Ladies: Get Dressed Up

Guest Blogger: Rachel Mowrey

The Annual Jubilee Women's Gathering is a time I look forward to. It's a time of really enjoying friendships with women I am joined in heart with as well as a time to meet and become more familiar with women I may see in the church but have not had a chance to connect with. It is a time of togetherness and celebration as we relax, chat, enjoy great coffee and food, but most importantly, as we worship God and fix our eyes on Him. It has helped many of us refocus where we may have gotten off course. I would describe the Women's Gathering as luxurious since we can all fully participate...there are no families to look after or serving responsibilities to attend to. I love the opportunity to simply languish in God's presence alongside my sisters in Christ.

There is a real sense of safety and sincerity in our times of worship and teaching and I believe the teaching has always ministered to specific women along the way. God has been very faithful to reveal what it is He wants to say to us as a body as we have gotten together to plan these events and I have been encouraged to hear afterward how the teaching specifically spoke to various women and met them exactly where they are at. The times of prayer are powerful as we take time to minister to those who have specific needs and many women have received words and encouragements from the Holy Spirit that stay with them forever.

This time around, I expect God to meet us once again and renew our passion for Him. I sense that God has plans to release women from things that may keep them from experiencing freedom and joy as well as healing women in mind and body. I look forward to hearing testimonies of how God spoke to individuals and how women stepped out to use their gifts so that other women may be built up and spurred on in their walk with Christ. Each of us has a part to play and is vital to keeping our collective body healthy and alive...I pray that if there are any Jubilee ladies hesitant about attending for any reason, whether insecurity, financial difficulty, lack of time or just plain disinterest, that their hearts would be stirred to see just what God can do. He may change you, or use you to administer God-honoring change in another woman's life. Come with expectation to meet your Father...he won't disappoint!

Register today!

The Bible in 90 Days, Part 2 (Guest Blogger)

On October 1, the elders and staff of jubilee church st. louis city embarked on a 90-day adventure through the entire Bible. Our hope is that we would gain a new perspective by reading the Bible quickly (an "aerial" view) versus and reading the Bible devotionally (an "on the ground" view). From time to time, I hope to share our insights. Here is one from one of our Administrative Assistants, Amie Fox:

I have felt incredibly inspired by God through the stories I’ve read so far. Some of my previous understandings of Him have definitely deepened and I find I’m just more in awe of Him than before. I’m sure that will continue through the rest of the reading plan. There is one thing that I specifically wanted to mention because I thought of our (Jubilee’s) presence in St. Louis and sensed God’s favor. In Exodus 3:19-20 when God is speaking to Moses about the Israelites enslavement in Egypt by the Pharaoh, He said, “I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go except under heavy pressure. So I will reach out and strike at the heart of Egypt with all kinds of miracles. Then at last he will let you go,” and I remembered how in previous years it was prophesied over Jubilee that God would cause us to be fruitful throughout the St. Louis region and specifically at the heart of our city...

In reviewing what I know of St. Louis and what I know of God, I was encouraged by the fact that no matter the type or degree of enslavement our city can be experiencing in poverty, depression, abuse, etc. -we serve a God whose arm is not too short to save or incapable of breaking the chains. In fact, the heavier and stronger the chains, the greater and more powerful His miracles!

Above it all though, as I continued to follow their journey into freedom, what I was most moved by was God’s heroic nature. His determination to rescue us despite our circumstances is so captivating... and a reminder of how He alone is worthy of my worship.

Abby Loves Her Church

Abby Chance (age 13) and her family are members of Jubilee Church in St. Louis. Recently, she was given the assignment in school to write a persuasive speech. She choose to do her speech on, "why you should go to Jubilee." I thought I would pass it along to you:

Everyone has different habits. One thing my family always does is go to church. We truly enjoy doing this. Three reasons why you should come to church with me are you will be welcome, you will meet great people, and you will learn some things you may not have known.

One reason you should come to my church is because you will feel welcome. People will not snub you. They will accept you. You won't be uncomfortable. People will want to be your friend.

Another reason is because you will meet awesome people. You may meet new friends. I can guarantee people will be kind and you will enjoy being with them. You will want to come back.

It won't just be about people, it will also be about learning. You may learn something you didn't know. It may even be something that will change your life.

Going to my church will be a great experience. You will be welcome, you will meet great people and you will learn things. All of these things will make it a great time for you. You should come and be amazed.

Abby loves her church. What has been your experience?

This Is No Tame Pastor

I found an interesting article from a UK newspaper out in the blogsphere that I couldn't resist passing along in light of my message yesterday (click here to download that message). Let me know what you think of the article.

From the Liverpool Daily Post: The Rev Jon Morgan, minister of the United Reform Churches in Cheltenham and former, club level, rugby player, has been left with a broken nose after fighting off two burglars in his own home.

Wearing his dog collar, Mr Morgan had spent the day visiting members of his congregation. He arrived home at 4pm and went to use the bathroom, leaving his front door unlocked. Moments later, he found two tattooed white men in his study. They became violent towards him and struck him several times in the face.

Speaking from his home, the 49-year-old rugby player said he defended himself in a 20-second fight. He said: “When they came out of the study I gave chase. One of them thumped me three times in the face. In defence, I kicked the guy and landed a couple of punches.... The whole incident must have lasted around 20 seconds. I was left with a broken nose and bruising. But worse has happened on the rugby field.”

The Heart of Worship

Every once in a while I hear a story I must pass on. Today, I'm proud to have my wife Rachel as a guest blogger. Enjoy!

I have a vivid remembrance of being in a church service standing next to my grandmother singing out of the old, musty hymnal. I remember the sound of her singing and how silly I thought she sounded because her voice was sort of high pitched and off key. But it didn’t stop her from singing out in a volume that I could hear quite well. If you’ve ever heard Olive Oil on the old Popeye cartoons, that might give you an idea of her singing voice. I loved her too much to say anything, but I had a hard time keeping my laughter in check. I must have only been about eight or nine years old, but I remember thinking, “why would she sing out when she has such a terrible voice?”

But today, God gave me a whole new vantage point to that memory. My Grandma Florence has always been a quiet woman, slow to speak and not at all confident of her abilities or wit. But one thing can be said about her; she is a woman in love with Jesus and her life has been given completely to service to him. I believe God’s chest swelled with pride and joy at the sound of her singing because her heart was totally given to him in worship and she was unafraid to sing praises to her Heavenly Father even though her talent didn’t measure up. To Him, her song was angelic because it was her heart he heard. God doesn’t ask for perfection…all he wants is our heart. The real, raw, off key beauty of it.

My Grandma had a stroke just after her 80th birthday and entered a nursing home a fraction of the person I've grown up knowing. I’d give almost anything to hear that crackly voice singing Amazing Grace. And one day soon, I’ll have my wish…

Jubilee is Making An Impact

Some of my proudest moments are the stories I hear from the community of how Jubilee has been a blessing. This is a report I received from Alex Kerford who had recently attended a South Kingshighway Business Association event.

Bryan, I felt very proud to be a part of Jubilee today. Many of the business owners and leaders knew about us and thanked me for all the good work we were doing. One guy named Frank told me that we have had a very positive influence in this community and that the work we have been doing has not gone unnoticed. Several others spoke very highly about the OneBlaze week and how much that meant to them. - Alex K

Let's continue to look for opportunities to serve our communities. If you haven't signed up for an Action Track yet, you might consider one of our serving groups.

Does Your Life Resonate with the Word of God?

I recently received an email from one of our member's, Jennifer Whitmer, and she wrote something that I think would be an encouragement for you to get "in tune" with the Bible. Here's what she wrote:

When I teach music, I wear a tuning fork around my neck. This tuning fork always sounds A440 (the musical note A above middle C). It never changes the note it sounds. Before I start a song, I sound the tuning fork to get my note.

Another great thing about the tuning fork is that is will make other objects sound A440 if they touch. If you place the tuning fork on a chalkboard or desk or guitar, the object will vibrate with the tuning fork and produce an A. This is called resonating. Each object has a different timbre (own unique sound quality), but it is still resonating the note A. Every instrument has a uniquely designed resonating cavity to sound all the same notes, but with its own timbre. A violin will resonate the A in different way than a trumpet, but they play in tune together.

God’s word is like the tuning fork. It is the “pure milk”, the unchanging way to life with God. We should live life with a passion to be in tune with God’s word, constantly going back the word and allowing the spirit to show us how to be in tune with the Word in every situation. Like finding the different keys and starting notes, our life is based on the one true note of God’s word and His character displayed through His word. Checking our pitch against His truth is “looking intently at the perfect law.”

When the true word is touching our lives, we resonate His truth in the unique way he designed for us to display His glory. Our lives are uniquely designed “resonating cavities” that vibrate with the word of God in the timbre He designed for us. The church is composed of all different timbres, but all in tune with God and His word.

We should long to be in tune with Him. Walking closely with him, vibrating what He vibrates, resonating His truth and grace and love.

James 1:22-25
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.