singing voice, and we might seeAmerican Idol in her future, but it will totally be herdecision! Yes, our family has rhythm, but where weneed improvement is creating rhythm within our home,

and that wont happen with any musical lessons.

In Deuteronomy Chapter 6, Moses is putting out a callto the Israelites for a wholehearted commitment and hegives the Israelites a plan to transfer their faith to thenext generation. Deuteronomy 6:4-6 are some of themost powerful scriptures in the Bible urging us to loveGod with all our heart, soul and strength and to makea wholehearted commitment to our love of God and tothe commands He has given us. In Deuteronomy 6:7-9, Moses talks about how to live out this commitmentand that this love must be shared with our family. We

are to repeat them again and again to our children;talk about them at home and on the road; and whengoing to bed and when getting up. In the book ThinkOrange, author Reggie Joiner offers a translation ofhow Moses might have given these commandmentsto families of today: If you are going to impress thesetruths in the hearts of your children, you will have to bemore deliberate about creating a rhythm within yourhome. In the future, there will be a host of things thatwill distract you, and it will be easy to drift away fromthe importance of having an everyday kind of faith.

Children learn best through routine. Even the mostchaotic households (including mine) have routines thatmake the day run a lot smoother. My kids know theorder of events in the morning before school, and wealso have a bedtime routine, which includes watchinga classic cartoon or short story on Daddys AT&TPhone yes, thats what they call it! Could Mosesbe suggesting establishing a routine or a rhythm in ourhomes which teaches us to impress on the hearts ofour children the character of God?

Tak about them when ou are at homeSit down and eat together. As I was writing this, realized we as a family had only sat down twice theprevious week as a family to eat. I texted that to Donand he just wrote back Thats sad! Mealtimes allowfor intentional discussions. It is one of the few timesthat you are all sitting down together!

Tak about them when ou are on the roadGet off the cell phone, turn off the radio or DVD playerand temporarily hide your childs gaming system. Lethose car rides be a time of positive, life-changingconversations with your child. I heard a story of amother whose child was asking about Jesus from theback seat of the car. As a result, they pulled over andthe child prayed to receive Christ into her life. I knowthat mother will never forget that car ride.

Tak about them when ou are going to bed

Dont just send your kids to bed, but take them to bedMy kids are still rather young, so this doesnt seem tooodd for me. However, I wonder if there is a time whenmy kids will get too old and I will miss out on thoseintimate conversations with them? I hope that I wilhave lots of opportunities to listen to my children atbedtime listen to their heart and let them know at thatmoment how much I love them and most importantlyhow much Jesus loves them.

Tak about them when ou are getting upI dont know about you, but mornings are primetime to

me, because it is a brand new day a fresh start. It isalso a brand new day to set a good course relationallywith your children. In Think Orange, Reggie Joinesays Just a few encouraging words carefully spokenor written can give your children a sense of value andinstill purpose. How many carefully spoken wordshave you instilled in your child before sending themout the door for the day? It really makes me think.

You may be like me and say Well, I spend time withmy family we just spent the WHOLE day at the zootogether! However, the difference is that rhythm isoften a strong, repeated pattern. So, rhythm, in andof itself requires that we be intentional and constant. encourage you to read Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 and beginthinking now how you can create rhythm within youhome that will make a spiritual impact on your homeand on your kids. I suggest that the rhythm you createwill be fascinating and fun maybe with a touch ofsyncopation.


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Getting To KnowyouName: Nathan TobinJob Tite: Technical Arts DirectorJob Description: If it has a cord or a battery and livesin the sanctuary, I take care of it.

Do ou have a specia taent?

I used to be able to stick a Dairy Queen spoon to theroof of my mouth, but I lost that after braces in JuniorHigh.

What was the ast book ou read?Im 25 pages into Bob McCarthys Sound SystemDesign and OptimizationI anticipate nishing in late2018.

What are our hobbies?

I like to go shing, but dont get to do it enough. I alsolike grilling and playing drums (not at the same time).

Te about a favorite event of our aduthood/

chidhood.Its total cheese, but Ill never forget the day I married

my beautiful wife! Shes the best.

What tpe of pets do ou have?We joke that we cant take care of petsbut Id reallylove a dog. A medium to big one, dark tan and white,spot on one eye, one ear up and one ear down, littlescruffy, and waits for me at the door when I comehome with its tail wagging and head turned sideways.Ive never really thought about it before though.

What drives ou ever da?

I like to have a nished product. For example, onSunday when a service comes together, thats themost rewarding feeling. I cant really explain it.

Where do ou want to retire?Somewhere I can go to a church and do nothing butmix the audio on weekends. All the fun without theprep work! Ill probably be deaf and have to do lightsinstead though. Which reminds me, kids, wear eaplugs!

Where do ou ike to vacation?In the winter a trip to my parents in Minnesota, completewith snowmobiling and freezing my hands off, is ayearly tradition. Kelli and I are tropical vacationersusually though.

Who do ou admire?

My dad is awesome; he has been the most inuentia

person in my life. I hope to be the man of God, and alaround good time, that he is.

What is our mission?To inuence the Kingdom of God using the gifts andpassion hes given me. For me, thats about usingtechnology in worship to help people experience God

What traits in others are ou attracted to?

A quick sense of humor and a working knowledge othe movie Christmas Vacation are a plus!

What is our favorite part of our job?

Working with my awesome Worship Production teamSeriously, these guys rock. We are always lookingfor more people who like to have a good time buildingsets, designing lighting, running lyrics, and hangingout late into the night (optional).

What is our motto?

Drum till you bleed. And Ive lived up to it repeatedly.

Are ou a morning or night person?

Oh I am most denitely a night person. I dont reallysee why our rst service cant be at 10.

What bibe character do ou most reate to?

Without a doubt Peter. Hes always got a great ideagets excited to tell Jesus, and then Jesus just shakeshis head. He screws up so many times, but he alwaysbounces back. Thats how I want to be at least.


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A Grand (Fathers)lifeBy Fred Bishop

I am so proud to be a part of this great church. Iwas once at a church in Guatemala City, Guatemala,where they had been in revival for 19 years, but itseven better to be a member of Christ Church which isin constant revival.

It is also wonderful being in church with my son,

Shane; grandson, Zec; and great grandsons: Maddoxand Eli. It just doesnt get any better than this.

Shane was a pleasure to raise. Sports were animportant part of our family. During football season,because I was a Pastor, I would hide our car in thegarage to look like we werent home so we couldwatch Monday Night Football without interruption.Janie and I also followed all Shanes sport ventures

no matter what the weather. One time we bought rain

suits to watch him run the high hurdles; we were theonly ones in the stands. It meant a lot to Shane andto us as well.

My grandson Zec is a delight to me. One time hecalled from Georgia to tell me that he would be playingin a ball game and wanted us to be there. So weloaded up the car and enjoyed his game. Zec and also enjoyed hiking the hills together. One time Jan

joined us but she didnt quite enjoy the hills like we didZec said, Grandpa, do we have to bring grandma?How do you answer that?

Now I have two fantastic great grandsons to enjoyMaddox is in constant motion and that sure makes lifefun with him. Nothing makes me feel better than fohim to cry when I have to leave him. Eli is peacefuand loveable at his age; what a joy he is.

Yes, I am a blessed man and so proud of my familyHow sweet it is!


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your ChidsSpiritua Surviva:How Far Wi youGo?By Demian Farnworth

If my wife and I died right now, heres what my children

would inherit: a house full of furniture, two used cars,a very, very small nest egg and an even smallerchecking account. Then theres the lawnmower, eight-foot ladder and the wheelbarrow with the at tire. Ofcourse theyll appreciate the trampolineas long asthey can nd someone to put it together for them. Letsnot forget the re pit, old clothes and all of my books.Obviously this inheritance will not allow my childrento live high on the hog, but its better than nothing.Of course I could work really hard to buy an islandso my children could loaf into their mid-forties. Theproblem, however, is that all this stufffrom my books

to the islandwill one day perish. If my children havenot surrendered their hearts to the rule and reign ofChrist, they too will perish. It will not be good for them.While theres nothing wrong with leaving an inheritanceto your childrencollege savings, cars, islandsonething cannot be neglected. Its what Peter called theimperishable inheritance. In His great mercy Hehas given us new birth into a living hope through theresurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and intoan inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. 1

Peter 1:3,4 (NIV) What exactly is that inheritance?The Lord himself. David said, Lord, you alone are myportion and my cup; you make my lot secure. Pausaid, I consider everything a loss because of thesurpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lordfor whose sake I have lost all things.

Listen: This is not a condemnation of wealth. Its arecommendation on priorities. Its a command tocreate a natural cadence of biblical talk in yourhome. Proverbs 22:6 says, Start children off on the

way they should go, and even when they are old theywill not turn from it. Keep in mind thats not a promiseIts a principle. But a principle that will raise theprobability your children will not walk in the counsel othe wicked, nor stand in the way of the sinner nor sit inthe seat of the scoffer. Heres the deal: Its imperativethat you and I as parents take the lead in guiding ourchildren toward their spiritual inheritance. How do wedo that? We start by reading and discussing the Biblewith them on a daily basis. Jesus said, Man does notlive on bread alone but on the very words that proceedfrom the mouth of God. Our spiritual survivalourchildrens spiritual survivaldepends on constantinteraction with the word of God. That interaction wiloccur only when we invest the time. Yes, it will cost ussomething. But the payoff is out of this world. And willast forever.


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The Power of a DadBy Nick Turner

A year ago I sat down with a young man in high schoolwho told me about the pain in his life because of theactions of his father.

During a Bible study this school year, I saw a younggirl doodling I love my dad on her worksheet. I askedwhy she loves her dad. She answered because he

tells her how beautiful she is and what a treasure sheis to him.

In Disciplines of a Godly Man, Kent Hughes writes,Men, the mere fact of fatherhood has endowed youwith terrifying power in the lives of your sons anddaughters, because they have an innate, God-givenpassion for you.

I am a dad and feel this power myself. One of the bestdays of my life is when my son, Asher, was born. Heis a gift from God a gift that brings me much joy a

gift that comes with much responsibility.

Ive also seen the power of a dad in my experience instudent ministry. Ive seen a dads power to build andhis power to destroy. In my experience, here are acouple things for Christian dads to think about:

The Power of Dads Example

Until your child comes to know Jesus personally,you are your childs primary example of God. We are

made in the image of God (Gen 1:27) and we areto image forth God to our children. Show his graceShow his discipline. Show his faithfulness. How isyour example communicating the character of God?

Further, we must model what it means to followJesus. Im not talking about being perfect, but I amtalking about being authentic. We need to spendtime with Jesus, read the Bible, pray, worship, workhard, play hard, and love well. When we fail we needto model repentance and show our children that ou

righteousness is found in Christ alone.

The Power of a Dads Words

Call your child to greatness. We need to speak wordsof encouragement and truth to our children.

Tell your son that you are proud of him and that he wilgrow into a strong man of God. If not, he may look tothe world to dene his manhood. Tell your daughtethat she is a treasure to you and that she will grow intoa beautiful woman of God. If not, she may listen to thelies of some guy or look to the cover of a magazine todene her beauty.

Whatever our experience with our own earthly fatherwe must ultimately go to our Heavenly Father toreceive the perfect picture of a dad. When we spendmore time with Him, we nd the example and guidancein how to bring our children up in the discipline andinstruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4).


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Fami NeedsBy Steve Barrett

What does it mean to be a family? For many of us wedont often think of the roles that are lled within ourindividual families. Taking out the trash, cooking, doingyard work and cleaning up are all roles we performwithout much thought because they have becomefamiliar to us and we are comfortable performing them.Switch gears for a moment and lets think about ourChurch family. Why is it that when we see somethingthat needs to be done within the Church, we nd somereason why were not able to do it? Could it be thatweve become comfortable talking with our friends,singing with the Worship Team, and listening to anengaging sermon before heading home? As Christianswe are called on to serve and to do so cheerfully. Aswe nd ourselves becoming transformed to be moreChrist-like, we nd more and more joy in serving our

families, whether at home, down the hall, around thecorner, or around the globe. Im fond of how Jesusconsolidated the Commandments when He was askedwhich was the most important Jesus boiled downthe Commandments handed down through Mosesinto loving God and loving neighbor. I would add afurther boiling down to really get to what is asked of us.In Matthew 5:48, Jesus states, therefore be perfect,

just as your Father in heaven is perfect. What doesit mean to be perfect? Are we really capable of that?And what does that have to do with family? Perfection

CEPIMBy Larry Weber

Connecting Every Person In Ministry (CEPIM)is Christ Churchs method for organizing theopportunities for our congregation to be in ministry.You can access our catalog of ministries by goingonline to www.connectingwithchrist.com and clickingon the Connect tab. We are constantly editing the

information presented there. You can nd an InterestGroup, Kids 4 Christ, Lend-A-Hand Ministries, MensMinistries, Music and Worship, Serving Christ-Downthe Hall, Serving Christ-Around the Corner, ServingChrist-Around the World, Sports Ministries, StudentMinistries, Welcome Team, and Womens Ministries.Each ministry has a contact name(s) listed with theinformation about what the ministry is about so you cancontact them for more information. Many are seeking

in the context of this scripture speaks to seeking Godswill through our actions. To put it into terms most of ushave heard, you can think of it as, WWJD or Whatwould Jesus do? Now we simply have to apply thatto our lives. Easy, right? It can be easy Think ofthe stories youve read in the Bible. When Jesus feetwere anointed with expensive perfume or when Jesustook time to wash the disciples feet, these were actsof service to His family of believers. They didnt takemuch effort and required no training. In much the sameway we can act to serve our family of believers. Somewill choose to do so around the globe in mission toforeign countries. Others will do so around the corneon trips to serve the homeless in St. Louis. Howeverlet us not forget the needs of the Church down thehall. Whether serving by listening to children recite

scripture in AWANA on Sunday evening or servingCommunion to your friends and family during servicewe all have a part to play in accomplishing the Will ofGod and moving toward perfection. But you have totake that rst step. If youre not sure how, nd a staffmember or ministry leader and ask. The joy of servingcan have a transformational effect in your life.Look for opportunities to serve. Your Church familyneeds you.

additional volunteers to enhance the opportunity to servein their particular ministry. If you are considering a newministry, we have a process for that as well; just contactthe ofce or me for the forms and process necessary foadding your ministry idea to the CEPIM catalog.


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Watch Us Grow

New Members--------------------------------

MarchAaron Benedict, Amy Benedict, Cindy Ann Erwin,John Lercher, Margaret Lercher, Debra Marshall,Kathy Hilliard Terrell, J. Kramer Terrell, Sara E. Terrell,Robin Alan Watt

AprilDana L. Burgner, Carol A. Burgner, Francine Chatman,Tahisha Hicks, Jamie A. House, Kimberly D. House,Jon Kelly, Eun Kyung Kelly, Nicholas Jong In Kelly,

Charity M. Kipp, Devon P. Lettie, Christine Philips,Randy PhillipsBaptisms--------------------------------

MarchNicholas Jong In Kelly, Robin Alan Watt

AprilTahisha Hicks, James Hong In Kelly, Jerry Trent, Jr.

Member Passings--------------------------------JoAnne Frame February 26

Wedding--------------------------------

Kyle James Jacob and Marquitta Lynn Koshak February 27

Attendance

--------------------------------March Worship = 1,475

March Connection Classes = 520

Year Avg. Worship = 1,560

Finances (as of 04-14-11)--------------------------------General BudgetYTD Giving = $593,558.09YTD Expenses = $579,662.78Annual Budget = $2,041,873.99

Building Fund Total$78,794.01


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Nonproft

Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

E. St. Louis, IL

Permit #2290

339 Frank Scott Parkway EastFairview Heights, IL 62208

Documents

The Flame May / June 2011