Mountair Christian Church

On Sunday the sermon was about preparing the way for the Lord in our lives through repentance and extended times of seeking God.  We also want to prepare the way for the Lord as a church as we will be making a strong push to connect more with the community this summer.  On Sunday I challenged everyone to consider doing two things.

1. Fast from something: Fasting is something Scripture assumes we’ll do, but we (or at least I) don’t do it very often.  But fasting can be a great way to remind ourselves of the sacrifices Jesus made for us and that we are called to lay down our lives to follow him.  You can fast from food, but you can also try fasting from TV, social media, sleeping in, or anything else.
2. Add something that will help you draw closer to God: Too often we only focus on what we should give up–what sins we need to quit, what fast to do–the negative things.  But it’s equally important that we think about the positive things we can add to our lives.

Then I specifically challenged Mountair to pray together everyday during Lent.  So I’m challenging you to join in!  Just download and print the weekly prayer calendar and find a time each day to pray for the thing that’s specified.  We had about 70 people commit to pray on Sunday, so add yourself to the list and let’s see how God uses it in the next six weeks!

In November the congregation approved spending to bring in additional staff to provide help in leadership to move into new ministry as a church.  Even this vote was the culmination of a six month process of discussions about where we were headed as a church and what God wanted for us.  This weekend those discussions and the congregational vote come to a head as Jonny Craig will be in town with his family (wife Kayla and son Joseph) to make the final determination of a call to Mountiar.

I strongly encourage you to make time to meet them and interact with them.  There are a couple different opportunities for you to do that.

Open House
Friday from 5:00-7:00
Trevor and Michelle’s House

Our address is in the directory and if you need directions just call the church or email me at trevor@mountaircc.org.

Sunday

Jonny will be at the church by 8:30 and will be available to talk up until the service at 10:15.  Then, after the service, we’re having a pancake lunch where you can meet the whole family.

I’m really excited for the next step in what God has for us as a church and look forward to sharing it with you this weekend!

I read these words in Psalm 25 today and thought of many who are facing great difficulties and trials right now.  Praying this for anyone facing that today.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart
and free me from my anguish.
Look on my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
See how numerous are my enemies
and how fiercely they hate me!

Guard my life and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope, Lord, is in you.

This post originally appeared on Trevor’s blog.

Sunday we had a homeless man walk into the sanctuary.  This isn’t a strange occurrence at Mountair.  A significant percentage of our congregation is either homeless or a couple bad days away from it.  What was different was the state this guy was in.  He staggered in, barely able to stand, and collapsed into the back pew.  When we sang he stood, waving his arms in the air–at least until he toppled back onto the pew.  When we prayed he spoke loudly–his words too slurred to be sure if he was talking to God or someone else.  He was very dirty and you could smell him from the other side of the room.  People could have responded to him as a problem or a man created in God’s image.  The response of our people to this man blew me away.

After the service I was by the front door and two people (one of them a man in his 80s) came toward me with their arms around him to make sure he didn’t fall.  We got him to sit down in one of the chairs in the entryway.  As I greeted the people who were leaving and watched, these two were joined by a few others.  By the time I could make my way over to see how I could help they had filled a bag of food for him from the food bank, discovered that he was in a lot of pain, and assured him that we’d help him however we could.

Once I got there, those who had been helping slowly trickled out.  They had acted like Jesus toward this man–a man many people would have done everything in their power to avoid (shoot, I would have done everything in my power to avoid him for a large part of my life).  As incredible as this was, I wasn’t done being amazed.

A woman who lives down the street from the church, and has faced more than her fair share of pain, remained with me, trying to discern what his broken and jumbled sentences meant.  When we got him in my car to take him to the hospital she came along, placing food in his hand and moving it to his mouth because he couldn’t remember it was there.  When he became belligerent and demanded that we not take him to the hospital she continually reassured him that we were trying to help.  (We did return to the church and called the police/paramedics to come help him since he seemed more willing to go with that option.)  When we returned to the church she got his boot off and wrapped his foot in a warm towel.  When the paramedics were taking him out on a stretcher and he was scared she gently touched his cheek and assured him it would be okay.  I learned something about being a pastor from her in that hour.

I’ve read recently about a lot of hatred, spiritual abuse, and overall lack of love in churches.  Pointing these things out needs to be done.  I think it’s also worth pointing out the times when Jesus’ love and his way show up in the life of the church.  I was thankful to have a front row seat for that on Sunday.

I failed to get the sermon up last week, so it’s two for one today.

Peace in Christ Alone

There are many reasons we don’t experience the peace of Christ, what’s yours?

Jesus and Joy

Jesus’ birth led shepherds and Magi to joy and worship.  It led Herod to infanticide.  What’s the difference and what does that have to do with us?

We hope for all kinds of things in life, but all those hopes can be taken away.  In relation to God we find ourselves in a hopeless situation.  The only real hope for our lives and the only one that can’t be taken away is found in Christ.

Title: Hope in Christ Alone

Series: Advent 2011

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-13

Speaker: Trevor Lee

Listen Now

“For Christians, the journey is our home.”  These words were shared by Jose Morales, Jr. in this sermon.  Jose challenged us to go with God into the wilderness trusting his direction and movement.  Jose is the Transitional Regional Minister for the Central Rocky Mountain Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

 
Title: Holy Bones

Scripture: Exodus 13:17-22

Speaker: Jose Morales, Jr.

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There are a number of traditions at Mountair, and one of the best has to be the annual Thanksgiving dinner.  This was the 27th time the church came together to bless the community with food, conversation, love, and prayer.  It was a great day on many levels.  We had volunteers from Mountair, the surrounding community, the Two Creeks neighborhood association, Applewood Community Church, and Arvada Covenant Church.  Since we had well over 50 volunteers we were able to sit with people as they ate and even pray with many.  It was also great to have a number of people come to eat who are a part of The Table, a ministry of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Last year we delivered 140 meals, this year we delivered 200.

Last year we served a total of 450 meals, this year we served over 600!

Here are some pictures from the day.

The last week in our series “Life Together.”  This week focuses on wholesome talk, not grieving the Holy Spirit, and following the example of Jesus in our interaction with each other.  It ends with a ripped up sheet.  I’m not joking.

Title: Life Together

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29-5:2

Listen now.

“What I’ve learned is that being an elder is a much bigger job than I’ve made it.”

That was what one of our elders said last night as we wrapped up our study on Your Calling as an Elder by Gary Straub.  This year Mary Ann, the chairperson of the elders, has worked hard to help people understand the high calling of being an elder.  She’s led us in “raising the bar” on what it means to be an elder at Mountair.  This is a really important thing for the future of our church.  The Bible paints a pretty lofty picture of the calling of the elders.

• Exodus 3:16-18  In this passage the elders perform two important functions as they interact with Moses, God’s chosen leader.  First, they listen to Moses to discern if what he’s saying is from God.  Second, they’re sent to go with Moses for the task God’s given him.  They both test his words and support his work.
• Acts 15  This is the story of the Jerusalem Council.  The elders had to seek the leading of the Holy Spirit together to determine how many Jewish customs the new Gentile converts needed to adhere to.  This was a major decision that shaped the spread of the early Church.  Throughout Scripture the elders are the ones who seek God together to make significant decisions about the shaping of the church.
• Acts 20:28-31  Here the elders are instructed to be the overseers and shepherds of the church.  As Satan uses different tactics to try and tear the church down, the elders are responsible for protecting it and building it up.
• Titus 1:6-9  This passage is one of a couple that talk about the character of the life of an elder.  While each of the distinctives laid out here is important, on the whole they paint a picture of a very godly individual.  The elders need to be an example of life in Christ for the congregation.

This is just a sampling of the biblical teaching on elders.  The elders are called to be godly individuals who care for and correct the congregation as well as providing spiritual oversight and decision-making.  The elders set the tone for the entire church.  In our church the most visible function of the elders has been their role in the offering and communion.  This is important, but being an elder is so much more.  I’m thankful for the steps we’re taking to grab a hold of the biblical picture of elders.