Mid-Week Memo

in ,

Hi Five Oakers,

I have a few things I want to share with you.

#1 - Get a recap of the service with highlights of our prayers, readings and songs here.

#2 – Here are your comments from the Communication Cards:

  • Thanks for the message today Henry. Awesome. 
  • I love the pre-service song. I no longer freak out that I’m late but rejoice and feel welcomed to worship. Sorry I’m missing today’s meeting due to work but thank you for the letter this week as a reminder and I feel good about the by-law changes. 
  • Apropos message for me – I just had a show as a tightrope performer. 
  • Loved Henry’s, Mr. Roger’s sweater.  [Just bought another one for my collection from my collection--the Henry Williams Collection at Banana Republic!]
  • Henry, love the car analogy! Thanks for another great and impactful message. Your gift is explaining complex things in a simple meaningful practical way – thanks for sharing this gift with me. Looking forward to the lighting station returning. 
  • Great service! 
  • Henry, thank you for the message today! I thought I understood this parable, but you brought a clarity and depth to it that totally opened my eyes! Fantastic message. 
  • Great worship set. Loved the Twinkie transition to our question of the week. Wow, what a fantastic message – thanks Henry. Loved the soloist after the message – praise God. Loved the closing – “Oh Happy Day”. 
  • Loved the explanations of the way our service is set up – it was very clear for new people, (I think). And I love the new tables that communion is on.  [I’m particularly happy with the explanation this week. I’m building it on the feedback from people at 10-Minute Connect and our members.]
  • I loved your message, Henry.
  • Great music! 
  • I miss the drama skits! 
  • Everyone who adopts a child goes through a decision making process accessing the kind of risk you discussed this morning; the God risk.
  • Served at “Good in the Hood”, partner of Union Gospel, with my family serving needy families with groceries and serving a meal. Stomachs were filled, larders prepared for a holiday and smiles given freely. God  was glorified and His love shared. 
  • Henry, you preach to the (your) right and make comments to your left. Try reviewing it – I notice it. [That’s because those people on the right need preachin’ at. Actually, good catch. I’ve been thinking about mixing it up a bit by putting my table on the right side. I wonder if that will make a difference. Not sure how else I could catch myself in the act or retrain myself. I haven’t looked yet, but I’m guessing you’re right.]

#3 - Here’s the message in 10 Tweets—Luke 19:11-27, “Risk Assessment.”

  1. This passage is about assessing the risk of investing your life for God & his purposes…& the riskiness of not risking for God.
  2. Be careful about what you risk your life on.
  3. The citizens who hated him drop from view until the last verse in one quick Columbo move… “one more thing…slaughter them”
  4. There is grace in the warning (still have time) & outcome (get what they want, out from under God's grace/rule).
  5. There’s nothing safe about playing it safe. We will be held account for how we invest our one life in God’s mission or not.
  6. Buchanan-We're well schooled that certain kinds of people don't inherit the K of G: wicked…rage fiends…Less prepared 4 who J adds: cautious
  7. Risking for God is not about being a risk-taker. Jesus affirms effort—ANY effort.
  8. Buchanan-Our theology determines our destiny…generous/gracious/kind God…do likewise…angry/demanding/miserly…do likewise
  9. Gilbert –“My son’s trust was never in his own ability…It was in his father’s promise: “Come on kiddo. Jump. I promise I’ll catch you.”
  10. When J says “slaughter them,” it’s metaphorical (points to final judgment). But Jesus was literally slaughtered (the Lamb of God) for us.

#4 – Here’s a question from the sermon:

Q - If people get what they want in judgment, does that mean those who want a wrathful God will get one? 

A – Not sure what you mean, but I think I need to qualify my statement a bit. Maybe that will address your question. When I say people get what they want it needs to be qualified: they want to be free of God’s rule in their lives and that’s what they get. They don’t get everything they want. They don’t get happiness.

Happy Thanksgiving! Pastor Henry

Wednesday Memo & Weekend Message Q&A

in ,

Hi Five Oakers,

I have a few things I want to share with you.

#1 - Get a recap of the service with highlights of our prayers, readings and songs here.

#2 – Here are your comments from the Communication Cards:

  • Great steel guitar sound of – Moving and Majestic. Love baby dedications. [Me too! Tons of them this weekend. Sorry, 9:15ers, but it’s too full in that service to have all those families that come for dedication fit in, so no dedications for you. I’d love to see some 9:15 folks attend on Saturday or 11am. It would be great. But I’m not asking for that if it means displacing your kids.]
  • My family has been coming since last December. We are from WI. I ask God, why so far away. Since the very first time I have come, God gives me a big hug when I come through the church doors, every week. What can I say, I love your church! [Wonderful!!!]
  • Henry, thank you for sharing the truth so clearly for us all. Awesome message filled with new insights for me. Dan, great job with worship! Thank you Worship Band! [Loved Dan and the band. My thanks go out to them too. The opening song for response is a Dan original you can listen to here. His new album is available here.]
  • Each week is great. But thank you especially for the opening worship songs… and ambiance. It prepared my heart and mind for being here to listen to God. [The first one at the Prelude was a Dan original.]
  • Nice, Dan! Thanks for clarification on what repentance really means – hits home. 
  • Great music, great message. So many hearts gathered in Praise. Thank you. 
  • We praise you for always keeping our family strong by putting You first! 
  • Praise God for all the babies being dedicated! Great sermon – awesome worship!
  • Great music! After the election I needed God’s people more than ever this week. Confusion, bewilderment, disappointment. But I remembered Jesus doesn’t take sides, he takes over. He didn’t die for America, he died to save the world. We aren’t alive for the moment, we are alive for eternity. My geopolitical footprint changed this week, my heart was freed because I know we are victorious, we know the end. And if that doesn’t give us a sense of urgency (I must share my hope!) for the lost, nothing will. I’m so proud of you for the message Henry and how you transitioned from pleasing seeker to true seekers.
  • I really appreciate Dan Lukas’ voice and stage presence in leading us in worship. I love the pins-on-the-map idea. But the map need to be bigger for those of us who live and work farther away from church (St. Paul, South St. Paul, West St. Paul, etc.) [Dan says: “Several of us mentioned the same thing as we don't live in Woodbury. We're updating it for the future.”]
  • The way Dan sang “Before the Throne of God” should be on the church CD. Today’s message – I get it. Not sure why I always asked the question why God choose to save us the way He did, through His son, yet I get how. Because we can understand it. [Dan says, “My guess is, when we do a hymns project this will be on it. And probably like this: http://marshill.bandcamp.com/track/before-the-throne.]
  • Timely message. Very real and passionate. Thank you! 
  • Henry, your passion is so contagious. Thank you! 
  • Why are we omitting the third verse in Cornerstone? It’s the most powerful verse of the song?: Then He shall come with trumpet sound. Oh, may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless, stand before the throne. [Dan says, “It wasn't omitted, just wasn't included in the arrangement I chose for the weekend. It's a great lyric, and the song does miss a little something when the lyric is absent. Here is the arrangement we used: link.]
  • It would be great to include drama (live drama) again! The services have gotten quite predictable. This would add some sparkle to worship. Please pass on to programming. [Passed it on. Thanks.]
  • Why did we start five minutes early? It was awkward coming in on time, but feeling late because music already started. [We always start five minutes early. We’ve been doing this for several months. It’s a bonus for people who get there early. We want people to get their early, so this s a reward. Two-thirds of our folks come in late, and that’s not an exaggeration. It also pulls people in from the Commons so they can be present for the call to worship.]
  • It’s chilly today… breezy, in fact. Brrr! [Just trying to get more people to go for coffee at the Acorn Café. You of all people might appreciate that. Just kidding. Duly noted.]

#3 - Here’s the message in 10 Tweets—Luke 19:1-10, “Out on a Limb.”

  1. Zacchaeus is a comical figure to most of us who grew up in SS. But he's a man who risks a lot to see J then stakes whole life on Jesus.
  2. Z's story, 3 challenges to move: from snacker to seeker, seeker to saved, consumer to contributor to God's mission.
  3. Z is willing to be undignified to see Jesus. Urgent. Jesus matches his urgency stride for stride. “Hurry…I must come to you home today.”
  4. Crowd's reaction points to obstacle seekers face: the religious, moralistic crowd around Jesus then & today.
  5. True seekers aren't derailed that easily; snackers are. Push through & discover J is put off by moralistic more than you are.
  6. Too many people who say they’re seekers are really snackers…window shoppers.
  7. When I preach I'm not going to waste the true seeker's time by begging for the attention of the snacker.
  8. Z's sudden generosity NOT the grounds of his salvation but the fruit of his repentance (not an action but change of mind).
  9. How much MUST I give is wrong ?. We should ask, help me reorder my life to give more & more to you, your kingdom & your concerns.
  10. Tragic how many spend lifetime in church without experiencing this kind of transformation. Never leave confines of grumbling crowd.

#4 – Only got one question so decided to keep it until today. Here it is: So, did Zacchaeus have to stop being a tax collector? (Since the only “right” amount was what was paid to the government.) 

Answer: Not sure. Actually, collecting more than they paid out is not the issue since the system required a tax collector to collect more than he paid. It’s what capitalism is built on. But the system itself encouraged price gouging of a sort. The perception of being a “collaborator” was most troublesome. It’s a good question, but I don't know if we can know the answer. I don’t think Jesus ever addressed it in the Gospels.

#5 – I’m looking forward to the Visionary Marriage conference this weekend. Hope to see you there. It’s not too late to register.

#6 – Got this in an email regarding one of the lines from this coming week’s passage: “Wow. Have fun w/ this… :o) But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’” Thanks, I will. Come and see.

Blessings, Pastor Henry