Wednesday, December 31, 2008

I'm Grateful for the People of Jubilee

As 2008 comes to a conclusion, I've spent some time thanking God for all of His goodness. One of the real bright spots for me was all the people at Jubilee who love to serve people. Based upon the most recent office records, we currently have 160 ongoing serving roles in the City location alone filled by 111 people. If you belong or attend Jubilee, here are some of the people who serve you:

First Contact (Ushers and Greeters)
  1. Teresa Lawson (Team Leader)
  2. Alex Kerford (Team Leader)
  3. Maria Kerford
  4. Chelsie Donjon
  5. Missy Rice
  6. Florence Scheller
  7. Mark Rice
  8. Tony Boswell
  9. Heidi Sever
  10. Jennifer Russo
  11. Abbie Nadolny
  12. Daniella Herrington
  13. Kari Ann Perry
  14. Dan Nadolny
  15. Rebekah Kruvand
  16. Dennis Shipman
  17. Alison Reisner
  18. Kathy Dills
  19. Chris Kalkbrenner
  20. Jennifer Whitmer
  21. Jen Hark
  22. Cindy Shipman
  23. Maxine Wooldridge
  24. Donna Smith
  25. Camika Bell
  26. Samantha Bryan
  27. Ginger Price
  28. Shannon Hein
  29. Mike Chance
  30. Jason Hark
Cleaning Team - clean the building every Saturday morning
  1. Daniella Herrington (Coordinator)
  2. Kara Russo (Team Leader)
  3. John Russo
  4. Camika Bell
  5. Rachel Mowrey
  6. Jackie Benton
  7. Katie James
  8. Betsy Pittman
  9. Carol Sjelin
  10. Abbie Nadolny (Team Leader)
  11. Alison Reisner
  12. Mike Cisar
  13. Jennifer Russo
  14. Shanna Holman
  15. Betty Finley
  16. Elizabeth Poe
Nursery and Toddlers (ages 0-2)
  1. Elisabeth Poe (Coordinator)
  2. Madyson Hark
  3. Amie Fox
  4. Shelly Brindley
  5. Rachel Mowrey
  6. Michele Benton
  7. Abby Fisher
  8. Ella Fisher
  9. Geoff Koeller
  10. Jodi Koeller
  11. Abby Chance
  12. Sara Rojas
  13. Dani Turner
  14. Jodi Hertz
  15. Marsha Vedova
  16. BJ Springett
  17. Kelly Springett
  18. Amanda Rigel
  19. Amber Schmidt
  20. Jean Bergeson
  21. Tessa Bergeson
Children (ages 3-12)
  1. Michael Whitmer (Children's Director/5-7th Grade Coordinator)
  2. Vicky Mowrey (3-4 year old Coordinator)
  3. Renee Scott
  4. Mick Vedova
  5. David Herrington
  6. Daniella Herrington
  7. Brandi Edwards
  8. Jessica Rigel (K-4th Grade Coordinator)
  9. Preston Donjon
  10. Cindy Shipman
  11. Dennis Shipman
  12. Josh Kirkpartick
  13. Alison Reisner
  14. Pat Donjon
  15. Anna Miles
  16. Daniel Harel
  17. Lisa Chance
  18. Mike Chance
  19. John Donjon
Worship Team
  1. Seth Hein (Worship Coordinator)
  2. Abby Fisher
  3. Jessica Rigel
  4. Dwight Rigel
  5. Jeff Boshans
  6. Joe Pastor
  7. Anne Patton
  8. Joel McPeak
  9. John Russo
  10. Samantha Bryan
  11. Jodi Koeller
  12. Elijah Stanley
  13. Ben McCutchan
  14. Anna Miles
Audio
  1. Mike Lawson (Team Leader)
  2. Geoff Koeller
  3. Jason Hark
  4. Mike Boshans
  5. Aaron Poe
A/V Media Team - responsible for displaying the words during worship, power point presentations and video taping
  1. Dan Brindley (Team Leader)
  2. Mike Cisar
  3. Chelsie Donjon
  4. Fletcher Isler
  5. Martha Lee
  6. Kara Russo
  7. Clayton James
  8. Nathan Turner
Hospitality (Coffee)
  1. Wes Benton (Team Leader)
  2. Michele Benton (Team Leader)
  3. Kari Ann Perry
  4. Ryan Parish
  5. Grace Kim
Offering Counters
  1. Heidi Sever (Team Leader)
  2. Donna Smith
  3. Mick Vedova
  4. Mike Chance
  5. Kelly Springett
  6. Mark Rice
  7. Kara Russo
  8. Dan Martinez
Administrative Team - put together the bulletin packs every week
  1. Amie Fox (Team Leader)
  2. Caris Stewart
  3. Heather Sweetman
  4. Eva Navarijo
  5. Judy Gebhardt
  6. Chelsie Donjon
Welcome Team - responsible for making guests feel welcome at Jubilee, answering their questions, and helping them get connected
  1. Abbie Nadolny (Director)
  2. Maria Kerford (Coordinator)
  3. Amie Fox
  4. Alex Kerford
  5. Jodi Hertz
  6. Ginger Price
  7. Jennifer Russo
  8. David Herrington
  9. Daniella Herrington
  10. Dan Nadolny
  11. Heidi Sever
  12. Ben Sever
  13. Mike Chance
  14. Mick Vedova
  15. Teresa Lawson
Building Maintenance
  1. John Donjon (Team Leader)
  2. Roman Rojas
  3. Tony Getz
  4. DaVonte Kirksey
  5. Harold Beach
  6. Tim Gillman
Communion
  1. Jackie Benton (Team Leader)
  2. Gabe Dunn
  3. Ali Dunn
  4. Charlie Lehman
  5. Gloria Lehman
Sunday Morning Set Up - make sure everything is in order for Sunday morning including setting up the baptismal
  1. Alex Kerford (Coordinator)
  2. Ronelle Ming

And these are just the ongoing serving roles. There are others who serve events such as Oneblaze or Mobilise. Still others who serve the surrounding community, host out of town guests, put together brochures, update websites, counsel others and the list goes on and on. In fact, if I missed your name...I do apologize...there just so many of you!!

Thank you for all that you do!!

Bryan

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Zim Update

I wanted to update you on Jubilee's effort to offer relief to the Crisis in Zim. If you are new to this blog, you can read my December 6 entry that explains the crisis in more detail.

So far, Jubileeites have given $13,695.97! If you haven't given to this yet and want to, you will be able to through January 18. You might talk to your employer too about matching charitable contributions. They typically won't for churches, but for this effort they might.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and are able to enjoy it with people you love. My prayer for you this holiday season (which isn't much different from the rest of the year) is that your hearts are continually transformed by the gospel and the love of Jesus. And during the next few days you will have opportunities to express that love. It can be as simple as offering to help out your host with the work load (men, don't go straight to the TV). Be grateful to you wife, mother, friend, whoever and be quick to serve them (I am speaking especially to those of you who are younger). Be like Jesus who was and is Master and Teacher, but washed feet. Hosts, don't get too stressed out and focused on what you've done and what everyone else hasn't. Focus on your guests and how you can continue serve them with the love of Christ. Jesus did lots of stuff He never got thanked for. Finally, don't allow this Christmas to come and go and forget Jesus. Family, friends, fun, presents, sports, etc all make the season enjoyable, but only Jesus makes it life giving. I love what the angles told Joseph (Mt 1:21), "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Praise Him! Worship Him! For He is the One (THE ONLY ONE) who is able and was willing to save you and me from our sin! Because of that, we have been given life - the best life - His life. Therefore, singles, wake up earlier and crack open the Bible and read the Christmas story in Matthew or Luke. Spend some time by yourself in prayer and worship. Fathers and mothers, gather your family and do the same. Allow your heart to be filled with the joy and hope found in the person of Jesus and have a Merry Christmas!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Zimbabwe Crisis Needs You

The crisis in Zimbabwe is intensifying at a horrifying rate. Half the country is facing starvation (about 5 million), there is an outbreak of cholera, and inflation is higher than anywhere else in the world (200% a day or in other words, prices triple every day).

In the midst of this intense suffering and panic, our 24 churches in this country are standing firm on the hope found only in the gospel and are teaching people to farm with 10 times the productivity. Because of this, they have received a national platform to teach this method known as "farming God's way". They have a plan to serve the country, but funds are desperately needed. Can I encourage you to do a few things:

1) Read this article.
2) Pray for the country and our brothers and sisters there
3) Give money. I know we are in a bit of a economic shortfall ourselves. Your income may have dropped or your job could even be in jeopardy. Jubilee's income has taken quite a hit as well. The temptation for us is to hold on tighter to "our" money that actually isn't ours in the begin with. It's ALL God's and He has put it in our possession to steward. We should, therefore, ask him how we should use it! Let me just give you a few verses to meditate on that demonstrate how God would have us view those in need (Prov 3:27-28, Prov 19:17, Isaiah 1:12-17, Isaiah 58:1-6, Ez 16:49, Mt 25:31-46). It could be that you might need to get a little creative. Maybe cut back on what you spend on Christmas? How awesome would it be if you can encourage your kids to give up something for someone else? Maybe sacrifice cable for a year? Or maybe you don't eat out for a couple of months? There are probably literally dozens of ways to come up with some extra cash. How to give: Write a check to "Jubilee Church" and put "Zimbabwe" in the memo.
4) Encourage your friends or even your employer to give. This is very worthwhile situation to direct charity. After you download the article, pass it on to your friends.

Part of what blesses me about the people of Jubilee is their generosity. You have always risen to the occasion to help others in need. Let's continue to be that people in this situation.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

God Speaks in the Mundane

It's so important for us to live with the expectation that God WILL speak to us if we listen. Jesus said to his audience, "He who has ears, let him hear." In other words, we need to pay attention! Recently, a dear lady of ours, Kathy Dills, communicated the following story that demonstrates that God can speak at any time.

This past week, I dealt with a very stinky + smelly thing, my sewer backed up into the basement anytime we used water in the house. More + more sludge + gunk kept coming out of the drain with a terrible stink.

We tried to use a snake to unclog it. It didn't work but we did bring out some roots + other things. Next we called a plumber, he came out with a large snake, but still the same result, everything he got through it clogged up again + more sludge came up in the basement.

The plumber suggested to call MSD, we did, but it wasn't their problem. MSD gave us the phone # for the city, and the city inspector came out when the plumber was back. I'm thinking this whole time now "Lord how am I going to pay for this?"

The inspector determined it was the city's problem + they would fix it. The sewer lateral line was collapsed in many places for about 20'. Men came out + fixed the sewer + I thanked God that the problem was covered by the federal lateral line insurance.

I had about 2" of sludge in the basement to clean up. As I was cleaning up + thanking God for taking care of the problem, I heard this still small voice. God told me, "Jesus is like the lateral line insurance. He paid for my healing, to remove the sludge + gunk in my life so I may have a direct line to God so the river of water (the HS) may flow through me + clean me." As I washed the sludge down the drain + saw the basement transform back to a clean state, joy rose inside of me, thanking God for his love + his son + the power of the H.S. in my life.

Monday, December 1, 2008

December Bible Reading Plan

Here is December's Bible Reading Plan.

If you are new to my blog, I have created a Bible reading plan that runs from September to August. You can get previous plans by scrolling through my archives (Sept, Oct, Nov); however, don't feel like you need to start at the beginning...just jump right in!