Game Day Thoughts: August 14, 2011

I'm an old football player, and Sundays can be something 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.  Kids are learning, youth are worshiping. It's the day our teams at Grace are on high alert and in full-service mode.  Here are a few of my highlights from today:

1. Focus on the Holy Spirit - This month we are turning our attention to the Holy Spirit at Grace and it has been very impacting for me. This week I realized how great my need is to be 'filled with the Spirit' as I live my life day to day.  Our services were very powerful this weekend as we incorporated some time to pause and reflect on the Spirit and then worshiped as Nathalie Martin expressed the song Indelible by Brooke Fraser in a beautiful worship dance.  Worship was intense and we closed with the song Awakening as we cried out for the Spirit of God to be awakened in our lives.  Here is a little clip from Grace Harborcreek as Dustin, Bryan, and Kaley and Pastor Mike close out the service. 

2. Second Date - I got a chance to check in very briefly on our Second Date reception following the 9:15 service.  I got to meet a bunch of people who are very new to Grace.  To hear them bubble over with excitement about their first impressions is infectious!  One woman said something that I hear quite often - she said "Every time I come here I cry."  (I always check to make sure it's not the preaching!) She's experiencing the Spirit of God and trying to put words to it.  It's a beautiful thing. I also heard there were a handful of families checking out some next steps at Second Date in Harborcreek as well. 

3. 80+ Luncheon - Pastor Al organized a luncheon reception today for the people in our church who are over 80 years old.  They were encouraged to bring some guests with them as well.  It was so cool to go table to table in that room and shake hands and give hugs to the people who are the solid building blocks upon which our entire church is built. It was their sacrifice, their bold prayers, their encouragement, their sacrificial giving, their positive attitudes that have allowed us to be where we are today as a church.  Joel Nelson (a missionary who grew up at Grace) was even with us to share some memories about growing up at Grace and how things have changed over the years.  It was wonderful to see these pillars of faith - with generations of their family gathered - giving thanks to God for how he has blessed their lives. 

I love our church.

If you were at Grace this weekend - what was one of your highlights?