T H E M A G A Z I N E O F C H R I S T C H U R C HThe Flame

SPRING | 2015

CONTENTS

SENIOR PASTORRev. Shane Bishop

ASSOCIATE PASTORRev. Michael Wooton

For a complete listing of the Christ Church Staff visit:

www.MyChristChurch.com/staff.

WORSHIP TIMESFairview Heights Campus

Sunday - 9am, 10am,& 6pmSaturday - 5pm

Wednesday - 6:30pm

Collinsville/Maryville CampusSunday - 10am

Millstadt CampusSunday - 10am

Scott CampusSunday - 10amThe Flame Magazine is a quarterly magazine published by Christ Church. 2015 Christ Church. Learn more about Christ Church at MyChristChurch.com.

EDITOR: Carrie Gaxiola DESIGN: Justin Aymer COVER: Mike Creagh

4 ITS ALWAYS ABOUT THE KIDSby Rev. Shane Bishop

5VISION CASTING, MINISTRY & THE CHURCH:by Jeff Bishop

6 SIX QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS)...by Jeff Bishop

7ACCOUNTABILITY - DOES IT COUNT?by Kevin Siddle

8THE CHURCH FAMILY FOR A SINGLE PARENTby Shannon Durio

9 GRACEby Becky Olroyd10 JOIN THE FAMILYby Jerry Dortch

11WHAT BREAKS OUR HEARTS FOR GOD?by Carrie Gaxiola

12CHURCH AND FAMILYPARTNERS IN SPIRITUALITYby Shannon Peiffer

13EQUIPPING OUR YOUTH- WE ALL PLAY A ROLEby Robb Hass

14 FAMILY IS MORE THAN BLOODby Matthew J. LaFrance15 FAMILY RALLIES AROUNDby Matthew Denny16 FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIESby Peggy Hutchison

17WHO ARE MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS?by Brenne M Issa

18THE MODERN PARENTSby Matt Rygelski

19SUMMER ACTIVITY FOR THE FAMILYby Debby Creagh & Kelli Tobin

20 GETTING TO KNOW YOU22 GOD AT WORK

24 PRAYING THE SCRIPTURES

FROM THE EDITOR Family is not an important thing, its ev-erything. Michael J. Fox

For anyone that knows me, you know that I place a very high value on my fam-ily. My husband, my children and my grandchildren are my joy and crown! But just as important as my natural family, so is my spiritual family; my church fami-ly. As Reverend Shane begins a summer series on the family, I felt like it was im-portant to highlight articles that would point to the family and church and the interdependence between the two. I tru-ly believe one cannot survive well with-out the other. Our first and most vital relationship should be with Jesus Christ, but He created us to need each other! We need other people in our lives to love us, walk through valleys with us, share our joys, hold us accountable and give us a sense of community. That is what I love about my family and what I love about the church. Beyond my relationship with Jesus, family in every sense just makes

life worth living! These articles each have a different flavor of life as a part of a fam-ily and a part of the family of God.

As you turn these pages, we will bid farewell to our beloved Benton Family as God takes them to a new assignment. We will welcome the Reverend Michael Wooton family with open arms as part of our Christ Church family. You will find heartfelt testimonies and ministry pas-sion. Finally, we will leave you with one of the most important tools for a Chris-tian as part of His family: prayers to pray for one another. My prayer is your heart is secure in knowing that, no matter who you are, you are loved by Father God, and He has placed you in an eternal family! So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Apostle Paul

In His service,--- CARRIE GAXIOLA ---

Mission Of The FlameBe inspirational through biblical articles

and devotions. Be informative in the announcement of future events that

connect people in ministry.

Questions about the Flame? Contact the Editor, Carrie Gaxiola, at: CarrieGaxiola@MyChristChurch.com

The Flame Online:Get The Flame Magazine online. Sign

up for email reminders of new editions. Visit MyChristChurch.com/theflame.

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 3

The Raise the Roof Campaign raised over $2.9 million dollars in pledges to move Christ Church forward in our mission of connecting people to Jesus Christ. For some, it may have seemed that this cam-paign was about a building, but for me, it was always about the kids. Each week, Christ Church has between 400 and 500 children in our four campuses who dont make it into worship services. While we worship, they are engaged with the Gos-pel in ways appropriate for their age and stage. Staff and volunteers pour Jesus into these children each week.

Last year, I asked our Childrens Min-istry Team to inform me of the primary limiting factor concerning our ability to connect children to Jesus Christ at Christ Church. I had them sum it up in one word and we went around the room. The conversation went like this, Space, space, space, space, space. I think you get the point. Many churches dont have excellent staff and volunteers and many dont have children; we have both of these things! All we need is more space and space is an easily correctable problem! It just takes vision, planningand money.

As we began to focus upon how to bet-ter provide childrens space at all of our campuses, I began to pray for a clear vi-sion for our children. I wanted to think beyond the building to what we were ac-tually trying to accomplish in childrens ministry. What would be our desired outcomes? In response, this five plank

platform began to take shape in my heart:

Five Goals for Christ Church Kids1. Each child will receive Jesus

Christ as savior: The most im-portant thing a church does is in-troduce children and adults to the salvation that comes from Christ and Christ alone. To put it clearly, we want our children to know Jesus. Period. If this doesnt happen, little else really matters.

2. Each child will be Biblically literate: My spiritual founda-tion was poured strong and straight during my childhood. I was taught the stories of the Bible, memorized passages of the Bible, was encour-aged to read the Bible and was even-tually taught to study the Bible. The Bible cant be a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path if we dont know what is in it. I want our chil-dren to know the Word of God! I want their character shaped by the Word of God! I want their values and actions informed by the Word of God!

3. Each child will learn self-re-spect and the respect of oth-ers: The Ten Commandments are split into four commandments about loving God and six about loving neighbor. When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, he replied, You shall love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind

then paused briefly and continued, And a second is like it, You must love your neighbor as yourself. The big idea is that we cannot properly love our neighbor until we learn to love God. I believe respect for self comes from knowing who we are in Christ and respect for others is a natural extension of that reality. In a nation so divided by so many issues, learning self-respect and mutual re-spect is more essential than ever!

4. Each child will reach their full human potential: I believe the singular goal in life is to become everything God created us to be. We want to invest in that development and surround each child with en-couragement to live their best lives!

5. We will develop principled Christian leaders God can use to change the world: The next twenty years will bring more challenges to our nation and to our world. Humanity will need lead-ers with character, empathy, vision, compassion and resolve like nev-er before. Where better to produce such leaders than right here? Our investments of today will impact the world of tomorrow!

I have four grandchildren immersed in the ministries of Christ Church. They are the most important thing in the world to me. But let me be clear, I am just as committed to your children and grand-children as I am my own. As we invest of our resources into the Raise the Roof Campaign over the next three years, lets rememberit is always about the kids!

Rev. Shane Bishop, Senior Pastorfacebook.com/revshane@RevShaneBishop

ITS ALWAYS ABOUT THE KIDS

BY REV. SHANE L BISHOP

I take my four grandchildren to lunch every Friday. They choose the restaurant and I always have to buy. It is the highlight of my week. When you are a grandparent, its al-ways about the kids.

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME4

VISION CASTING, MINISTRY & THE CHURCH: Q and A with Rev. Troy Benton

INTERVIEW BY JEFF BISHOP

Rev. Troy Benton has been Associate Pas-tor at Christ Church since July 2011. He recently was appointed as Senior Pastor of St. Johns Methodist Church, a grow-ing church in Edwardsville, Illinois. As he departs for his new commission July 1, Troy sat with The Flame to reflect on his tenure at Christ Church and to share his thoughts on where God is leading him, his ministry and the Church.

Tell us what you most look forward to about your next appointment: Im looking forward to continuing to do ministry. Im looking forward to going back to doing what Ive done for some years, which is setting vision. St. Johns is a pivotal church that has a great opportu-nity to be a pretty large church for Gods kingdom, and so Im looking forward to winning and making disciples not just people who go to church, but people who become fully invested in the destiny God has called them into.

Emma is interested and very eager to do some things that she hasnt done here, and thats because its her season to do it. Shes already got two classes shes pre-paring to teach (and) shes going to lead a ministry there. Shes waited five years to refuel, and now shes ready to go.

What have been your top lessons from your time as Associate Pastor at Christ Church?

First, from God: his teaching of learning how to trust His timing is a good lesson to learn. Unlike in my previous years, (now) just saying God, its in your will, has been such a great nurturing tool.

Rev. Shanes been my pastor these past few years; hes not just been my colleague. The best thing hes given me as a gift is to embrace my rhythm as a leader and to be more keenly aware of it. Im grateful for him for giving me the space to work out my own dance, so I know when to rum-ba, and when to do my thing.

In terms of our church member-ship: to expect eagerness. Ive never seen a church so eager to engage in life and in ministry as this one. The scripture talks about with eager ex-pectation, (Romans 8:19), So Im expecting from this congregation that Im going to that they will be ex-ceedingly eager to be the Kingdom of God in that place, because they are called to greatness, Im clear on that.

My family has taught me that they are not only the best gift that Ive ever been given, but they have taught me that they are my best advisors. My kids see a million times more than anyone else would, and they have helped me make some critical decisions.

What do you see as Gods plan for the Church here locally and in America?Im not as gloom on the Methodist Church and the Church at large as other people are. He said Ill build this church upon that rock, and last time I checked, the rock is still steady. Its Kryptonite. For me, Im very hopeful. I think the Kingdom has not seen its best days.

But I also think the Kingdom in this sea-son is called to be critically honest, and I think for about four decades, the Church has obfuscated its responsibility to tell the truth in a number of areas. I still think the No. 1 issue for evangelical Christian faith, and Christian faith as a whole in the 21st Century for America, is the issue of culture and race. I think if we could ever lead the world to love each other in the honesty of that, on all spectrums, wed see a revival that would scare us. People are waiting for the church to lead around reconciliation. We are the ones holding the gates back on revival.

How can people of the Church bring Kingdom Come?We have One Ministry. We have all these ministries, but weve got one minis-try; in fact, you dont even own it. Youre just operating in it; its His ministry. You didnt die for it, you cant own it. Shed some blood first, then talk to me, and by the way, make sure the blood saves some-body! And once you do all that, then you have a ministry. I just want to encourage the Church to understand that we have this one ministry, and weve got to be fo-cused.

What would you like to say to Christ Church as you depart?I love my church. And just this: I got the better end of the deal being here.

Jeff BishopFlame Volunteer Writer

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 5

SIX QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS!) WITH OUR NEW ASSOCIATE

PASTOR REV. MICHAEL WOOTONINTERVIEW BY JEFF BISHOP

Rev. Michael Wooton comes to Christ Church as its new Associate Pastor from Marshall, Illinois, a town on I-70 near the Indiana border. As a 31-year-old se-nior pastor at two small churches there, hes seen the Lord bring solid growth in membership in the two years hes led their congregations. Rev. Mike sat with the Flame on the eve of his appointment to discuss his personal walk with Christ and how that redeeming presence fuels his ministry today.

How does it work to lead two churches especially on Sunday mornings?I go to the first one and preach, and while thats happening, the second one is doing Sunday school. And then once Im done preaching and do a little congregational care, I go to the next one and its time for worship service! Theyve been doing it for a lot of years; in fact, there was a third

church that was added in at one time.

What do you see your role at Christ Church to be?I want to serve however I can serve God, love God, love neighbor, thats why Im here. One of my gifts, connect-ing with people, is what I do. Especial-ly outsiders: people whove been hurt by church; who have been hurt by life. Be-cause part of my story comes from a hurt life, and God brought healing to me. Part of my passion is reaching those people and just telling people about Christ.

How has God prepared you for min-istry?I was a young man who didnt have a fa-ther figure, and I didnt know what was eating at me. My mother got remar-ried, and he became abusive to me and my mother. All children need a father; I needed a father, and it started creating something within me and I didnt know what to do.

The summer before I went into high school, I went to church camp, and there was this call to give your life to Christ, and I just felt it. But I felt so unqualified and unworthy. God was offering me the hand of mercy, and all I could see was the hand of judgment.

Right as I entered high school I became an alcoholic and a drug user. Boom! Just like that, it just took me. By the time I was 17, I was headed for destruction. Little did I know, there was a revival go-ing on in my community at the time in the United Methodist Church in the center of town. The pastor came to the restaurant where I was working, and he said, Where are you at with Jesus? Eventually we had a conversation and I gave my life to Christ. And in the next couple of months God brought a tremen-dous amount of healing.

Tell us about your family?My wife (Valerie) went to the church where the revival was happening. She didnt like me at first, I dont know why (laughs,) but eventually we became friends and we fell in love. We have a daughter, Norah, two years old, and we have a baby on the way, due August 30th.

What do you like to do in your free time when not active in ministry?I absolutely love sports Chicago sports! Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls! I think Ill have one friend (in the Christ Church congregation)!

I love spending time with my daughter and with my wife. Were semi-food-ies; we enjoy just going to a place thats unique and trying the food and talking about that with one another; thats how we enjoy one another.

What is your strongest passion in ministry?I really desire for people to know Christ. I dont care if Im Ananias or if Im Paul; if I need to be the door greeter, I dont mind. I just want to be obedient and see the world impacted like never before.

Thats why, for me, discipleship is crucial. We talk about in the United Methodist Church that we go and make disciples. For me thats not a tagline; to me, I came from that. I came from the bottom, I came from destruction, I came from hurt, and I saw what the Holy Spirit can do, what the word of God can do, and being in close relationship.

A discipler isnt somebody who tells you what to do; a discipler is someone who says, How you doing? You alright? Thats part of my call, and what Ive done everywhere.

Jeff BishopFlame Volunteer Writer

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME6

ACCOUNTABILITY - DOES IT COUNT?

BY KEVIN SIDDLE

If there is one scripture that defines the short three years my family has been at-tending Christ Church, Proverbs 27:17 is it. My family has been honed, forged, and sharpened by the Lord in ways that I could have never imagined. But if there is one way that stands out the most, it is accountability. I was blessed to join the church right as they were looking for mens group leaders. Coincidentally, God had been pushing and prodding me to begin an accountability group. So I did something crazy - I listened.

Accountability, though, is something that takes time. It takes developing and investing in others, while also being vul-nerable to those same people. It means knowing what a persons family and work situations look like and what dreams, hopes, and struggles they have.

Over time, God has continued to bless me with men who want to walk through life together. We hold each other to the high standard that God has set for us as men, husbands, and fathers. Through scripture, prayer, and lots of conversa-tion, we search to unfold what it is that God has planned for each of our lives. We strive to sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron.

Being accountable to these men means asking and answering hard questions. When someone asks, How are you do-ing?, the answer is expected to be a true

thoughtful response. Fine just doesnt cut it. When you become truly account-able with someone, you will talk about the rough stuff, those things that youre not keen to announce from the pews on Sunday morning. However, when the road turns bumpy, I know that the men I trust are only a call or text away.

Being accountable with others is not just about making sure we screw up less, it is about joy! You also get to celebrate and sing praise during those good times. When you resist temptation, hear Gods direction clearly, or step out in faith, you have others that can celebrate with you! It is a beautiful feeling being able to shout to the Lord in praise of a friend.

Whats more though, is how these men have helped my wife and I to become more accountable with God, with each other, and with the church. Since Ive been accountable with Godly men, my wife has noticed a change in my demean-or and priorities. In her own words, she says that Im a stronger and purer man of God, getting closer to what God wants from my life. My wife can also take com-fort in knowing that I have Godly men with whom I can seek wisdom and ad-vice. One of the things I am most thank-ful for, though, is how these men have kept me accountable in my desire to con-sistently be in prayer with my wife. It was rare that my wife and I would spend ded-icated time in prayer together, but now

it is something we both look forward to every day.

Finally, being in accountability offers a perspective that is different from close friends and family because Gods voice is profound in the men with whom I am accountable. When I become challenged with direction or purpose, in addition to talking with my wife, I can seek Christian mens counsel who I know are looking at my situation from the outside and who may be able to see a different perspective. If you are looking for accountability and deep, Godly fellowship with other men and women of the church, you dont have to start a group, although that is one way. What accountability comes down to is this: be active. If you take the steps to become part of a ministry in the church, you will begin building relationships and meeting with people who can help you to become more the person God designed you to be. Christ Church is blessed to have ministries and small groups in a very wide variety of topics and times. Get to the Sync Center and find out more about how your special gifts can help build the beautiful puzzle God is piecing together at Christ Church.

Kevin SiddleFlame Volunteer Writer

facebook.com/kevin.siddle.12

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17 New International Version

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 7

THE CHURCH FAMILY FOR A SINGLE PARENT

BY SHANNON DURIO

When my daughter, Faith, was two years old, her dad and I divorced. That was something I never dreamed of, or pre-pared for. My father is a minister, and no-body in my immediate or extended fami-ly had been divorced. I believed that God was sovereign. However, with no family within 300 miles of me, and a toddler I was responsible for on my own, the walls began to cave in.

A good friend of mine invited me to Christ Church, and I clearly remember my first Sunday. I cried through worship, because sometimes when we sing about His goodness when nothing in our lives seems good, He finds a way to meet us in that dark place. Its a scary thing to have that dark place exposed; especially to the Light of the World (John 8:12). But the neat thing about Jesus is that He always feels like home. For me, being so far from my family, home felt nice. As Reverend Shane spoke that morning, I knew I was surrounded by family.

Divorce is raw, painful, and confusing. Especially with a little one involved. Without a doubt, I can see why it was never Gods intention for His children. I share custody, so my daughter is with her dad every other week. For seven days at a time, I feel like I lose half of myself. I love that little girl fiercely. But God doesnt turn away in our most vulnerable mo-ments. Even when we have ended up out-side of His original plan.

I have always loved Psalm 139, but I be-gan to read it differently. The part that stood out to me was in verse 5: You hem me in behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me.

I knew I was outside of His original plan. But all of a sudden, I realized I was not too far gone. He hemmed me in - now, Im no sewing expert, but I am fairly cer-tain that means I was enclosed. No loose ends. In a season when I felt like all of my ends were frayed, that I was at the end of every rope...His Word promised me that I was safe. Cared for. Protected.

Its hard to be a single mom. (Lets face it, its hard to be a parent, period!) I was working at a job that required evening and weekend commitments, and I had no family around to babysit and no money to pay a babysitter. Rent was a challenge, daycare tuition was a challenge, and the list went on. But I clung to those prom-ises He had given me, and He began to provide for me in ways I couldnt imag-ine. I walked into my apartments Leasing Office one day to pay rent, and she smiled and said, No worries. Someone already paid your rent this month. I still have no idea who that was. But I know that God whispered my need to someone that day, and he or she listened.

I began to see the body of Christ as an extension of my family. I came to Christ Church every Sunday, humbled by the chaos of the past week, and He filled my bucket with worship, teaching and prayer. Our salvation is not dependent on whether or not we are in church every Sunday, but being a part of this commu-nity of believers every weekend kept me encouraged and connected. The over-whelmingly beautiful thing about being a part of the family of God is that it has no boundaries. God used people from all over the globe, across denominations and state lines, to show me that He is good. He sees our needs, big or small, and He

uses all of us to carry each others bur-dens.

By the sheer grace of God, I made it through that season. Some may choose to think that overcoming obstacles reflects independence or self-sufficiency. But I am much more confident in believing that there is a God who knows my name and who loves me enough to carry me through the storm. I am remarried now to a man who loves Jesus as deeply as he loves me. My daughter is strong and hap-py, and I truly believe that God has the whole world in His hands, but He holds the little ones extra close to His heart.

The church was Gods arms for me. I hold on tight to 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 that promises me that His grace is sufficient; and I continue to see that played out through my church family.

Oh, how He loves us!

Shannon DurioFlame Volunteer Writer

His Word promised me

that I was safe.

Cared for. Protected.

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME8

GRACEBECKY OLROYD

My son, Doug, recently had a kidney transplant; the generous gift from a dear friend. Despite a couple of bumps in the road, the surgery was a success, and both he and the donor are recovering well at their homes. This ordeal in our family gave me pause to reflect on another kid-ney transplant fourteen years ago this month performed on my husband, Jim. Unlike Dougs experience, or my daugh-ter Sarahs transplant surgery in 2012, (all three have PKD; polycystic kidney disease), Jims surgery was a disaster. He flirted with death many times during a nearly two year span and required count-less surgeries and medical interventions to eventually live a normal post-trans-plant life.

As I pondered the comparisons of those three transplants I sought to recapture Jims experience by re-reading the dai-ly log that I had kept of our fight for his life in 2001. Time and space preclude my sharing that log in its entirety; nor would the average reader want me to do so. I was immediately struck by an entry that, at the time, had little meaning or signifi-cance to me. As Jim lay near death hours after his initial surgery he had the great fortune to be cared for in the ICU by Nurse Carrie. When he was eventually out of the woods, and in a normal hos-pital room, she would visit him often; ei-ther literally or in his altered mental state. He always felt better following Carries

visits. She held his hands, they prayed, and you could feel peace when she was there.

Following one such visit I noticed a pub-lication on Jims hospital tray. I picked it up and settled into my bed for the night. (I usually spent 24/7 by Jims side.) It was important to Jim that I read what Carrie had left, and so I delved into The Grace of God. I made my way through each word of the four page essay, allow-ing the ideas to skim the surface of my consciousness before settling far outside of it before I drifted asleep.

Jim and I shared a strong faith but had abandoned The Church years before. Oh, I pleaded with God each day to give me strength and courage to handle the vicissitudes of Jims recovery; and I even asked God, on more than one occasion, to take Jim from his suffering. God lis-tened, as He does. He kept us strong in ways that defy rational explanation. But why?

Jim went on to live another eleven years before ironically dying of cancer nearly three years ago. Kidney transplants aside, my family and I have endured more pain and heartache than it seems any family should have to bear. We have handled situations in the last three years that we never could have imagined to be possi-ble. But everyone has their stories. No

one escapes life without pain and sorrow. How do we go on? How do we conquer fear, pain, and grief?

When I pulled that transplant log from my shelves last week I kept asking why I would want to subject myself to reliv-ing that horrible experience. But God had His hand in that decision. Jim used to swear that Nurse Carrie was only a figment of his imagination; an angel sent from Heaven. Quite possibly she was. When I came to that Carrie pas-sage in my log I realized that, where I paid little mind to that literature she left behind in 2001, it was crystal clear to me now. Gods grace was woven into the fabric of my marriage and the lov-ing relationship that Jim and I shared. Gods grace is obvious in the unique challenges and dreams of our children and grandchildren. Grace has sustained my family throughout the depths of de-spair and led us onto a path of faith and hope. And grace has called me home to The Church that offers me peace and strength and insight into a Christ cen-tered life. Were it not for grace where would I be? Where would my family be? Where would any of us be? It is by the grace of God that we endure, if not conquer, our pain and suffering and sorrow. It is by the grace of God that we live on.

Becky OlroydFlame Volunteer Writer

My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 9

JOIN THE FAMILYBY JERRY DORTCH

I recently noticed a sign for a Harley Davidson dealership that invited you to join the family. There is a lot of that going on lately - you can join the Sprint family of cell phone users and get your current cell phone bill cut in half. Ad-vertisers are quick to tout the myriad of benefits you can receive just by joining a family. While there is little doubt that there can be financial benefits or added enjoyment to your life through joining one of these families, I suggest that get-ting more involved in your church fam-ily will benefit your own family more and would certainly be beneficial to your soul.

If you get involved in a Bible study, con-nect group, or accountability group, you will get much needed and valuable help in your journey to transformation, to becoming more Christ-like. These like-minded individuals, who are trying to achieve the same things as you, can

help teach and guide in doing what is in-finitely more difficult to do by yourself. The love, support, and compassion you will receive is incomparable. The value of the knowledge and insight shared is be-yond measure. The sheer feeling of real-izing the strength that comes in numbers cannot be matched. No one wants to be, or needs to be, alone on this journey.

As is so often the case, Paul sums up the benefits of church family in his short letter to the church at Philippi. In many of Pauls letters, we find him correcting behavior or doctrine or telling the church what they should or should not be doing. Matt Chandler says that Philippians is the best New Testament picture we have of what a maturing church looks like and what maturing people do. One of the important points of the Book of Philip-pians is how it started. Acts 16 tells us that it starts with the conversions of the wealthy Lydia, the demon possessed slave

girl, and the jailer. These three diverse individuals come together at the begin-ning of the apostle Pauls latest church plant. The gospel, Chandler says, defies race, class, and status. There is much to learn from the diversity that church members bring to the family table. It was true then and it is true now.

Lets face it; we like to do things with peo-ple who are similar to us. It is natural to stay within our regular groups of friends. The gospel, however, is anything but nat-ural. If we choose to participate in them, groups of any kind can open the door to changing our perspective on life, on church, and on our community. Prayer-fully consider making the decision to ex-pand the boundaries of what you know and begin experiencing the diversity that your fellow church family members bring to the table that is fellowship. Expand your church family by joining a group.

Jerry DortchAdult Education CoordinatorJerryDortch@mychristchurch.com

There is much to learn from the diversity that church members bring to the family

table. It was true then and it is true now.

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME10

Carrie GaxiolaFlame Editor

CarrieGaxiola@mychristchurch.com

WHAT BREAKS OUR HEARTS FOR GOD?

INTERVIEW BY CARRIE GAXIOLA

I recently had the privilege of sitting down with our Youth and Childrens leaders, Robb Hass, Brent Alexander, Mistie Denny, Amanda Cates and Rachel Frazure. I had some questions for them regarding the Youth and Childrens Min-istries. The words they spoke gave me a renewed respect for these directors who are a vital part of connecting our children and young people to Jesus Christ. Their passion for their calling and their heart to serve the Christ Church families in such a powerful way was evident as we sat and talked. Heres what they had to say

What are the needs of the Chil-drens/Student Ministries? We are constantly praying and looking for bi-vocational ministers, people that will give of their time and gifting to be committed and focused to serve the fam-ilies of Christ Church in these ministry areas. These young people and children are not just something we do to fill our time, they are a mission for us. What we all do together has Kingdom impact! Its an investment where, by Gods grace, we are changing lives. People often say they dont have time to volunteer. That is the biggest concern because they are involved in coaching sports, music lessons, etc., but giving your time for Kingdom work will make you a more effective leader in these other areas. Its the seek ye first principle out of Matthew 6:33. We have to ask ourselves what breaks our hearts and what our passion is. All else is sec-ondary when it comes to Gods work.

How are we really helping reinforce the familys involvement and vice versa?Well, some kids are broken and dont have a strong family foundation. This is the opportunity for the church to stand in the gap. For those with family in-volvement, we are here to partner with the family. For all ages, we have an awe-some structure with our large and small groups. The small groups really take on a bigger role and are an awesome

tool of ministry. When people desire to get involved, we are here to help train and equip. We are all working toward the same ministry goal of connecting our children and young people to Jesus Christ. If they believe in what we are doing, involvement in this ministry will prove itself to be fruitful. When people want to be a part, we as leaders are very clear upfront that you are going to be shadowed by leadership. We do not set someone up to fail, and God has allowed us to walk in discernment in the min-istry each of us is called to do. We want people who will engage, partner with us and enjoy the journey. It is awesome for us to see our bi-vocational ministers us-ing their gifts, and it is our goal to fill you with encouragement!

What are each of you looking for-ward to most when we Raise the Roof?For the Youth Leaders: Dedicated space. Its saying that the kids are important. They are a priority in the family of God.For the Childrens Leaders: The 2d and 3rd floors are where they will worship. Its like the adults having a sanctuaryit is a place to be safe and be who we are before God and others. We believe it will allow us to minister more effectively and meet more individual needs.

How is volunteering helping the family and helping the church?We believe it is really important when a family volunteers together. It sends a powerful message to our children and young people that serving together is important. It gives such a beautiful pic-ture of different generations working together for the cause of Christ. It is an awesome testimony for those children and youth who dont have a strong fam-ily foundation that the family of God can be a strength and place of acceptance for them. It really doubles the impact when young people are involved because it can help guide them into their gifting and perhaps a career path or calling. We often

underestimate what our youth can do!

What do you feel is the most criti-cal area in helping families connect their children and young people to Jesus Christ? First, we want to reiterate the partner-ship we are committed to as ministry leaders. Sometimes it takes that third party to help take a child or young per-son through a difficult spiritual concept. It is very important that we all convey that a relationship with Jesus Christ is the most vital thing in life. Getting past the head knowledge and knowing the real and powerful person of Jesus with heart knowledge is what we are striving for when we minister to these kids. Hes not a storybook character and when our youth see our real, authentic relationship with God, that will speak to their hearts. When they see what breaks our hearts for God, when they see us obey and heed His voice and follow what He has called us to do, when we learn with the kids and do life with them, then we are making prog-ress to point them to Jesus Christ and the love He has for them.

I walked away from talking with these five amazing leaders challenged, encour-aged and asking myself these questions: what is breaking my heart for God? Am I listening to the Holy Spirit and dispelling all doubts? Am I depending on self too much and making excuses for what He is calling me to do? If so, He is calling me to depend on God and just do what He says to do!

How about you? As you hear the hearts of these five leaders, wont you ask your-self these same questions? Is He calling you to service? Is He calling you to invest in His Kingdom? Our children are de-pending on us!

Ministry Spotlight

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 11

CHURCH AND FAMILYPARTNERS IN SPIRITUALITY

BY SHANNON PEIFFER

Prior to homeschooling, our children were in public school for a time. At the beginning of each school year, I would write a note to my sons teachers saying, I am here to work with you to help ed-ucate my son. This aided in putting our teachers at ease to let them know, we are on the same team. I feel the spiritual ed-ucation of my children is primarily my responsibility, as I believe the quest of the great commission should begin at home. Matthew 28:19, Go then and make dis-ciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Bible; AMP. The church is most definitely our partner in this pursuit. I believe in the old Afri-can proverb, it takes a village to raise a family. We want our village to be as pas-sionate about our childrens Christianity as we are.

When my sons were little we began to realize how important it was to maintain good influences around them. Even the kids they played with transformed their behavior. We knew we needed to keep them in an environment that was as de-void of negativity as possible and abso-lutely full of Christ if we were to achieve the goals we set out for their lives. A firm foundation would set the course for the roads they would eventually choose for their journeys. We ventured out to find a church with an excellent childrens pro-gram, because this would be essential to

our purpose.

Christ Church was the first place we landed and our feet stuck like glue. We knew from the get go, this would be the place God would use for our boys sacred expedition. The programs were in depth, even early on, and introduced more than mere Bible stories. The kids learned principles to life, based on scriptures, and how to worship God. It was just like big church, brought to their level, so they could understand. When my husband and I realized the breadth of their scope, we were beyond excited. What was even better was that the adult studies were equally as thorough. Our development must also persist, if we expect our chil-dren to continue to increase.

Soon, our sons were eager to share what they had been taught. In our efforts to support their enthusiasm, we asked ques-tions on the ride home from church, to probe them on the extent of their learn-ing. We were thrilled to find that they not only had paid attention, but could tell us the narratives exhaustively. What perked our interest the most was that these were not the typical Bible tales that all children learned, but ones that are of-ten lost in the crevasses. II Timothy 3:16-17, All scripture is breathed out by God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righ-teousness, that the man of God may be

complete, equipped for every good work. Bible; ESV.

We knew from that point that our chil-drens spiritual basis would be firmly es-tablished in this place. However, we nev-er forget that our involvement is crucial. We, as parents, do not expect to be the sole influence in our childrens spiritual upbringing. However, we do not intend for this to be the churchs sole responsi-bility. We know it is our conjoint efforts that will make all the difference. We be-lieve in making deliberate choices in the friendships and influences of our familys life. Our church is part of the blessing that will continue to produce in our fu-ture Christian descendants.

What a great responsibility we have in raising the prospects of our church, but what a gift as well. Psalm 127: 3-5, Chil-dren are a heritage from the Lord, off-spring a reward from Him. Bible; NIV. We should treat them as valuable as the scriptures require. We know that on our own, we can only have so much effective-ness, but together we can have great suc-cess. As heads of our households, our ef-fectiveness is central to the outlook of our progeny, but what a greater impact we can have if we partner with our congrega-tion in allowing our village the privilege of raising our family.

Shannon PeifferFlame Volunteer Writer

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME12

EQUIPPING OUR YOUTH- WE ALL PLAY A ROLE

BY ROBB HASS

Everyone!! We have work to do. Yes, Youth leaders, pastors, Sunday School teachers and parents need to ratchet up the importance of creating a sticky faith within our children. A recent study by the Fuller Youth Institute, entitled The College Transition Project, published in the book Sticky Faith, found that 1 of 2 college age students who were active in their church youth group drifted from their faith during college. Did you see that? - 50%! The study also found that only 1 of 7 active youth group members felt prepared and comfortable in their faith walk prior to entering college. These are staggering numbers and evidence that we as a church community have to do better! While the research has numerous ideas to help make our childrens faith stickier, the role of the church family and the family at home are critical com-ponents to the answer.

It seems we have different types of fam-ilies in which we belong. The primary is the one were born into and for some, that can be a challenging situation. The other family types are the ones we cre-ate. At the Youth Group level (aged 7th-12th grades), family could result from a closeness formed on sports teams or other clubs/activities, within a friend group, job, and within the church. A big theme throughout the Junior and Senior High Youth ministry this past year was building relationships, specifically, how a relationship with Christ and not just practicing religion should be the goal we all seek. As we worked with the students to develop their relationship with Jesus, we also began to see authentic relation-ships forming among the students, as well as between the students and Youth leaders. A Youth Group family began to

take shape, and it became a beautiful ex-perience. A big part of this family growth came from the sharing of stories; youth leaders sharing their testimonies, stu-dents sharing their faith journeys, and everyone getting comfortable with open-ing up to each other. Our large and small group discussion time delivered many Holy Spirit moments as we saw stu-dents helping students, guiding with in-sight, and providing wisdom to help cer-tain individuals through difficult times. This openness brought on familiarity, which launched us into a more family type feeling within the group.

In addition to our weekly relationship building on Wednesday nights and Sun-day mornings, the Youth Ministry team designed and hosted a 2-day conference for our 7th-12 graders entitled Me2We. The primary focus was to get our Youth to stop thinking about themselves so much (its all about me), and help them realize they are a part of a communi-ty of believers; a family, in essence, that contains a large number of brothers and sisters in Christ. This powerful concept comes out of the second greatest com-mandment, which is to love neighbor. And just who is our neighbor? Well, ev-eryone else of course! The students were challenged to be less apt to be judge-mental, to use social media in caring, neighborly ways, and to seek little mis-sion opportunities throughout the com-ing weeks in an effort to help the we instead of the me. It was a very cool two days.

Of course, all of these church-specific events and weekly experiences are just a part of the successful formula needed to create a sticky faith within our students.

A national study done by Dr. Christian Smith of the University of Notre Dame concluded that most teenagers and their parents may not realize it, but the most important social influence shaping young peoples religious lives is the religious lives modeled and taught to them by their parents. Parents, you play an incredibly important role! Not just with getting your children to come to Youth Group, but in modeling Christian behavior in your household, in having regular faith-driven dialogue with your kids, with discussing your own faith journeys, and with being genuinely interested in what your Youth Group leaders are doing with your chil-dren each week.

As your Youth ministry team, we are ex-cited to help build a church family in which the students of Christ Church enjoy being a part. We are driven to do a better job with informing our Youth parents of every facet, goal and vision of the Youth ministry. But developing a sticky faith within the children of Christ Church is going to have to be a team effort. Your Youth leaders are will-ing to share our stories, demonstrate our faith, and pour into the students every chance we get. Parents, we know youll do the same. Lets all make it our goal to ful-ly equip our students/children with the tools needed to develop an everlasting re-lationship with Christ.

Robb HassSr. High Student Ministries Coordinator

RobbHass@mychristchurch.com

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 13

FAMILY IS MORE THAN BLOOD

BY MATTHEW J. LAFRANCE

Im not one to open up too often. By na-ture, Im a fairly quiet individual who keeps to himself and doesnt typically bother people with his day-to-day hap-penings. If you get to know me well enough, maybe youll see more of me. But as a rule, Im usually pretty closed off.

What I mean to say is, Im an introvert. And thats OK.

Ive always been fine with my reclusive lifestyle; Ive never thought it was a prob-lem. I still dont. Growing up, I always had at least one close friend, sometimes two, and that was about it.

Things have changed, however. So I thought Id break character for a moment and be open about something which means a lot to me - my family.

Im not talking about my immediate family, however. Dont get me wrong, I love my family. But this is not about them. This is about my church family, that small group of crazies who attend the Off-Topic Bible Study on Monday nights.

My sister and I dont attend church with our parents anymore, she and I attend Christ Church while they go to First Baptist Maryville. Theres no big sto-ry for why we go to different churches from different denominations, we just do. And that only bothers me when I hear the mention of multiple generations of a family attending church together. I some-times feel bad for not going to church with my family, but family is more than blood. But I do attend church with our family - the one God slowly began inte-

grating into our lives when we first start-ed attending Christ Church.

I always grew up in church, and I have my parents to thank for that. But I always felt disconnected, like a person going to church, praying throughout the week, and returning on Sunday with no interac-tion with the savior we thought we were praising.

It was frustrating, hearing all these peo-ple in my life talk about their relationship with God and for me it just wasnt there.It really started eating away at me. I felt like I was saved, a born again Christian, but I always felt alone. I took up journ-aling for a while to try and cope with all of this frustration, and it actually helped quite a bit. I felt, during that time, that my relationship with God was growing.

The question became How long will that sustain me?

It was around this time the Bible Study really started to grow. Id say it doubled in size, but all that means is four more people showed up. Wae were a group of six beforehand, and thats if you count Jonathan and Sara Buetow, who lead the group.

I dont know what it was about having those extra four there every Monday, but everything started to change. I suddenly didnt have time to journal, I was doing something every night with someone. To be honest, I didnt want to journal. The frustration I felt before was replaced by joy, and I didnt feel alone.

And then a shocking realization hit me -

I have a social life. A rather active social life, might I add. And I felt God strength-en me.

See, families grow the church. Without families, the church would be several people sitting together with no deeper connection to one another. But some-times, the church grows families.

Before the Bible study grew, before every perfect piece fell into place, I didnt have too many friends. I didnt have anyone Id call or text all the time. Whenever some-thing awesome happened, I didnt have someone I wanted to tell right away. I had one friend who I tried to cling to while life began to separate us, and we seldom spoke.

But then God stepped in.

Without the time I spent connecting with God through regular attendance at church and additional time spent in his word through the Bible study, I wouldnt have the supportive friends I have now. They have all done so much to bring me closer to God. Were not related by blood, but through the extension of Jesus blood, shed for us, we are a family.

Maybe youre like me, an introvert. You keep to yourself, and you think you dont need anyone. I get that. But do you feel like something is missing? Maybe youre afraid to admit it to yourself, but do you feel alone, sorrowful, angry, or maybe sometimes even empty? Maybe its time to let God lead you to your second family, your Church Family.

Matthew LafranceFlame Volunteer Writer

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME14

FAMILY RALLIES AROUND

MATTHEW DENNY

The English language has some curious phrases. My wife and I spent 7 years in Georgia, and we are still trying to figure out about 50% of what our friends used to say. One curious English idiom is cir-cling the wagons. It refers to a practice pioneers used when wagon convoys came under attack. The caravans would create a large circle with their wagons. The circle formed a defensive perimeter, protecting the pioneers and allowing them to fend off their attackers. In order for this strate-gy to work, each family had to commit to halt their individual progress and put the greater good of the group first.

If your family is like mine, attacks come regularly. Reverend Shane often reminds us that Christ-followers have an enemy, and he is good at his job. Some of my family members have come under seri-ous attack lately in areas like finances, health, relationships, and future plans. The attacks have been difficult and pain-ful, but those family members have not stood alone. It has been heartening for me to see parents, siblings, cousins, and others circle the wagons and rally round the hurting.

In my life, this concept started with my parents and grandparents. My grandpa Clarence was the most generous man I have ever known, giving of his time, trea-sure, and love freely to whomever needed it. If one of us needed something built, he was there with his tools. If a bill need-ed to be paid, he had a check in hand. Grandpa Clarence was quick to aid those he saw in need. Because of this, he and his wife were never wealthy. They rarely took vacations or bought new things for themselves, but rather left a legacy of care

and sacrifice by the way they consistently aided those they loved.

I have seen these qualities in my parents as well. I can think of at least four dif-ferent people who lived with us through the 90s because they had no other place to stay. At times the house felt more like a hotel, but my parents refused to let someone suffer when they had the abil-ity to help, no matter how much it in-convenienced them. In my home, every time something was broken or needed repair, my dad dropped everything to help me do whatever job needed doing. My parents sacrificial spirits were most strongly displayed by how they cared for my grandparents in their last days. Mom and Dad, at tremendous personal sac-rifice, spent time in hospitals, built two guest rooms, drove to numerous doc-tors appointments, and provided intense personal care to ensure that their par-ents were not abandoned as they left this world.

Mistie and I try to live out these prin-ciples and pass them down to our own kids. Like our parents and grandparents, we seek to rally around our family when they are troubled. Circling the wagons is not easy though; it requires sacrifice. Re-cently, my wife and I have had to take on the burdens of some of our family who have been under attack. I am thankful for the sacrificial examples we have seen that have taught us that we cannot let fami-ly suffer if there is something we can do about it. I have received this kind of help in my life, so I must be willing to give it, regardless of the cost.

The idea of sacrificially caring for family

is certainly a Biblical one. James 2:14-16 tells us, What good is it, dear broth-ers and sisters, if you say you have faith but dont show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat wellbut then you dont give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? And 1 Timothy 5:8 reminds us that, . . . those who wont care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

I do not intend to guilt anyone into ac-tion. What I want to share is this: the testimony of the Word and the experi-ences of my family show me that family is there when no one else is. When friends, co-workers, and acquaintances run, fam-ily sticks it out and sees you through. Family circles the wagons; family rallies around.

Matthew DennyScott Campus Worship Leader

MatthewDenny@mychristchurch.com

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 15

FAMILIES HELPING FAMILIESBackpack Attack Coming In July

BY PEGGY HUTCHISON

Christ Church is very involved with the Christian Activity Center (CAC) in East St. Louis. To put it mildly, the CAC as-sists many families in East St. Louis with raising more of Gods remarkable chil-dren. One of our most important an-nual programs is the Backpack Attack, when we ask members of Christ Church to donate new or nicely used backpacks and other school supplies. This article is meant to raise your awareness of this wonderful program as well as to prepare you to become involved. The Christian Activity Center is a com-prehensive after school program engag-ing 600+ children a year (ages 6-18). Each child is offered a healthy after school snack, a hot dinner, individual learning plan, tutoring, computer train-ing, visual and performing arts, college access, teen employment training, coun-seling, Bible study, recreation, and well-ness education. The high school gradu-ation rate for CAC youth is 97%, and 74% of CAC graduates proceed to college or trade school -- compared with 40% and 13% citywide, respectively. The CAC takes youth to weeklong summer camps and on mission trips to teach them the value of quiet time, scripture study, soli-tude and prayer. The center is a safe place for the kids to go from 3:30-8:00 p.m., Monday Friday, and buses the kids to church services on Sunday. Summer hours are 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. Most im-portantly, the kids who attend the Chris-tian Activity Center are offered some-thing they crave: Love and Hope! We would love to go above and beyond the number of backpacks and school sup-plies we collected last year, so even more

of the children will have the supplies they need to have a successful school year. BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP! First, decide what you can donate (see the list below). Please remember, the back-packs need to be sturdy so they last the entire school year. Then, save the dates! Mark the collec-tion dates on your calendars now, so you wont forget. The Sunday collection dates are ALL in July: the 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th. NOTE: July 26th is the last Sunday you can bring items to the church. There are mission teams that organize, sort, and prepare the backpacks for the students. The youth at Christ Church will organize and sort what is brought to scripture hall. When you bring your backpacks and supplies, you may bring them in the bags you purchased them in. The mission teams prepare the backpacks so they are age-appropriate for the stu-dents. Please bring your donations to the church and place them in the bins marked Backpack Attack during the Sundays in July.

WHAT TO BRING? Heres the list of supplies needed:

Backpacks Pencil sharpeners Spiral notebooks Pencils and pens Glue sticks Markers Colored pencils

3-ring binders Loose leaf paper Crayons Uniforms - sizes 6 - adult XL. Shirts:

pale blue & white collared polo shirts, long and short sleeve. Pants: navy or black khaki pants (we never receive enough clothes so we would like to change that. The uniforms can be purchased at Wal Mart.)

If you would like to volunteer to deliver or pack supplies, contact Peggy Hutchi-son (hutchhaus@charter.net). We will need some adult drivers after the supplies are collected to bring them to the CAC. Other CAC volunteer possibilities in-clude tutoring in the homework cen-ter, helping with recreation or Kids For Christ from 3:30-8:00 p.m., Mon. - Fri. If you would like to learn more about the CAC, go to www.cacesl.org. The CAC is located at 540 N. 6th Street in East St. Louis. If you would like a tour of the CAC, just ask Peggy Hutchison shell be happy to take you! Thank you in advance for your backpacks and school supplies for the kids at the Christian Activity Center. The kids ap-preciate you and your donations!

I tell you the truth, what-ever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

Matthew 25:40.

Peggy HutchisonPOC Christian Activity Center

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME16

WHO ARE MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS?

BY BRENNE M. ISSA

In Genesis, Adam cried out to God with an earnest desire for companionship. Even with all the lush amenities of par-adise, he was lonely. God loved the man He created so He honored Adams request and made a woman for him. This was the beginning of the family. Family was cre-ated by God so that we will not be alone and will experience joy, companionship, unconditional love, and forgiveness, to name a few familial benefits. Unfortu-nately, in families we can also experience heartbreak, dysfunction, loneliness, con-ditional love, and unforgiveness that will sometimes scar us with deep rooted bit-terness, resentment and insecurities.

My family is a little different than many who attend this church. I am virtually alone. Due to death, emotional estrange-ment, geographical distance, and age, all natural occurrences in families, I find myself alone. But its all good! I am alone but not lonely. I know that youve heard that before but its always true when you have God as the head of your family and as head of your life. Jesus told us that He would never leave or forsake us. In my opinion, that means when everyone else in the family gets married, goes home to be with the Lord, betrays you, moves away or just plain gets consumed in their own life, God is still there ready to love you, to be better than a brother or sister to you! That is good news!

In 2 Corinthians 6:18 God said I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Al-mighty. Sounds like family to me! Jesus left us with the commandment that we love one another as He loved us. Where can we find love and acceptance but in a

place where people gather to experience and exhibit Gods love? It is called the Church.

As a mature divorce, I had a specific wish list in mind when I first came to Christ Church. I wanted and needed a church family that was warm, genuinely friend-ly, accepting of people as they are and as God made them. Let me make myself perfectly clear - although this is a huge church, I came to Christ Church seeking family!

From the moment I get out of my car, the greeters make me feel loved, special and welcomed to the house of the Lord. What I hear them saying is Welcome home! I love seeing couples, young, middle aged and old, the nucleus of the family. I am reminded of the commitment they made to each other and the families they would and have created. I also enjoy the way we greet each other. It sparks new life and agape love when we embrace each other with handshakes, hugs, smiles, high-fives and blessings.

My greatest joy at Christ Church is the new family I have found in my small group (Disciple I). We are women of all ages (mostly mature), occupations and experiences who started out with one common goal to seek God through His word. Over time we have become very candid about our present lives and challenges as well as our pasts. Through this journey we pray for each other, our families, friends, co-workers and extend-ed family and worship together. We have suffered through spousal illness, work re-lated issues, time management concerns, responsibilities of child rearing and mar-

Brenne M IssaFlame Volunteer Writer

riage, interpretation of the scriptures, and expressions of personal goals and dreams. We encourage each other and celebrate each others moments of joy. My heart is so full!

As our scheduled class comes to an end, we are already vowing to continue our friendships and sisterhood beyond the class. We have bonded as family. That is what happens when you put God in the midst of His people. In losing ourselves, we found ourselves and each other, a real family.

After Jesus biological family came to see Him and it was announced to Him that they were there, He retorted in Mark 3:33, Who are my Mother and broth-ers? Then He looked at those seated in a circle around Him and said, Here are my Mother and brothers! Whoever does Gods will is my brother and sister and mother. Therefore, no matter which kind of family you are a part of, the blessing is that we can choose to be a part of Gods family. We are part of something greater than ourselves.

May God bless you as He extends an open invitation to His family.

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 17

THE MODERN PARENTS

BY MATT RYGELSKI

Imagine if you could go back and watch a tape of your life. You could see your-self change, make mistakes, and grow up. Wouldnt it be great if there was a way to know youre in the good ol days before you left them?

When my wife Kelly and I had our first child, friends and family would run up to congratulate us and send prayers and well wishes. Its doubtful we fully realized it at the time, but our lives had complete-ly changed. God had entrusted us with a child and it was time to take him home. We had a family now, and we were abso-lutely delighted.

For the first year, he slept most of the time. Changing diapers and losing a few hours of our sleep here and there seemed so easy. But by year two once he started talking, walking, and wanting to be inde-pendent everything changed; whether we were ready or not. We had a walking, talking, curious toddler. He also had his own personality and failed to come with an instruction manual.

Now Kelly and I are research-oriented people. From Amazon reviews to Goo-gle searches, we try to do our homework before jumping into any decision. We follow parenting forums for the advice of experts on everything from potty training to college funds and test drive strollers as if we were at an Audi dealership. Then, we take all that information and form our own opinion on what we believe is best for our child and our family and move on to the next decision. On the really tough decisions, we pray.

Recently, I read an article about how

competitive parenting has become the new religion. One expert called it scheduled hyperactivity where peer pressure from other parents insists that your child participate in every sport and every extracurricular activity so much so that their schedule is full every week-day and weekend. Before these children reach puberty, their life is more chaot-ic than most CEOs. And yet, out of all those appointments and activity remind-ers, the one that should have consistently been increasing, was absent from every calendar - attending church.

But seek first his kingdom and his righ-teousness, and all these things will be giv-en to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will wor-ry about itself. Each day has enough trou-ble of its own. Matthew 6:33-34

Time is so filled that the most important points of building relationships are barely wedged in between one appointment and another - if at all! It seems that these par-ents believe spiritual development can be postponed until after well, everything else. Parenting is supposed to be more than becoming your childs chauffeur. Parenting is supposed to be more than catering to every need and want of the child. Parenting is supposed to be taking the time to teach them the difference. Parenting is hard.

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shalt talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Biblical truth must be the foundation of our home. As God has blessed us with our child, it is Kellys and my duty as par-ents to educate him in the details of our faith. A childs mind is so easily suggest-ible to go in the direction of almost any voice; we must prepare him with the abil-ities to discern whats right from whats wrong. That is going to take some seri-ous effort because there is a wide world of distraction begging for his attention.

Yes, we will always be his parents and must do parental things like encouraging him to grow and forgiving the mistakes hes sure to make, but my first and fore-most priority is to give my time to him. Its important that he be taught what is valued in our family, and I want to be there for those good ol days moments when they actually happen. During those moments, it will be my example that he sees how to be a husband, a father, and a follower of Jesus. Because when he holds his first son, he wont give thanks to baseball or jazz band. Hell thank God, just as I thanked God when I first held my son.

Matt RygelskiFlame Volunteer Writer

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME18

SUMMER ACTIVITY FOR THE FAMILY - GET UP AND GO!

BY DEBBY CREAGH & KELLI TOBIN

Families are finding that when an active lifestyle is built into the fabric of their lives the children are more likely to stay active as adults. Research proves that those who stay active throughout their lives are less likely to struggle with many diseases. It provides benefits such as im-proved strength, endurance, weight con-trol, emotional well-being and a myriad of other positive results.

God designed families to be our greatest support system and the building blocks of society. Healthy families make healthy communities, including the church! Family time can be a crucial part of a childs understanding of relationships, handling challenges and failures, devel-oping their faith, and deepening family bonds. Experts say that adults should aim for at least 30 minutes of daily phys-ical activity and 60 minutes for children. But how do we fit all of this into our busy schedules?

Now that summer is here, it is a great time to try new activities to get the entire family active together! Combining fitness and family time is a great way to multi-task your time together. So where do we start? Make a plan. It can be flexible, but

get it on the family calendar! Decide on an activity that includes

the whole family. Make a chart to record events and

progress...stickers and all! Set some goals together that family members want to reach.

Invite friends to join you!

What are some free or low-cost ideas to get your family moving?

Limit the time spent in front of screens. Make block-out times for all screens including cell phones, video games, computers and television! Make a new family rule -- no sitting during commercials! :-) Youre wel-come, kids!

Plant a family garden. Plan vacations around an activity.

Hike, camp, fish, bike, backpack. Start a family tradition. Take an after

dinner walk or plan a monthly fami-ly ball game.

Divide and rotate physically active chores among all family members.

Participate in community events. Look for benefit runs/walks, litter patrol, etc. Check the weekend activ-ities in your local paper.

Keep a container in the car with var-ious sports equipment. How about that Hula Hoop?

Walk everywhere you can rather than drive. Use the fitness equip-ment or trails that many local parks provide.

If you stay inside, play your favorite song and have a dance party. Do fun workout videos from YouTube or make up your own dance moves to the oldies.

Make fitness a game - use flashcards and a dice to create a workout rou-tine. Use what you have on hand, like balloons to play Keep It Up.

Sign up for family fitness classes at your local gym or YMCA.

Look online - there are many web-sites like Pinterest where you can find activities your family would en-joy.

Think outside the box! Maybe your

Debbie CreaghFaith Community Nurse CoordinatorDebbyCreagh@mychristchurch.com

family isnt into a workout or sports, but you love being active - play laser tag or go rock climbing. Whatever it is, use your collective imaginations to become a fit and active family!

What are the benefits of family fitness? Here are just a few: Its easier to get fit together - encour-

agement and enjoyment keep you going.

Everyone gets fit and healthy, and the accountability will keep you mo-tivated.

You have an in-house personal train-ing squad. Parents get to coach their kids on handling challenges and failures, working as a team, meeting goals and encouraging others.

As your bodies get stronger, your family gets stronger. You go places in your hearts and minds that might not come up otherwise. You have time to talk about God and what is happening in each others lives. You get closer together and support each other.

Its fun! You get to enjoy those silly moments and building great memo-ries for your whole family!

Sometimes its hard to meet everyones needs or interests when it comes to ex-ercise, but the important thing is you are doing it together. Take time this sum-mer to make a tradition of being active together. You will make great memories that will last, while honoring your body the way God intended.

Come on, Christ Church families, lets get started! On your mark, get set, GO!

What you tell your kids to do is like a whisper, but what you actually do is like a scream. Selena Yeager, CPT and author of Perfectly Fit

Kelli TobinAthletic Ministries CoordinatorKelliTobin@mychristchurch.com

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 19

GETTING TO KNOW YOUPamela S. Huff

Job TitleConnections Coordinator

Job DescriptionHelp folks get connected in service and small groups, available at the Sync Center on Sunday mornings for face-to-face help, organize Con-nect Point every other month, oversee, train, do follow up with small group leaders, start new small groups. Update small groups on website.

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME20

Do you feel you have a purpose or calling in life? My purpose in life is helping the next generation find Christ. Thats why I choose to babysit for my grandchildren. I want to be a positive influence so they can know they are loved by their parents, grandparents, and most of all God. I want them to grow up with a service atti-tude not a selfish one.

How do you handle stress? I cry first and then get down to the busi-ness of praying and trusting God.

Do you attend a small group? How has this changed your relation-ships? I am a part of two different small groups. Im a big proponent of small groups if you couldnt tell. I lead a womens group and am a participant in a couples group. They are the place of friendship, spiritual growth and accountability. I can be myself, and they still like me. I have definitely learned how to move head knowledge to my heart in the small group setting.

What are you best at? Talking! Voicing my thoughts. I think I am also a pretty good seamstress and cook. I love to brainstorm.

What have you learned recently from another Christian? Its not all about me!

How did you meet your spouse? We actually were in 5th grade Sunday school and in the same 6th grade class

in school. We became high school sweet-hearts our senior year. David told my best friend he would be interested in go-ing to the Sweetheart Dance with me. You know, the dance where the girl asked the guy. So I wasnt going and decided to ask him. The rest is history. We will be celebrating our 36th anniversary in Octo-ber.

What advice do you have for the young people at church? Dont be in a hurry to grow up. Its not all its cut out to be.

Where are you from? I was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming. My dad was in the Air Force but grew up in Clinton, IL. Its my moms hometown, so when dad retired we moved to Clinton. I went to first grade through high school in the town.

Are you a morning or night per-son? I am a night person. I could stay up late sewing if I didnt have to get up in a time-ly fashion the next morning.

How many cities have you lived in? Ten.

Does your faith show while driv-ing? Not often.

What jobs have you done? I have worked in a nursing home feeding patients, doing laundry, nurses aide, Rec-reation Director, and LPN. I was an LPN

in a doctors office, hospital emergency room and OB. I have been a librarian and Kindergarten teacher. I worked at anoth-er church doing youth, children, adult education, and small groups.

What could you do as a child that you cant do now? Do a tripod!

Are you a task oriented person or a people oriented person? I am task oriented. I always have a To Do list. I tend to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. When I focus on a task I wont quit until its done.

Name one thing you miss about be-ing a kid. Spring mornings in my childhood home. Windows open, crisp air, smell of lilacs wafting through the window. Not a wor-ry in the world.

What is one food that you would never give up? Chocolate

What are your hobbies? Sewing, cooking, baking, reading, cro-cheting and gardening.

Are you a Cubs or Cardinal fan? Cardinal fan all the way.

What world problem would you like to see resolved this year? Economic inequality.

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 21

GOD AT WORK

NEW MEMBERS2015 CONFIRMATION

CLASS

Alyssa Johanna MaltbyAustin Gage Moose Autumn Caroline Dixon Cameron Allen Moose Corynne Paige Bean DeShawn Phoenix Ware Devin Mack RaineyDylan Michael GralewskiDylan Michael Lercher Emily Jane White Hayden Kingdon Isaac Shalom Yuhas Jaron Rudolph KnobelochJessica Grace Camp Joseph E. Laidley Josie Kai Xiwan LeQuatte Kaleigh Marie Schwertman Kylah A. Marble Kyle Steven ConnerKyndall Braelon Riddle Landon Conrad Gaskill Logan Michael MiddletonMadison Marie MiddletonMark Jacob Corrill Micah Christian Georgian Nathaniel Owen Enriquez Quinn M. Van Horn Tyler Schwahn Xander N. Van Horn Zachary Scott Gebhardt

APRIL 2015Tammy ConnerShawn CorrillSamareia Darling-RiddleVirginia MaltbyLaTosha MarbleKelly D. MooseCherryl A. RaineyScott StonerBeth R. Van HornJoseph H. Van HornKrystal WareJeremy JonesGloria JonesKelly DortchLance DortchMichael J. CaughlinRick CurtisStacy HollawayKatie JohnstonNew Members April Cont.James W. KorbaJennifer LunaSteven J. LunaRoxene McPhersonNoah W. ProckoTommy ReidJoshua SchmeesChuck H. WilsonTina R. WilsonJessica J. WiseLisa B. MinerdTerry W. MinerdNancy SchmeesDarren WisemanJulie WisemanJames FishbeinMona J. FishbeinKaren M. FrentzelLeah N. Nolden

ATTENDANCE

2015March Worship Avg = 2,125March Connection Avg = 462April Worship Avg = 2,455April Connection Avg = 308May Worship Avg = 1,991May Connection Avg = 267

BAPTISMS

WEDDINGS

MARCH 2015Hadley Grace Braswell Josie Graumenz Weston Jay Schmees Dylan Schmees Elyse MacKenna Cardin Alaysia Moore Dublin Michael Russell

APRIL 2015Autumn Anderson Rhenaldo M. Barnard Nola Barth Miranda Bergman Aleah Ann Bevineau Forrest (Alex) Bevineau, III Jasmine Brown Dillinger Tyler Cain Hannah R. Cline Kyle Steven Conner Mark Jacob Corrill Jacob Tyler DeWitt James Michael Fickinger Rylee Alyse Gobble Dylan Michael Gralewski Kimberly Haguewood Lori Hayes Jake Hofmeister Christopher M. Jackson Whitney Eva Alyssa King Joseph E. Laidley Baptisms April cont.Dylan Michael Lercher Alyssa Johanna Maltby Cassandra Maltby Bryce Collin Maly Jazlyn A. Marble Kylah A. Marble LaTosha Marble Adam Moore Austin Gage Moose Cameron Allen Moose Kelly D. Moose Raegan Ania Morrison Reese Ann Morrision David Parker Jessica Parker MacKenzie Parker Samantha Parker Kenneth Poser, Jr. Devin Mack Rainey Kyndall Braelon Riddle Laurie Leigh Robertson Ashton Michael Robinson Kallin Michael Robinson

Robin Alan Watt and Christine Lynn Deremiah April 8

James Edward Hursey and Carmen Lee Reed May 9

REAFFIRMATION

ReaffirmationAmy Melissa Cook Bailey Marie Merritt Erin Marie Merritt Janae Gaxiola Natasha Hashemzadehirani Ruth Ann Merritt Susan D. Parker

MEMBERS PASSING

Guida T. Dilday March 13Marge Curcuro March 16Marie Albert April 19June Cleveland May 3

Kirsten Renee Robinson Jaden Alexander Russell Dominic Russell Makya Seibel Tyson Seibel Andrew Schipke Carter William Stahl Spencer Michael Stahl DeShawn Phoenix Ware Johnathan Whitaker Winter Williams Isaac S. Yuhas Roxene McPherson

PRAYING THE SCRIPTURES

SUBMITTED BY RONI MCDANIELS

The Bible tells us in Isaiah 55:11, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Jesus set the example for us as he often used scripture to pray. God draws near to us when we pray scripture back to Him, and God will bless you when you faithfully pray His Word over your extended family and our Christ Church family.

Titus 2:1-8 But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine. Tell the older men to be temperate, serious, pru-dent, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. Likewise, tell the older wom-en to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, so that they may en-courage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.

PRAYthat your children, family and friends would seek Gods face to learn how to walk with Him.

Proverbs 22:6 Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray. Pray for discernment and empowerment for teaching your children Gods Word.

Ephesians 6:1-4 Children, obey your par-ents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and motherthis is the first commandment with a promise: so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth. And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

PRAY for self-control.Galatians 6:10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the fam-ily of faith.

PRAY for discernment in recognizing opportunities to serve.1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

PRAY that God would fill you with a desire to be an encourager.

Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his pow-er. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this pres-ent darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in ev-ery prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in suppli-cation for all the saints.

PRAYfor Gods protection and empowerment to stand against the enemy.

SPRING 2015 // THE FLAME24

Steve WhiteSteve.White@strano.com

Mobile: (618) 407-9110

www.strano.com/stevewhite

Th e highest compliment I can receive is the referral

of friends, family, & business partners,

~ Th ank You ~

Carie Bradshaw(618) 593-3258

carie@cariebradshaw.com

Providing Our Communityand Military/VA with Options

Carie Bradshaw(618) 593-3258

carie@cariebradshaw.com

INTEGRITYProviding Our Community

and Military/VA with Options

CHRIST CHURCH BUSINESS OWNERSYou can help Christ Church produce the Flame magazine by becoming a sponsor. Call us at 618-277-4659 for details.

THE FLAME // SPRING 2015 25

VACATIONBIBLE SCHOOL

Register Online At

myChristChurch.com/VBS

Its time to get ready for VBS! All children, starting from 4 years old up to those entering 6th grade, are invited to attend. This years theme is Move! and kids will learn about people in the Bible who changed direction after

meeting Jesus. All four campuses will host VBS this summer.

VBS DATES & LOCATIONS

Fairview Heights CampusJuly 13-17 | 6PM - 8PM

Millstadt CampusJuly 22-24 | 6:30PM - 8PM

Collinsville/Maryville CampusJuly 29-31 | 6PM - 8PM

Scott CampusAugust 4-6 | 6PM - 8PM

Learn more about Christ Church at www.myChristChurch.com. 618-2774659. 339 Frank Scott Parkway East, Fairview Heights, IL 62208.