Game Day Thoughts: March 27, 2011

I'm an old football player, and Sunday is like Game Day.  As a Pastor, it's the day the church convenes for worship.  It's the day many of our staff plan for all week.  It's the day our teams at Grace are on high alert and in full-service mode.  It's game day. Here are a few of my highlights from today:


1.  It was the last day for our Grace Harbor Creek core team to officially worship at Grace McKean. It's amazing to me that this day has arrived.  Next Sunday this team will be worshiping at Harbor Creek High School for some preview services leading up to our official launch on Easter Sunday. We spent some time gathering around, laying hands, and praying for this team.  I was reminded of this passage of scripture in Acts 13:2-3 and the rich history that is before us as we embark on this new endeavor.  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.  After the services today, teams moved all of our supplies into storage rooms in Harborcreek and practiced their first setup in the High School.  Next weekend a new adventure begins.  God help us!

2.  Bryan Auton - I always love to see how God brings people to our church.  I'm a firm believer that God knows how to make churches. He brings people at the right time with the right gifts right on time.  Bryan is from Atlanta and he and his family moved to Erie last year.  Bryan led worship this morning and did a great job.  He and his family are headed to Grace Harbor Creek and I'm excited to see what God will do through them.  Bryan and Kaley are an example of a family who came in and sought the Lord and got involved.  I was really proud to serve alongside Bryan and the team this morning as they led the church in worship.


3.  "Step Up.  It really had nothing to do with my sermon this morning but I felt so impressed by God to challenge the church to step up today at the beginning and the end of my sermon.  This is a huge month for us.  We're headed into uncharted waters.  We are going to be sending out up to 100 people to Harbor Creek and we're going to feel a bit of a void when that team leaves.  It's time for the people of Grace to step up. We need to pray bold prayers, make bold invitations to our friends and neighbors, have deep conversations.  Some who have been sitting on the sidelines need to step up and serve, some need to step up and go to Harbor Creek, some need to step up in their preparation and participation in corporate worship, some need to step up and grow in their faith and stop accepting their tendency to coast.  It's time.  And I'm convinced we're ready.


This week we also launched a new website.  Our communications director Danielle did a phenomenal job with this project and re-thinking our web presence while being one church in multiple locations.  


We are heading into Romans 10 for the next two weeks if you'd like to read ahead.  It's going to be a great journey as a church as we head toward Easter.