Title: Men\’s BBQ Lunch
Description: 2nd Wednesday at Shane\’s Rib Shack, 4th Wednesday at Famous Dave\’s 22nd Street
Start Time: 11:30
Date: 2009-08-12

New Adult Discovery Hour Class Options

Newcomer’s Class – Sunday, January 9, 9:00 AM, Room 116
Whether it’s your first visit to Westview or you have been visiting for some time, you are invited to our Newcomer’s Class. This time is designed to introduce you to the mission and vision of Westview Church. While attending, you will learn more about “Who we are” and “Why we do what we do”. It is led by Pastor Susan. The class will meet during Discovery Hour, so child care is available in the nursery (up to age 2) or attending their Discovery Hour class.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey — meets Feb. 6 – May 15, 9:00 AM, in Worship Center
Gain a Biblical perspective on money matters that will give you hope and practical how-to tools for becoming debt free and achieving financial health. The Total Money Makeover isn’t theory. It works every single time because it gets to the heart of money problems: YOU!
Design a sure-fire plan for paying off ALL debt.
Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths.
Secure a nest egg for emergencies and retirement.
Positively change your life and your family tree! Get out of debt, so you can live and give like no one else!
Class starts February 6th and will be led by Tom Wiersum. Class materials cost approximately $30, which covers the cost of The Total Money Makeover book and workbook. Don’t wait…sign up today! Sign up on the Connection Section in your Sunday bulletin or by contacting Melissa Stimple at mstimple(at)q(dot)com

Re-Group — meets Jan 16 – Feb. 6, 9:00 AM, in Food Pantry Conference Room (lower level)
The series is designed for anyone who wants to learn more about small groups, and especially for those who are not currently in an active small group but might like to be. Valerie Wagoner, our Small Group Director, will lead the discussions in the basement Food Pantry conference room. Call Valerie at 224-6817 or e-mail her at kevalwag(at)q(dot)com with any questions.

The 1-2-1 Adventure: The Basic Skills of Disciplining – meets Jan. 9 – May 15, 9:00 AM, in Room 116.
( first class on Jan 9 will meet in Worship Center)
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go!…” Luke 10-2-3

In two sentences Jesus Christ identified the barrier and the solution for His church to “bring in the harvest.” It is all about numbers of people willing to work, to serve…to lead.

Numbers of leaders is critical to the health of a church and it’s capacity to minister to people. Westview is largely a healthy church. However, for Westview to grow and to continue to serve more people through its various ministries we must increase our numbers of leaders. Only a few people doing almost everything is not sustainable over the long haul. More people doing a fewer things is what can make the difference.

This is why we make it a point to intentionally invest in lives of those God is calling to serve and lead in our weekly Discovery Hour. In this class we will learn from each other about what it is to be a disciple and a discipler of others. We talk about things related to what goes on in the heart of a leader as Jesus shapes and molds him or her. We also deal with what goes on in a leaders head as we learn to think more strategically about ministry. We also deal with the very practical things we can do with our hands as we earnestly look to serve our community and each other just like Jesus would. We invest in building leaders because we want to keep making a difference in our community for a long time.

So come try it out, every Sunday at 9:00 AM!

WARNING: This class isn’t for everyone but it is for anyone who would say yes to God’s call to serve, lead and multiply.

So what’s He saying to you?

Third Grade Parents Bible Equipping Class – begins Jan. 9, 16, 23, 9:00 AM, in Room 201 (upstairs, left)
Our 3rd grade friends are excited to receive their new Bibles and use them to further dive into God’s word!! That is exactly why the next Family Ministry class is being designed just for YOU! Parents, please plan to join Tyra for three Sundays in January (1/9, 1/16, 1/23) at 9:00 and learn how to spiritually disciple your children through the personal gift of a Bible. Parents will learn: 1. How to lead family devotions with your children, 2. Use the Bible in personal devotions, 3. Better understand how to use the Bible, and Speak a blessing while presenting the Bible to your child. You won’t want to miss this! Please mark your calendars and sign up with Tyra at Tyra (at) westview (dot)org. I look forward to journeying with you on January 9th at 9:00!

Last week I shared with you the words President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1941 Christmas Eve Address. Heard by the 20,000 standing shivering in the cold as well as the nation by radio. At the conclusion of his remarks he introduced his good friend and Prime Minster of our closest ally Sir Wintson Churchill. The British Prime Minister had traveled across the Atlantic at great personal peril, due to German U-Boats then still ruling the North Atlantic to solidify the bonds between our countries and to offer support and encouragement. For America had just two weeks prior, by the bombing of Pearl Harbor, been drug irreconcilably into the Second World War. By now Britain had been at war for more than two years, suffered nearly 500,000 casualties including more than 50,000 civilians. His country was very nearly bankrupt and had been defeated in Singapore by the Imperial Japanese, run out of France by the Nazis, her ships sunk by the u-boats and her cities bombed by the Luftwaffe. He and his fellow countrymen had very little for which they perhaps ought to celebrate.

“Churchill knew the personal power of celebrating despite circumstances, he knew the desperate need for hope in the face of uncertainty and he knew contagious nature of optimism in life’s most trying times. He stepped to the microphone and addressed the shivering crowd and an anxious nation and said:

I spend this anniversary and festival far from my country, far from my family, yet I cannot truthfully say that I feel far from home. Whether it be the ties of blood on my mother’s side, or the friendships I have developed here over many years of active life, or the commanding sentiment of comradeship in the common cause of great peoples who speak the same language, who kneel at the same altars and, to a very large extent, pursue the same ideals, I cannot feel myself a stranger here in the centre and at the summit of the United States. I feel a sense of unity and fraternal association which, added to the kindliness of your welcome, convinces me that I have a right to sit at your fireside and share your Christmas joys.

This is a strange Christmas Eve. Almost the whole world is locked in deadly struggle, and, with the most terrible weapons which science can devise, the nations advance upon each other. Ill would it be for us this Christmastide if we were not sure that no greed for the land or wealth of any other people, no vulgar ambition, no morbid lust for material gain at the expense of others, had led us to the field. Here, in the midst of war, raging and roaring over all the lands and seas, creeping nearer to our hearts and homes, here, amid all the tumult, we have tonight the peace of the spirit in each cottage home and in every generous heart. Therefore we may cast aside for this night at least the cares and dangers which beset us, and make for the children an evening of happiness in a world of storm. Here, then, for one night only, each home throughout the English-speaking world should be a brightly-lighted island of happiness and peace.

Let the children have their night of fun and laughter. Let the gifts of Father Christmas delight their play. Let us grown-ups share to the full in their unstinted pleasures before we turn again to the stern task and the formidable years that lie before us, resolved that, by our sacrifice and daring, these same children shall not be robbed of their inheritance or denied their right to live in a free and decent world.

And so, in God’s mercy, a happy Christmas to you all.”

The next morning the President and the Prime Minister went to church at Christ Church in Washington, D.C. That morning along with the congregation they rose to their feet to sing the carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” which Churchill had never heard before. The song, penned by the Pastor Phillips Brooks in 1865 right after our civil war, contains the hope filled phrase, “Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light….” Historian David McCullough writes, “I like to think of Churchill and Rooselvelt singing that line in particular. And , as would be siad of the Prime Minister, he always sang lustily, if not exactly in tune.”

Beyond sentiment. Beyond tradition. Beyond positive thinking. Churchill reminds us of the power of celebrating as an example of choosing to “rejoice in the day the Lord has made and being glad in it.” Philippians 4:4. He reminds us to, “trust in the Lord with all of our heart and to lean not on our own understanding but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He will make our paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5 Finally Churchill’s urging to celebrate with family, to pass on to children putting their trust in God and for parents to take on the responsibility to strengthen and encourage their children. These are more than Christmas stories or lessons this is Christ like living.

A great thing to give to your Children this Christmas.

Think about it.

Merry Christmas!

See you Sunday,

Tom

Not long ago I was stuck on an airplane, again. This time it started out so promising, “Good news folks,” the captain said, “we’re away from the gate on time.” But then the inevitable, “The bad news is we are 71st in line for take off.” A low groan filled the cabin as the pilot taxied us to the waiting area (penalty box) and shut off the engines. The crew did their best to make the weather, air traffic control, diverted flights delay as bearable as possible. But three hours later we were still sitting there. The plane got warmer, the passengers got surlier, and my three seat mates and I got to know each other fairly well. Turns out these three guys were all from different states and had different careers: Ohio was an attorney, California had just sold his software company for a bundle and New York was a very nervous financial guy. All had families, all of us had kids pretty close in age. Two were on there second marriages and families and one was on his third.

They were nice guys. Generous, likable, fun and good conversationalists. They were obviously successful and obviously intelligent. When they learned what I do for a living they were intrigued. The amazing thing was none of them could tell me the historical significance of Easter. One of them could tell me the historical significance of Christmas but could not for his life figure out why the western world would still commemorate the birth of a, listen to this, mythical Jewish carpenter. When I was able to explain the gospel story to them they were dumbfounded. One of them got pretty agitated and said, “Look if that was true, tell me why I have never heard this before?”

They were taken with the fact that God had become man, dealt with all the stuff we deal with and then some. And had died for us rather than simply obliterating pain or suffering he endured it to disempower it and one day will return to devour it. These guys looked at me like i was a caveman. “Fascinating,” one said, “you really believe this.” Statement not question.

Astounding? Yes and no. Yes in the fact that something so familiar to you and me would be so foreign to them and no in the fact that more than 210 million americans are untouched by any church of any kind. Astounding that the one who did know the story a myth and not astounding that the one said, ‘if it’s true why haven’t i heard?’

There is a lot I could write about that encounter but suffice it to say our mission field is ripe and large. The majority of Americans simply are clueless. On another level we are all clueless. While some of us know abou this first arrival, that thing we celebrate called Christmas, none if us know when his second arrival will be.

By far and away the most important and significant event in the whole course of human history will be celebrated, with or without understanding, at the end of this season called Advent. The towering miracle of God’s visit to this planet on which we live will be glossed over, brushed aside or rendered impotent by over-familiarity…wrapping paper and egg nog.

So this year, as you daily tread the surface of this planet, reflect with confidence, “my God has been here, here on this earth!” Rejoice in the fact that God has actually been here — and that is only one half of the meaning of Advent.

But there is another half. The New Testament is indeed a book full of hope, but we may search it in vain for any vague humanist optimism.

“The second coming of Christ, the second interruption of eternity into time, will be immediate, violent and conclusive…We celebrate no beautiful myth, no lovely piece of traditional folklore, but a solemn fact. God has been here once historically, but, as millions will testify and millions are yet to hear, he will come again with the same silence and the same devastating humility for any heart ready to receive him.” {J.B. Phillips}

So this week; watch for Him. Watch for God’s action, God’s presence or for God’s instruction.

Is your heart ready to receiving Jesus’ first appearing?

How about His second?

Think about it.

See you Sunday,

Tom

PS – if your family is in the Christmas Musical, invite a friend. They’d love to watch too.

PPS – thanks to everyone who let me know about their communication preferences…we’re working on it!

Christmas Eve Service — Dec. 24, 6:00 PM
This will be a traditional Christmas Eve service with carols, candles & communion. Please bring your family and friends with you. Anyone who seeks to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior is welcome to receive the Lord’s Supper.
Christmas Eve Child Care
During the 6:00 Christmas Eve service, the infant nursery will be open for children under the age of two. Room 110 will be available for parents and restless children, and a simulcast of the service will be playing.

Learn more about this journey Edward and Olivia Hoffman are on as they look to adopt the nephews from Uganda.

Click here to watch  the video

You’ve probably heard the preflight announcement so many times you have it memorized. ”In the unlikely event of sudden cabin depressurization an oxygen mask will drop down in front of your face. Pull down firmly on the tub to start the flow of oxygen. Place the mask over your nose and mouth. Pull on the elastic tabs on the side of the mask to adjust the fit and breathe normally. Even thought the bag does not inflate oxygen is flowing. Put on your own mask before helping those around you with theirs.”

While I’ve always had to suppress a chuckle at the line “and breathe normally,” like THAT is going to happen!

But there is timeless wisdom in the next line. “Put on your own mask before helping those around you.”Unheeded the words could be deadly. Helping all those around you and unable to breathe would soon lead to hypoxia, impaired judgement, unconsciousness or worse.

The obvious application is clear. Self care is critical to providing quality care for those you are trying to help, serve and reach.

So, how is this crazy time of year going for you in the area of self-care? How’s your emotional, physical and relational health? How are you doing spiritually? How are you managing your time? Are you consistently living out your core values? Are you being a good steward of all of your resources?

What is your most formidable obstacle to improving your own self-care? What do you intend to do about it?

For your sake and those seated around you…invest in your own self-care.

Three things that can help.

1 – Make Time to Rest.

We are commanded to keep a sabbath and make it holy. What’s that mean? regular time for rest, reflection and renewal. Make sure your weekly rhythm includes a day of mostly down time. I know, I know…you’re laughing. I also know the source of that laughter is not humor but pain. Let’s face it most of us run too fast, too far and too heavily burdened. We also now there is never a good time to do anything so if anything is going to happen you simply have to decide and do. This goes for rest too.

2 – Learn to Say No.

Since all of us have only 24 hours per day and 365 days per year, it only makes sense that almost all of the above issues are not due to having less time but misspending the time we do have. How can we get back the time we misspend? We can’t. But what we can do is change how we spend the remaining time we do have. The single most effective way is to learn to say, “no.” I’ll talk more about this in a future UPDATE but the simple fact is saying yes too often leads to more difficulty in saying no. The strength to say no to unnecessary things is when we have a stronger yes driving us on the inside. This yes must first be regarding out relationship with god, family and others. Then the yes of only those things that deepen the previous three. Chronic busy-ness often times is a symptom of a someone that is attempting fill themselves up because they believe the either “have to” because the culture is demanding it or they believe they are missing something and are trying to fill that something up with activity. Learning to say no begins with learning to ask why to each and every activity.

3 – Make Room for Silence.

We generally never truly rest because we are so very, very busy and we are so very busy because we don’t say no and we don’t say no because we seldom take time to reflect and we don’t take time to reflect because we don’t make room to be quiet. Ever stop to think why so many good ideas come to you while you’re in the shower? Ever wonder why? Good ideas come to us in the shower because that’s one of the few waking hours when we are quiet. The running water blocks the outside noise and in that silence amazing things happen. This begs the question: what could happen if you specifically made room for silence? By silence I mean quiet enough you can hear your own breathing. At first this will drive you crazy but if you stay after it for at least a week you will find that you will start liking it! Why? Well just imagine what could happen if you made room just for silent reflection in your regular routine? What if you took time away from noise? Away from the TV, the radio, stereo, iPod, XM, etc etc etc just to be and in quiet. My guess is you’d find solutions to the above dilemmas, you’d find strength in reasoning to say no, you’d feel a little less stressed, you might just find yourself no only liking it but wanting it.

Breathing.

Normally.

Two things that you and I need a great deal more of and two things that, I believe are God’s will for all of us.

Tom

PrayerPage. Westview takes prayer seriously. We pray fervently for our church family and community, and we will pray for you!

On Wednesday(October 27, 2010) we will have an Evening of Worship and Prayer in the Sanctuary from 7:00 to 8:30. Childcare is provided. Join us for a time of refreshing, renewal, worship and prayer. Special prayer will be offered for the sick and the unemployed. Then Curtis and the band will lead us in worship and praise. There will be no sermon. Just scripture, worship and prayer.

Then Thursday through Saturday there will be a wonderful prayer and devotional experience offered called the Prayer Path.  This is not three nights of services for everyone to attend rather it is a prayer adventure being offered over three evenings.  When you arrive you will go to the north (pantry) entrance and come to room 109. There you will be given a portable stereo with earphones and a small booklet. Then proceed to the sanctuary. The sanctuary will have been transformed. Laid out on the floor and clearly marked will be labyrinth (it looks like a maze but it’s not confusing) with eleven multi-media prayer stations. With a narrator guiding you on your portable stereo you will move from station to station completing a brief time spiritual reflection, worship and worshipful action. The eleven stations will take you on a journey to help you “let go” of the busyness, hurts and distractions that can spoil relationships; “center” your life on God; and reach out to the world with Christ’s love.  When you conclude you will return the stereo and booklet. There will be a guest book where participants can record their experience if the wish. There will be a quiet area set aside to go if needed after the Prayer Path.

The Elder Board and Leadership Team went through the Prayer Path during our retreat last month. Unanimously, they said everyone should walk the Prayer Path! Each participant experienced something slightly different during the Prayer Path and all agreed it was a very private, individualized and moving experience that enriched their prayer life!

The Prayer Path will be open 7:00 to 9:00 Thursday and Friday and 4:00 to 8:00 on Saturday. Since the Prayer Path is an individual experience every participant will not be able to start right when they arrive so some waiting may be involved. Therefore it is a good idea if you plan to attend with your small group to call the church office to make a reservation. Please understand priority will be given to all non Westviewers who attend.

The Prayer Path is also a bit labor intensive so we are looking for volunteers to help organize on Wednesday, set-up, host and provide child care on Thursday, host and child care on Friday as well as host, child-care and tear down on Saturday.

Please sign-up for a time to pray, join us on Wednesday night at 7:00 and one of the evenings for the Prayer Path.

Westview Church is a serving church and a house of prayer. You don’t have to look very far to see that indeed we are a serving church! The Free Clinic and Food Pantry it is really quite obvious. Being a house of prayer is sometimes harder to detect but that doesn’t mean we aren’t a house of prayer. None the less, this week we are inviting everyone connected to Westview to join us in a special prayer emphasis.

Starting Monday we trying to empower prayer to be happening for three days straight (that’s 72 hours!) with people signing up for as many hours as they are willing! There is a place in your bulletin to sign up. This is private intercessory prayer in your home.

In those times please pray for:

our country,
our economy,
the up coming elections,
our military,
our civic leaders,
our police, fire and EMT workers,
pray for their peace and safety,
pray for the spiritually lost,
those who need employment,
the sick among us,
the search team as they seek out a new pastor,
pray for our pastors and staff,
the children who attend our pre-school,
the children of our congregation,
pray for our Discovery Hour teachers,
pray for God’s will to be done at and through Westview.

Also check the website www.westview.org for additional prayer needs.

On Wednesday we will have an Evening of Worship and Prayer in the Sanctuary from 7:00 to 8:30. Childcare is provided. Join us for a time of refreshing, renewal, worship and prayer. Special prayer will be offered for the sick and the unemployed. The Curtis and the band will lead us in worship and praise. There will be no sermon. Just scripture, worship and prayer.

Then Thursday through Saturday there will be a wonderful prayer and devotional experience offered called the Prayer Path. This is not three nights of services for everyone to attend rather it is a prayer adventure being offered over three evenings. When you arrive you will go to the north (pantry) entrance and come to room 109. There you will be given a portable stereo with earphones and a small booklet. Then proceed to the sanctuary. The sanctuary will have been transformed. Laid out on the floor and clearly marked will be labyrinth (it looks like a maze but it’s not confusing) with eleven multi-media prayer stations. With a narrator guiding you on your portable stereo you will move from station to station completing a brief time spiritual reflection, worship and worshipful action. The eleven stations will take you on a journey to help you “let go” of the busyness, hurts and distractions that can spoil relationships; “center” your life on God; and reach out to the world with Christ’s love. When you conclude you will return the stereo and booklet. There will be a guest book where participants can record their experience if the wish. There will be a quiet area set aside to go if needed after the Prayer Path.

The Elder Board and Leadership Team went through the Prayer Path during our retreat last month. Unanimously, they said everyone should walk the Prayer Path! Each participant experienced something slightly different during the Prayer Path and all agreed it was a very private, individualized and moving experience that enriched their prayer life!

The Prayer Path will be open 7:00 to 9:00 Thursday and Friday and 4:00 to 8:00 on Saturday. Since the Prayer Path is an individual experience every participant will not be able to start right when they arrive so some waiting may be involved. Therefore it is a good idea if you plan to attend with your small group to call the church office to make a reservation. Please understand priority will be given to all non Westviewers who attend.

The Prayer Path is also a bit labor intensive so we are looking for volunteers to help organize on Wednesday, set-up, host and provide child care on Thursday, host and child care on Friday as well as host, child-care and tear down on Saturday.

Please sign-up for a time to pray, join us on Wednesday night at 7:00 and one of the evenings for the Prayer Path.

You’ll be glad you did,

Tom

Click here for pdf —> Discovery Hour 9-19-2010 Growth Barriers

Please join us for Adult discovery Hour…above is a link to the slides for 9/19/2010  – Tom’s discussion on Breaking Barriers….

Join us as we discuss challenges churches face to break through different growth barriers.  Sundays at 9AM

Healthy things grow,
growing things change,
changes challenge us,
challenges force us to trust God,
trust leads to obedience,
obedience makes us healthy,
healthy things grow

Over the past eight weeks Westview has experienced some pretty significant changes! Just think about them for a minute: The founding pastor departed to start another church out west. The elder board selected an interim pastor. We redecorated and remodeled the sanctuary. The service and Discovery Hour times were adjusted. And the meeting place for the Youth Ministry was moved. Most would agree that is a significant amount of change.

Change as we all know is disruptive. It causes us to adjust our routines, our patterns and jars our familiarity. It makes us think before we act or speak and makes us pay attention to seemingly mundane details like time, distance and comfort. Change doesn’t affect everyone the same way. Some people love anything and everything new, they thrive on change. Other people just can’t stand change and despise new things, ways or places. Some don’t mind change but become very uncomfortable around others who have become uncomfortable so they just want to “fix” everything so everyone is comfortable once again. Still others just go along not really caring one way or the other.

As disruptive as change may be and as differently as we all handle it, change is one of the constants in our world. Change is also important in following Jesus. Thank about this;

Healthy things grow, that applies as much to gardens, children, investments as it does our soul. Growing things change, growth is a form of change. We can’t grow and stay the same. How many of us parents at times want our children to stop growing or wish they were little again? Changes challenge us, like I’ve already mentioned change can cause all kids of challenges, pressures and stress if we let it. Challenges force us to trust God, I can’t think of anything more true in life! Pain is the primary means God uses to shape our lives and prompt our growth. Just like you, I wish there was another way! Trust leads to obedience, just how great would our world be if we were all more obedient to God? Obedience makes us healthy, whenever I fear God more than I fear man or when I trust Him ore than I trust my circumstances things go much better for me and I know they do for you too.

During this season of change let’s commit to each other and to our Heavenly Father to stay as close to Him as possible, to stay as open and honest with each other as possible and to be patient while we all adjust as well as give the changes a chance to help us learn to trust Him more.