Red Balloons/ Sunday Morning Recap February 25, 2008

Sunday was great.  Starting with the worship.  I haven’t received that many compliments on the worship in a while.  I am soooo excited that Al and Erica are here now.  On a Vocal note Al really made the songs his own.  He didn’t just copy the style of the singer that made the song popular he did a great job.  Amy Macarthur did an amazing job as well.  It amazes me that she is so soft spoken yet can really belt it out on stage.

Marty talked about prayer, and even confessed his own struggles in that area.  He tweaked his delivery a bit and I really think it helped drive his points home.  He was strong during both services despite the busy day ahead

Also can I say how cool it is to have the sermon being broadcast to a TV in a side room for mom’s that would otherwise miss part or all of the service while attending to the needs of the babies.

The Link was Sunday evening which for a few awkward moments was a really fun time.  I was able to talk with a lot of people I don’t normally get to.  And we all had a hand in the entertainment of the evening.  The highlight for me was the opportunity to talk with people out side of my circle.  It gave me an excuse to engage them in conversation with out feeling awkward… We either talked or sat in weird silence all evening.  Thankfully the people I was with also choose to talk.

Now for the red Balloon.  The church was decorated with red and black balloons for the link.  Each of the kids took some home.  Many found there way to the ceiling only to be rescued by my daughters webkinz kitty (completely true story that you won’t believe).  When the girls and I arrived home my daughter Emilie asked if I remembered her teacher carol that had died last year.  To which I said yep not really think much about it.  Then she asked me a question that made me stop,  “can I send my balloon up to heaven so Carol and Papa can share it?”  She is an incredibly thoughtful girl and really just wanted to brighten the day of her teacher and my father.  So we cut it off her wrist and she let it go.  We watched it till it was gone.  She thinks it might have turned into a star.  It was a beautiful and clear night.  And I was reminded at how lucky I am to be a Dad.

 Later,

Billy

Sunday Morning February 18, 2008

I wrote this yesterday and never posted it… here it is. 

The band just finished round 2 for this Sunday and I must say I was impressed.  It was a small band compared to some weeks.  Marty sang a played acoustic, along with Ben also leading with voice and the acoustic, They were joined by CJ on keys and Joel on the bass.  No drums… no problem.  They were smooth with transitions and style.  One fear I have when I see 2 acoustic guitars is that they won’t play together.  Often times the 2 guitarists play the same thing and create loud muffled sound.  Not so today.

I must say the folks in first service lacked energy… Marty lobbed joke after joke.  and they landed flat.  Nothing he tried grabbed the attention of those sitting in the seats.  Their loss.  I think it was a great sermon.  A great way to end the Atom Bomb series.  Speaking on multiplication and the importance of growing and sharing our community with others.  It’s funny the first three points in this series Authentic community, Transformation, and Outward reaching are easy to agree with and wrapp our heads around.  Multiplication is not so easy.  The thought of adding to your group and possibly being vulnerable with people you don’t know is scary.  But just think you wouldn’t be in “your group” if some one didn’t invite you in.  And it wouldn’t be so hard to move out if you hadn’t been vulnerable with those people.  So it seems rather logical to multiply and let others in and to share what you have.

There were quite a few new people this morning.  I love to see new people come in and check us out.  I love more when I see them come back and even more when I see them get involved in the life of FC.  That all hinges on the people they meet and the experience they have on there first visit.  Think about it.  If they have a negative first impression they look other places.  We need to have the  same culture in the foyer of our church that Marty was talking about in our small groups.  We need to have authentic community and be outward reaching and think multiplication when we see people coming for the first time, or even the second time.  How awesome would it be if we stepped out of whats comfortable and took a chance to love people the way Jesus did/does.  I know we would see some awesome changes take place in our community and our own lives.

Marty’s jokes are hitting in the second service.  Something about a squirrel.  and people really seem to be in tune with what Marty is saying. 

Life is sweet

Later,

Billy

Love February 13, 2008

I came across this quote this morning and couldn’t resist passing it along.

Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket–safe, dark, motionless, airless–it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.
-C.S. Lewis-

C.S. Lewis is the Man

My Sunday Morning February 12, 2008

If you have ever looked at some of the blogs I visit regularly you will notice that Marty my pastor, and Al the production guy have given a recap of Sunday Morning from there perspective.  So I thought I would begin doing the same.

So,my Sunday morning recap begins on Saturday night when I went to the store for some NyQuil.  sore throat, chest congestion, cough, inability to hear out of my right ear. 

So I get a very nice, restful, nights sleep and head out to the church for 7:30 band practice. when I find that my van that I just spent nearly $900 to fix won’t start.  my awesome wife gets the girls and herself ready in about 10 mins. and we are all off to church. 

The Band Sounded Awesome… Mike Burns was back visiting from Germany and playing his “crappy backup gear” that sounded oh so sweet.  Al and Amy did a fantastic Job on Vocals, and Tom as ussual was top notch on the drums and CJ other than being a Yankees fan is a good guy and one heck of a piano player.  The band lead people in worship with a few excellent songs.

Then we stepped aside for Jeff.  I heard Jeff speak for both services.  Each time he brought a little something different.  He spoke about how we need to be outward reaching in our lives and how sometimes (all the time) we fill our lives with so much stuff that we get to busy for others.  He spoke about a particularly busy day in the life of Christ and then challenged us with some homework.  I think Jeff did a outstanding job.  I think people were really keying in on his points and if they don’t forget about it like just another message I think we will see some amazing things happen as a result. 

The Band closed out with one more worship song and Played through the song as people exited.

After the second service we held our “First Annual Fellowship Church Vision Experience.”  This was a great time for Marty and the rest of the staff to really lay out the vision for our church in the coming year.  People were given an opportunity to ask questions and I think those that stuck around will now have a clear understanding of where we want to take fellowship church.  Not Just in 2008 but into the future.

If any of this is incoherent please for give me.  I am still hopped up on cough medicine.

Later, 

Billy