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Messages from Pastor Mark Borseth
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Pastor's Update July, 2021
“Freed to Become a Servant”
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13
As we celebrate the 245th Anniversary of our country, we take time to reflect on what it looks like to be free people. The Apostle Paul addresses that same topic in his letter to the Galatians. In America, we are free because of the blood of patriots who fought to secure our independence from Britain and have continued to fight throughout our nation’s history to preserve our freedom. In the church, we are free because of the blood of Jesus who died on the cross to free us from sin and death.
For our country to be healthy, we need to know what we are freed from, but also what we are freed for. We are free from being subject to anyone who seeks to control us or steal our freedom. We are free for using our wealth, resources, talents, time, energy, (and maybe even laying down our lives), for the sake of our fellow citizens.
The same is the case in the kingdom of God. To live life fully in God’s kingdom we need to fully understand both aspects of Christian freedom – what we are freed from and what we are freed for. We are freed by Jesus from our past, our sin, our shame, our guilt and our death. We are freed by Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit for glorifying God and loving and serving our neighbor.
In his Three Treatises, Martin Luther says it in this way, “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all." Which one are we? Lord or servant? Both! It is only when we understand both what we are freed from and what and who we are freed for, that we will fully live out the live God has created us to live.
May you fully experience the freedom paid for by those who died for your freedom as an American and by Jesus who died for your freedom as a child of God. May you, in turn, use your freedom as an American for the sake of your fellow citizens, and your freedom as a child of God for the sake of your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Wednesday Night “Sit, Walk, Stand” Fellowship, Bible Study and Prayer, Wednesdays at 6:30PM
We will continue our “Sit, Walk, Stand” group on Wednesday nights at 6:30 through the summer as Pastor Mark continues to preach through the book of Ephesians on Sundays. The purpose of the group is to have a time for fellowship, prayer and to go deeper into the sections of Ephesians he is preaching about. Each week we will have refreshments provided. Let Pastor Mark know if you would like to provide those refreshments for any given week.
In Community
Pastor Mark is trying to listen to his own preaching and teaching this summer by spending some of his office time each day in the community. Some days he will be at one of the local coffee shops. Some days, he may be at a restaurant where he can use the Wi-Fi to work while he enjoys an appetizer or a drink. One of his goals is to engage people in conversation and prayer, with the goal of praying for and blessing at least one person every day.
He would love to have any RLC members join him for conversation and prayer. Or, maybe to join him in meeting and praying for and with people.
If you want to know where you can find him, check the church Facebook page where he will try to make sure to let people know where he is, or call or text him on his cellphone – 256-230-5387.
Missionary Sasha Roper: July 18
On Sunday, July 18, Wykliffe missionary Sasha Roper will be joining us for worship and coffee fellowship. She will be sharing her story during worship and then joining us for coffee fellowship where she can do some question and answer.
She will be working with Wykliffe Bible Translators in Vanuatu where she will be a tutor for the children of the Bible translators.
Plans as We Move Forward
We will be convening a Task Force of Council Members and Musicians to discuss how we will move forward into more open participation in things like passing the peace, coming up front to receive Communion, and having more opportunities for food fellowship after worship and at other times.
We will also be discussing the need and strategies for adding other worship times. We do plan to keep providing an online option for worship even after the pandemic is fully past.
If you have input, please talk with Pastor Mark or a Council member.
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13
As we celebrate the 245th Anniversary of our country, we take time to reflect on what it looks like to be free people. The Apostle Paul addresses that same topic in his letter to the Galatians. In America, we are free because of the blood of patriots who fought to secure our independence from Britain and have continued to fight throughout our nation’s history to preserve our freedom. In the church, we are free because of the blood of Jesus who died on the cross to free us from sin and death.
For our country to be healthy, we need to know what we are freed from, but also what we are freed for. We are free from being subject to anyone who seeks to control us or steal our freedom. We are free for using our wealth, resources, talents, time, energy, (and maybe even laying down our lives), for the sake of our fellow citizens.
The same is the case in the kingdom of God. To live life fully in God’s kingdom we need to fully understand both aspects of Christian freedom – what we are freed from and what we are freed for. We are freed by Jesus from our past, our sin, our shame, our guilt and our death. We are freed by Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit for glorifying God and loving and serving our neighbor.
In his Three Treatises, Martin Luther says it in this way, “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all." Which one are we? Lord or servant? Both! It is only when we understand both what we are freed from and what and who we are freed for, that we will fully live out the live God has created us to live.
May you fully experience the freedom paid for by those who died for your freedom as an American and by Jesus who died for your freedom as a child of God. May you, in turn, use your freedom as an American for the sake of your fellow citizens, and your freedom as a child of God for the sake of your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Wednesday Night “Sit, Walk, Stand” Fellowship, Bible Study and Prayer, Wednesdays at 6:30PM
We will continue our “Sit, Walk, Stand” group on Wednesday nights at 6:30 through the summer as Pastor Mark continues to preach through the book of Ephesians on Sundays. The purpose of the group is to have a time for fellowship, prayer and to go deeper into the sections of Ephesians he is preaching about. Each week we will have refreshments provided. Let Pastor Mark know if you would like to provide those refreshments for any given week.
In Community
Pastor Mark is trying to listen to his own preaching and teaching this summer by spending some of his office time each day in the community. Some days he will be at one of the local coffee shops. Some days, he may be at a restaurant where he can use the Wi-Fi to work while he enjoys an appetizer or a drink. One of his goals is to engage people in conversation and prayer, with the goal of praying for and blessing at least one person every day.
He would love to have any RLC members join him for conversation and prayer. Or, maybe to join him in meeting and praying for and with people.
If you want to know where you can find him, check the church Facebook page where he will try to make sure to let people know where he is, or call or text him on his cellphone – 256-230-5387.
Missionary Sasha Roper: July 18
On Sunday, July 18, Wykliffe missionary Sasha Roper will be joining us for worship and coffee fellowship. She will be sharing her story during worship and then joining us for coffee fellowship where she can do some question and answer.
She will be working with Wykliffe Bible Translators in Vanuatu where she will be a tutor for the children of the Bible translators.
Plans as We Move Forward
We will be convening a Task Force of Council Members and Musicians to discuss how we will move forward into more open participation in things like passing the peace, coming up front to receive Communion, and having more opportunities for food fellowship after worship and at other times.
We will also be discussing the need and strategies for adding other worship times. We do plan to keep providing an online option for worship even after the pandemic is fully past.
If you have input, please talk with Pastor Mark or a Council member.
Pastor's Update, June 2021
“The Message of Ephesians: Sit, Walk, Stand”
This summer, worship, sermons and Bible studies will be focusing on the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Ephesus was the place many church scholars consider to be the location of the greatest revival of anyplace Paul traveled. Individual lives and society as a whole were transformed by the message of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.
The message of Ephesians can be summarized in three words: Sit, Walk & Stand. Many years ago, I was greatly impacted by a book entitled Sit, Walk, Stand by a Chinese Christian named Watchman Nee. This book opened up the book of Ephesians to me in a way that has impacted me greatly.
The outline of the book is as follows:
1. Our Position in Christ—“SIT” (2:6)
2. Our Life in the World—“WALK” (4:1)
3. Our Attitude to the Enemy—“STAND” (6:11)
My hope is that as each of us as individuals and all of us together as a community of faith truly learn our identity as being seated with Christ, our purpose of joining God in what he is doing in the world, and our strength to stand against the Enemy who wants us to forget our identity and get distracted from living out our purpose. As we do so, we will influence our community in transformative ways, just as the church in Ephesus transformed their community through the power of God.
From Sunday sermons to daily Facebook devotions to Bible studies and small group gatherings, we will make sure everyone is fully equipped to be seated with Christ, walk out God’s calling for them in the world and stand against the attacks of the Enemy.
SWS (Sit, Walk Stand) Fellowship, Bible Study and Prayer–Wednesdays at 6:30 PM Starting June 6
This is a small group which will be meeting just during the summer of 2021 as we go through the book of Ephesians. The goal of the group is to help each other sit more securely in our identity in Christ, walk out more fully our purpose in God’s kingdom, and stand against the forces seeking to confuse our identity and keep us from living out our purpose.
We will meet from 6:30-8:00 pm on Wednesdays with the following agenda:
The reason we come to church is not so much to get out of the world, but to be cleansed, equipped and sent to join Jesus in what he is doing in the world. So much of the model for Christian ministry has been to have the professional Christian (pastor, etc.) be in a building where people come to be ministered to for an hour a week. That is not the model of the New Testament. In the New Testament, leaders are to be equipping people to be salt and light by living out their callings in the world. Most of the impact of the church ought to be during the week, outside the church building.
To emphasize this focus of ministry outside the walls of the church, Pastor Mark will be intentionally spending less time in the office and more time in the community during his work week. This will give him a chance to engage people he encounters during the week by praying for/with them and engaging in conversations about life and faith.
Pastor Mark will try to get the word out where he will be each day so you can come and join him for coffee, fellowship, prayer, discussions of faith and ministering to others. He will also share some of what he is experiencing on the RLC Facebook Page so you can follow his journeys each day.
If you want to find out where he is any given day so you can go and meet him, feel free to check the church Facebook page or text him at 256-230-5387 to have him tell you where he is or will be that day.
This summer, worship, sermons and Bible studies will be focusing on the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Ephesus was the place many church scholars consider to be the location of the greatest revival of anyplace Paul traveled. Individual lives and society as a whole were transformed by the message of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.
The message of Ephesians can be summarized in three words: Sit, Walk & Stand. Many years ago, I was greatly impacted by a book entitled Sit, Walk, Stand by a Chinese Christian named Watchman Nee. This book opened up the book of Ephesians to me in a way that has impacted me greatly.
The outline of the book is as follows:
1. Our Position in Christ—“SIT” (2:6)
2. Our Life in the World—“WALK” (4:1)
3. Our Attitude to the Enemy—“STAND” (6:11)
My hope is that as each of us as individuals and all of us together as a community of faith truly learn our identity as being seated with Christ, our purpose of joining God in what he is doing in the world, and our strength to stand against the Enemy who wants us to forget our identity and get distracted from living out our purpose. As we do so, we will influence our community in transformative ways, just as the church in Ephesus transformed their community through the power of God.
From Sunday sermons to daily Facebook devotions to Bible studies and small group gatherings, we will make sure everyone is fully equipped to be seated with Christ, walk out God’s calling for them in the world and stand against the attacks of the Enemy.
SWS (Sit, Walk Stand) Fellowship, Bible Study and Prayer–Wednesdays at 6:30 PM Starting June 6
This is a small group which will be meeting just during the summer of 2021 as we go through the book of Ephesians. The goal of the group is to help each other sit more securely in our identity in Christ, walk out more fully our purpose in God’s kingdom, and stand against the forces seeking to confuse our identity and keep us from living out our purpose.
We will meet from 6:30-8:00 pm on Wednesdays with the following agenda:
- Fellowship – we hope to have people bring snacks & beverages to share each week
- Bible study – we will be looking at a small section of Ephesians each week
- Prayer – we will be praying for and with each other each week
The reason we come to church is not so much to get out of the world, but to be cleansed, equipped and sent to join Jesus in what he is doing in the world. So much of the model for Christian ministry has been to have the professional Christian (pastor, etc.) be in a building where people come to be ministered to for an hour a week. That is not the model of the New Testament. In the New Testament, leaders are to be equipping people to be salt and light by living out their callings in the world. Most of the impact of the church ought to be during the week, outside the church building.
To emphasize this focus of ministry outside the walls of the church, Pastor Mark will be intentionally spending less time in the office and more time in the community during his work week. This will give him a chance to engage people he encounters during the week by praying for/with them and engaging in conversations about life and faith.
Pastor Mark will try to get the word out where he will be each day so you can come and join him for coffee, fellowship, prayer, discussions of faith and ministering to others. He will also share some of what he is experiencing on the RLC Facebook Page so you can follow his journeys each day.
If you want to find out where he is any given day so you can go and meet him, feel free to check the church Facebook page or text him at 256-230-5387 to have him tell you where he is or will be that day.
Pastor's Update, May 2021
“Come, Holy Spirit”
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. 13When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. Acts 1:12-14
The fireworks of Pentecost happened because of the prayer and community during the ten days leading up to it. Maybe the reason we don’t see many fireworks of the Holy Spirit in our day is that we focus so little on prayer and Christian community?
If there were ever a time in history which must have been filled with confusion, fear and chaos, it would have to be after the crucifixion of Jesus. Making that time even more confusing was the claim by some of Jesus’ followers that Jesus was alive. When Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection, what did that mean for his followers? It was a time of great uncertainty and danger for anyone claiming to be a follower of Jesus. During this time of uncertainty and fear, what the followers of Jesus decided to do was to come together as a community and pray. Into that atmosphere of fellowship and prayer, the Holy Spirit arrived in a powerful way, just ten days later on Pentecost.
We live in a time of confusion, fear and chaos as well. Covid-19 has changed everything about our lives and world. Political, social and racial division are quickly starting to look like even greater challenges to our nation than even Covid-19 has been. Where do we find the answer to the questions and challenges which we face 2000 years after the events of Acts 1? Do you think maybe prayer and community could be the place for us to start as well?
Into the midst of the chaos, confusion, division and fear, I am issuing a call to prayer to us as a congregation and the community of Yukon as a whole. Stay tuned for more information about the specifics of our Ascension to Pentecost Prayer Vigil (May 13-May 23).
Ascension to Pentecost Prayer (May 13-May 23)
You are invited to join in a time of personal, congregational and community prayer from Ascension Day (May 13) to Pentecost (May 23). More details coming out soon.
Wednesday Nights
Pastor Mark is looking at doing a time of prayer, fellowship and Bible study on Wednesday nights in June and July. Stay tuned for more information.
Sit, Walk, Stand, Summer 2021
After we finish our focus on prayer on Pentecost Sunday, we will move into a summer where we will focus on living out the Christian life, using the book of Ephesians as our guide. Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian, wrote a powerful book about Ephesians entitled Sit, Walk, Stand. These will be the themes of our journey through Ephesians:
Sit (Identity)
Being seated with Christ, living from a relationship with God, not trying to earn that relationship.
Walk (Purpose)
Walk out a life of love and faith, in unity with other Christians, using the gifts of the Holy Spirit to bless others and destroy the works of the Enemy.
Stand (Perseverance)
When the enemy attacks, stand with the full armor of God.
May we as individuals and as a congregation learn to sit in our identity as children of God, walk out our calling as the body of Christ, and stand against the attacks of the enemy who wants us to forget who we are and stop living out the callings God has for us.
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. 13When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. Acts 1:12-14
The fireworks of Pentecost happened because of the prayer and community during the ten days leading up to it. Maybe the reason we don’t see many fireworks of the Holy Spirit in our day is that we focus so little on prayer and Christian community?
If there were ever a time in history which must have been filled with confusion, fear and chaos, it would have to be after the crucifixion of Jesus. Making that time even more confusing was the claim by some of Jesus’ followers that Jesus was alive. When Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection, what did that mean for his followers? It was a time of great uncertainty and danger for anyone claiming to be a follower of Jesus. During this time of uncertainty and fear, what the followers of Jesus decided to do was to come together as a community and pray. Into that atmosphere of fellowship and prayer, the Holy Spirit arrived in a powerful way, just ten days later on Pentecost.
We live in a time of confusion, fear and chaos as well. Covid-19 has changed everything about our lives and world. Political, social and racial division are quickly starting to look like even greater challenges to our nation than even Covid-19 has been. Where do we find the answer to the questions and challenges which we face 2000 years after the events of Acts 1? Do you think maybe prayer and community could be the place for us to start as well?
Into the midst of the chaos, confusion, division and fear, I am issuing a call to prayer to us as a congregation and the community of Yukon as a whole. Stay tuned for more information about the specifics of our Ascension to Pentecost Prayer Vigil (May 13-May 23).
Ascension to Pentecost Prayer (May 13-May 23)
You are invited to join in a time of personal, congregational and community prayer from Ascension Day (May 13) to Pentecost (May 23). More details coming out soon.
Wednesday Nights
Pastor Mark is looking at doing a time of prayer, fellowship and Bible study on Wednesday nights in June and July. Stay tuned for more information.
Sit, Walk, Stand, Summer 2021
After we finish our focus on prayer on Pentecost Sunday, we will move into a summer where we will focus on living out the Christian life, using the book of Ephesians as our guide. Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian, wrote a powerful book about Ephesians entitled Sit, Walk, Stand. These will be the themes of our journey through Ephesians:
Sit (Identity)
Being seated with Christ, living from a relationship with God, not trying to earn that relationship.
Walk (Purpose)
Walk out a life of love and faith, in unity with other Christians, using the gifts of the Holy Spirit to bless others and destroy the works of the Enemy.
Stand (Perseverance)
When the enemy attacks, stand with the full armor of God.
May we as individuals and as a congregation learn to sit in our identity as children of God, walk out our calling as the body of Christ, and stand against the attacks of the enemy who wants us to forget who we are and stop living out the callings God has for us.
Pastor's Update, April 2021
“Prayer: Getting Heaven to and Through Me”
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ 2He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.’ Luke 11:1-4
Religion gets us to focus on getting God’s attention so we can ask him to help us accomplish our agendas. The kingdom of God gets us to invite God to accomplish his agenda in, through and around us.
Why do I pray? Do I pray because what is going on in my life does not match my desires or expectations? Or, do I pray because what is going on in my life and around me does not match God’s desires or plans for me or for his world?
My prayer should turn my attention toward God and not toward myself. At the end of my prayer, I should be more aware of God’s presence and less focused on myself.
My prayer is not about me getting greater access to God for my sake. Rather, it ought to be about God getting greater access to me for his sake and the sake of his purposes for the world.
My prayer is not to convince God to give me what I need. Rather, it is to remind myself that when I focus on him, I will always have what I need.
My prayer is not to justify my behavior. Rather, it is to honestly confess the fact that I am a sinner and ask for forgiveness. When I pray, it ought to remind me that God loves me despite my sin and doesn’t hold my sin against me, so I have no right to withhold love or forgiveness from those who sin against me.
In short, prayer ought to look and sound a lot like the prayer Jesus taught his disciples. That will be the focus of worship between Easter and Pentecost (from now until March 23).
Focus for the Season of Easter (April 4-May 23): Prayer
From Easter to Pentecost, our focus for worship and Sunday sermons will be prayer. The goal is to help us as individuals and as a congregation to enter into a deeper prayer life.
There will be various opportunities to pray at different places, different times and in different ways as we go through this series. Stay tuned for more information.
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ 2He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.’ Luke 11:1-4
Religion gets us to focus on getting God’s attention so we can ask him to help us accomplish our agendas. The kingdom of God gets us to invite God to accomplish his agenda in, through and around us.
Why do I pray? Do I pray because what is going on in my life does not match my desires or expectations? Or, do I pray because what is going on in my life and around me does not match God’s desires or plans for me or for his world?
My prayer should turn my attention toward God and not toward myself. At the end of my prayer, I should be more aware of God’s presence and less focused on myself.
My prayer is not about me getting greater access to God for my sake. Rather, it ought to be about God getting greater access to me for his sake and the sake of his purposes for the world.
My prayer is not to convince God to give me what I need. Rather, it is to remind myself that when I focus on him, I will always have what I need.
My prayer is not to justify my behavior. Rather, it is to honestly confess the fact that I am a sinner and ask for forgiveness. When I pray, it ought to remind me that God loves me despite my sin and doesn’t hold my sin against me, so I have no right to withhold love or forgiveness from those who sin against me.
In short, prayer ought to look and sound a lot like the prayer Jesus taught his disciples. That will be the focus of worship between Easter and Pentecost (from now until March 23).
Focus for the Season of Easter (April 4-May 23): Prayer
From Easter to Pentecost, our focus for worship and Sunday sermons will be prayer. The goal is to help us as individuals and as a congregation to enter into a deeper prayer life.
There will be various opportunities to pray at different places, different times and in different ways as we go through this series. Stay tuned for more information.
Pastor's Update, March, 2021
“Filters or Conduits?”
Is the way I think and live limiting what God has access to do in and through me, or is it maximizing what God can do?
Filters can be very helpful in keeping undesirables out, but they can also be very harmful by keeping what is good and desirable out. When my content filter on my computer keeps out pornography and viruses, it is good. When it blocks legitimate news and allows in malware, it is harmful.
We all have filters in the way we think and see the world. Some of those filters have to do with where we grew up, or the family in which we grew up. Some have to do with our religious preferences or lack of religion. Some have to do with our who our teachers have been and the curriculum we have studied. Some have to do with our personal experiences in life. The combined effect of these filters will determine what gets access to influence our lives, and what will be kept out.
When it comes to our relationship with God, the filters we have in place have a major effect on how much God is able to work in and through our lives. If I don’t believe in God, there will be no access for God to work. If I believe my relationship with God is based on my behavior, I will allow little access to God’s grace. If I believe God is angry and punishing, I will allow little access to God’s love and joy. If I believe my faith is all about what happens after I die, I will allow little room for experiencing God’s presence or power in this life.
Much of the ministry of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit is to remove the filters that limit God’s activity in our lives so our minds will become conduits for God’s activity in and through us rather than barriers keeping that activity out.
Jesus comes to show those who think that God is distant and angry that they have a loving Father who is close and active in their lives. He comes to reveal a relationship with God based on forgiveness and grace rather than judgement and works. He comes to reveal a Father looking for children rather than a master looking for servants. He comes to reveal the kingdom of God where we are invited to join God in what he is doing in the world rather than just trying to avoid getting stained by the world so we can get to heaven.
The Holy Spirit continues this work of removing unhealthy filters as he reminds us of what Jesus has said and done, and as he continues to lead us into the fullness of who God is, who we are and what our life is all about. He continues Jesus’ work by revealing the Father more fully and filling us with gifts and love to join the Father in what he is doing.
This Lent, we are focusing on how our thought processes can be more like conduits where the activity of God can flow unhindered than like filters which keep God’s presence and activity out.
Is the way I think and live limiting what God has access to do in and through me, or is it maximizing what God can do?
Filters can be very helpful in keeping undesirables out, but they can also be very harmful by keeping what is good and desirable out. When my content filter on my computer keeps out pornography and viruses, it is good. When it blocks legitimate news and allows in malware, it is harmful.
We all have filters in the way we think and see the world. Some of those filters have to do with where we grew up, or the family in which we grew up. Some have to do with our religious preferences or lack of religion. Some have to do with our who our teachers have been and the curriculum we have studied. Some have to do with our personal experiences in life. The combined effect of these filters will determine what gets access to influence our lives, and what will be kept out.
When it comes to our relationship with God, the filters we have in place have a major effect on how much God is able to work in and through our lives. If I don’t believe in God, there will be no access for God to work. If I believe my relationship with God is based on my behavior, I will allow little access to God’s grace. If I believe God is angry and punishing, I will allow little access to God’s love and joy. If I believe my faith is all about what happens after I die, I will allow little room for experiencing God’s presence or power in this life.
Much of the ministry of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit is to remove the filters that limit God’s activity in our lives so our minds will become conduits for God’s activity in and through us rather than barriers keeping that activity out.
Jesus comes to show those who think that God is distant and angry that they have a loving Father who is close and active in their lives. He comes to reveal a relationship with God based on forgiveness and grace rather than judgement and works. He comes to reveal a Father looking for children rather than a master looking for servants. He comes to reveal the kingdom of God where we are invited to join God in what he is doing in the world rather than just trying to avoid getting stained by the world so we can get to heaven.
The Holy Spirit continues this work of removing unhealthy filters as he reminds us of what Jesus has said and done, and as he continues to lead us into the fullness of who God is, who we are and what our life is all about. He continues Jesus’ work by revealing the Father more fully and filling us with gifts and love to join the Father in what he is doing.
This Lent, we are focusing on how our thought processes can be more like conduits where the activity of God can flow unhindered than like filters which keep God’s presence and activity out.
Pastor's Message, Feb 2021
The “Kingdom of God” Way of Thinking
Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Mark 8:34-36
The Christian life is counterintuitive:
-Power is made perfect in weakness
-The greatest is the servant of all
-We find our lives by losing them
Jesus’ disciples have just figured out who he is. Peter has given the right answer – “You are the Messiah (the king!)” Knowing Jesus is Messiah causes the disciples to start coming to a certain set of understandings and expectations of what it will mean for them part of the inner circle of the Messiah. He quickly shatters those expectations as he talks about suffering and dying and as he tells them greatness in his kingdom comes from serving others rather than being served and using power to lift up others rather than have them lift you up.
His invitation to his disciples is what we will be focusing on for Ash Wednesday and on Wednesdays during Lent - “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?”
The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” This Lent, we are going to invite God to help us think like heaven so we can more fully enter into what God is doing in the world. We will know we are making progress when we see doing things that seem counterintuitive as being normal.
When it is normal to rejoice in weakness, to love our enemies, seek to serve rather than be served, and to find our life by losing it for the sake of loving God and our neighbor, we will be on the right track.
It is only by the work of God in our lives that we can learn to think differently, and it is only by thinking differently that we will enter fully into God’s purposes for our lives.
Join us on Wednesdays in Lent to learn how to think like the Kingdom of God!
Jesus called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Mark 8:34-36
The Christian life is counterintuitive:
-Power is made perfect in weakness
-The greatest is the servant of all
-We find our lives by losing them
Jesus’ disciples have just figured out who he is. Peter has given the right answer – “You are the Messiah (the king!)” Knowing Jesus is Messiah causes the disciples to start coming to a certain set of understandings and expectations of what it will mean for them part of the inner circle of the Messiah. He quickly shatters those expectations as he talks about suffering and dying and as he tells them greatness in his kingdom comes from serving others rather than being served and using power to lift up others rather than have them lift you up.
His invitation to his disciples is what we will be focusing on for Ash Wednesday and on Wednesdays during Lent - “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?”
The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” This Lent, we are going to invite God to help us think like heaven so we can more fully enter into what God is doing in the world. We will know we are making progress when we see doing things that seem counterintuitive as being normal.
When it is normal to rejoice in weakness, to love our enemies, seek to serve rather than be served, and to find our life by losing it for the sake of loving God and our neighbor, we will be on the right track.
It is only by the work of God in our lives that we can learn to think differently, and it is only by thinking differently that we will enter fully into God’s purposes for our lives.
Join us on Wednesdays in Lent to learn how to think like the Kingdom of God!
Pastor's Update, Jan 2021
“This is Just the Beginning!”
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark 1:1
For the first part of 2021, we will be turning our attention to the Gospel of Mark. We will be doing daily readings (you are invited to journal if you would like), Pastor Mark will be posting daily devotions based on the readings, and Pastor Mark will be preaching though the Gospel of Mark from the beginning of January until Easter (April 4).
Just as with Acts, the purpose is to do more than just increase our intellectual understanding of what we are reading. This journey through Mark is meant to draw us into a greater experience of and participation with the God we read of in the Bible.
The Gospel of Mark begins with these words: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus…” What we will be reading in the book of Mark is not the full story of Jesus, it is the beginning of what Jesus started 2000 years ago in the little town of Bethlehem. The rest of the good news of Jesus is still being experienced and lived out today in the lives of followers of Jesus.
In the beginning of the good news of Jesus, we are invited to prepare the way for Jesus to have access to our lives, to believe that God’s kingdom is breaking into the world, to change the way we think, follow Jesus, and to be ready for him to baptize us in the Holy Spirit. That is just the first chapter of Mark, and is only the beginning of our journey with Jesus.
You are invited to immerse yourself fully into this journey through Mark. Read each day, journal your prayers and conversations with God each day, read Pastor Mark’s devotions each day, and hear the sermon based on the week’s readings each Sunday. The hope is that you will come out of this journey with a greater intellectual understanding of this book of the Bible, but also that you will find yourself more fully living out the rest of the good news of Jesus as he is given full access to your daily life.
If you would like a Scripture Journal for Mark (one page is scripture and each opposite page is blank journal paper), pick one up at church or have Pastor Mark deliver one to you. There is a suggested donation of $3 per journal. At that price, get some for your friends and family as well!
Mark Readings for January:
Jan 4 Mark 1:1-8
Jan 5 Mark 1:9-12
Jan 6 Mark 1:14-15
Jan 7 Mark 1:16-20
Jan 8 Mark 1:21-28
Jan 9 Mark 1:29-39
Jan 10 Mark 1:40-45
Jan 11 Mark 2:1-5
Jan 12 Mark 2:6-12
Jan 13 Mark 2:13-14
Jan 14 Mark 2:15-17
Jan 15 Mark 2:18-20
Jan 16 Mark 2:21-22
Jan 17 Mark 2:23-27
Jan 18 Mark 3:1-6
Jan 19 Mark 3:6-12
Jan 20 Mark 3:13-19
Jan 21 Mark 3:20-22
Jan 22 Mark 3:23-27
Jan 23 Mark 3:28-30
Jan 24 Mark 3:31-35
Jan 25 Mark 4:1-9
Jan 26 Mark 4:10-20
Jan 27 Mark 4:21-25
Jan 28 Mark 4:26-29
Jan 29 Mark 4:30-34
Jan 30 Mark 4:35-38
Jan 31 Mark 4:39-41
Prayer Vigil to End 2020 and Begin 2021 – Noon on December 31-Noon on January 3
2020 has been a challenging year for many of us, to say the least. Many of us are ready to say goodbye to 2020 and get into 2021. Some of us are optimistic it will be better in 2021, but some of us have much lower expectations. How can we end 2020 well and begin 2021 the same way? Let’s turn to God in prayer for ourselves, our church, our nation and the world. You are invited to join 72 hours of prayer from Noon on December 31 until Noon on Sunday, January 3. Here are the specifics:
Take 5 for Prayer at the Hours which Correspond to Your Birth Month – from Noon on December 31 until Noon on January 3, take 5 minutes or more to pray at each hour corresponding to your birth month (for example – Pastor Mark’s birthday is in May, so he will pray for 5 or more minutes at 5 AM and 5 PM)
Noon December 31- Noon January 1 – PAST - Pray to let go of the brokenness of 2020
Noon January 1 – Noon January 2 – PRESENT - Pray to fully engage what God has prepared for you in 2021
Noon January 2- Noon January 3 – FUTURE – Pray for yourself, your loved ones, your church and your country to fully move into the future God has prepared.
Sunday Worship Focused on Prayer – Sunday, January 3 at 10:15 – We will bring our 72 hours of prayer to an end as we gather for a Prayer Service to begin the New Year.
Epiphany Party – 5-7pm on Wednesday, January 6
Epiphany is the day we remember the revealing of Jesus to the Magi who had traveled from the East. We want to celebrate by gathering around a firepit on the church parking lot for food (hot dogs will be supplied, bring pre-packaged items to share), fellowship, prayer and Holy Communion. Bring a lawn chair and individually wrapped food to share (if you wish). May you begin 2021 with your own Epiphany through which you come to know Jesus in ways you have never known him.
(If you want to bring a broken branch from the ice storm to burn in the fire as we let go of 2020 and move into 2021, please do so!)
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark 1:1
For the first part of 2021, we will be turning our attention to the Gospel of Mark. We will be doing daily readings (you are invited to journal if you would like), Pastor Mark will be posting daily devotions based on the readings, and Pastor Mark will be preaching though the Gospel of Mark from the beginning of January until Easter (April 4).
Just as with Acts, the purpose is to do more than just increase our intellectual understanding of what we are reading. This journey through Mark is meant to draw us into a greater experience of and participation with the God we read of in the Bible.
The Gospel of Mark begins with these words: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus…” What we will be reading in the book of Mark is not the full story of Jesus, it is the beginning of what Jesus started 2000 years ago in the little town of Bethlehem. The rest of the good news of Jesus is still being experienced and lived out today in the lives of followers of Jesus.
In the beginning of the good news of Jesus, we are invited to prepare the way for Jesus to have access to our lives, to believe that God’s kingdom is breaking into the world, to change the way we think, follow Jesus, and to be ready for him to baptize us in the Holy Spirit. That is just the first chapter of Mark, and is only the beginning of our journey with Jesus.
You are invited to immerse yourself fully into this journey through Mark. Read each day, journal your prayers and conversations with God each day, read Pastor Mark’s devotions each day, and hear the sermon based on the week’s readings each Sunday. The hope is that you will come out of this journey with a greater intellectual understanding of this book of the Bible, but also that you will find yourself more fully living out the rest of the good news of Jesus as he is given full access to your daily life.
If you would like a Scripture Journal for Mark (one page is scripture and each opposite page is blank journal paper), pick one up at church or have Pastor Mark deliver one to you. There is a suggested donation of $3 per journal. At that price, get some for your friends and family as well!
Mark Readings for January:
Jan 4 Mark 1:1-8
Jan 5 Mark 1:9-12
Jan 6 Mark 1:14-15
Jan 7 Mark 1:16-20
Jan 8 Mark 1:21-28
Jan 9 Mark 1:29-39
Jan 10 Mark 1:40-45
Jan 11 Mark 2:1-5
Jan 12 Mark 2:6-12
Jan 13 Mark 2:13-14
Jan 14 Mark 2:15-17
Jan 15 Mark 2:18-20
Jan 16 Mark 2:21-22
Jan 17 Mark 2:23-27
Jan 18 Mark 3:1-6
Jan 19 Mark 3:6-12
Jan 20 Mark 3:13-19
Jan 21 Mark 3:20-22
Jan 22 Mark 3:23-27
Jan 23 Mark 3:28-30
Jan 24 Mark 3:31-35
Jan 25 Mark 4:1-9
Jan 26 Mark 4:10-20
Jan 27 Mark 4:21-25
Jan 28 Mark 4:26-29
Jan 29 Mark 4:30-34
Jan 30 Mark 4:35-38
Jan 31 Mark 4:39-41
Prayer Vigil to End 2020 and Begin 2021 – Noon on December 31-Noon on January 3
2020 has been a challenging year for many of us, to say the least. Many of us are ready to say goodbye to 2020 and get into 2021. Some of us are optimistic it will be better in 2021, but some of us have much lower expectations. How can we end 2020 well and begin 2021 the same way? Let’s turn to God in prayer for ourselves, our church, our nation and the world. You are invited to join 72 hours of prayer from Noon on December 31 until Noon on Sunday, January 3. Here are the specifics:
Take 5 for Prayer at the Hours which Correspond to Your Birth Month – from Noon on December 31 until Noon on January 3, take 5 minutes or more to pray at each hour corresponding to your birth month (for example – Pastor Mark’s birthday is in May, so he will pray for 5 or more minutes at 5 AM and 5 PM)
Noon December 31- Noon January 1 – PAST - Pray to let go of the brokenness of 2020
Noon January 1 – Noon January 2 – PRESENT - Pray to fully engage what God has prepared for you in 2021
Noon January 2- Noon January 3 – FUTURE – Pray for yourself, your loved ones, your church and your country to fully move into the future God has prepared.
Sunday Worship Focused on Prayer – Sunday, January 3 at 10:15 – We will bring our 72 hours of prayer to an end as we gather for a Prayer Service to begin the New Year.
Epiphany Party – 5-7pm on Wednesday, January 6
Epiphany is the day we remember the revealing of Jesus to the Magi who had traveled from the East. We want to celebrate by gathering around a firepit on the church parking lot for food (hot dogs will be supplied, bring pre-packaged items to share), fellowship, prayer and Holy Communion. Bring a lawn chair and individually wrapped food to share (if you wish). May you begin 2021 with your own Epiphany through which you come to know Jesus in ways you have never known him.
(If you want to bring a broken branch from the ice storm to burn in the fire as we let go of 2020 and move into 2021, please do so!)
Pastor's Update, Dec 2020
"The Word Becoming Flesh”
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
The message of Christmas is not that God has given us instructions to escape the world of flesh and blood to find our way to some spiritual dimension where he is. Rather, the message is that God entered into the world of flesh and blood to find us where we are at.
What if the written Word is not just giving us information to help us escape this world and get to heaven? What if it is meant to bring us into an encounter with God where heaven meets us here?
From January through Easter, we will be journeying through the Gospel of Mark. What will the purpose of this journey be? Just to gain intellectual understanding of a person who lived 2000 years ago? That is part of it, but there is more. It will also be an opportunity start encountering the Jesus we are introduced to in Mark’s gospel who is just as alive now as he was then.
About a year ago, I started reading a chapter from the Bible every day and taking time to journal my thoughts, my prayers and what I have been hearing from God. At first, it was mostly jotting down insights and intellectual reflections. Then, as time went on, I was writing more of what was on my heart and my conversation directed toward God. Finally, in the past couple of months, I have seen much of my journaling to be what I hear God saying back to me. Reading the Bible and journaling has revitalized my connection with God’s presence and my ability to hear his voice.
We will be ordering scripture journals for the Gospel of Mark which have readings on one page, and blank journal paper on the opposite page. You don’t need to order a journal to participate. You can use your own Bible and your own paper, but the cost to get a journal is pretty cheap. For a donation of $3 or more, you can get a journal. At that price, you can get some to share with your family and friends and invite them to join you in your journey through Mark.
If you would like a journal (or several of them), let Pastor Mark know by December 13. He will be ordering them on December 14. If you come to church, you can pick up your journals there. If you are not able to come to church because of Covid, Pastor Mark will deliver (if you are in the Yukon area).
May you experience what I have been experiencing as you read the Bible and take time to journal your thoughts, prayers and what you hear God saying to you. May the written Word become the living word, meeting you where you are in 2021.
Fellowship and Prayer
We have had some wonderful times of fellowship, prayer and Holy Communion in peoples’ yards and driveways and at restaurants with outdoor seating, but now that the weather is colder, we need to be more creative to meet in ways which make social distancing possible. Let Pastor Mark know if you have any ideas or would like to host a gathering. More info will be coming later.
Visits
Pastor Mark would love to visit you if you would like a socially distanced visit. Maybe in your yard or on your patio. Maybe in your house socially distanced. Maybe at a coffee shop or at the park. Let him know if you would like a visit.
Bible Study
For more information about plans for Advent and for early 2021, please see the Bible Studies section.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
The message of Christmas is not that God has given us instructions to escape the world of flesh and blood to find our way to some spiritual dimension where he is. Rather, the message is that God entered into the world of flesh and blood to find us where we are at.
What if the written Word is not just giving us information to help us escape this world and get to heaven? What if it is meant to bring us into an encounter with God where heaven meets us here?
From January through Easter, we will be journeying through the Gospel of Mark. What will the purpose of this journey be? Just to gain intellectual understanding of a person who lived 2000 years ago? That is part of it, but there is more. It will also be an opportunity start encountering the Jesus we are introduced to in Mark’s gospel who is just as alive now as he was then.
About a year ago, I started reading a chapter from the Bible every day and taking time to journal my thoughts, my prayers and what I have been hearing from God. At first, it was mostly jotting down insights and intellectual reflections. Then, as time went on, I was writing more of what was on my heart and my conversation directed toward God. Finally, in the past couple of months, I have seen much of my journaling to be what I hear God saying back to me. Reading the Bible and journaling has revitalized my connection with God’s presence and my ability to hear his voice.
We will be ordering scripture journals for the Gospel of Mark which have readings on one page, and blank journal paper on the opposite page. You don’t need to order a journal to participate. You can use your own Bible and your own paper, but the cost to get a journal is pretty cheap. For a donation of $3 or more, you can get a journal. At that price, you can get some to share with your family and friends and invite them to join you in your journey through Mark.
If you would like a journal (or several of them), let Pastor Mark know by December 13. He will be ordering them on December 14. If you come to church, you can pick up your journals there. If you are not able to come to church because of Covid, Pastor Mark will deliver (if you are in the Yukon area).
May you experience what I have been experiencing as you read the Bible and take time to journal your thoughts, prayers and what you hear God saying to you. May the written Word become the living word, meeting you where you are in 2021.
Fellowship and Prayer
We have had some wonderful times of fellowship, prayer and Holy Communion in peoples’ yards and driveways and at restaurants with outdoor seating, but now that the weather is colder, we need to be more creative to meet in ways which make social distancing possible. Let Pastor Mark know if you have any ideas or would like to host a gathering. More info will be coming later.
Visits
Pastor Mark would love to visit you if you would like a socially distanced visit. Maybe in your yard or on your patio. Maybe in your house socially distanced. Maybe at a coffee shop or at the park. Let him know if you would like a visit.
Bible Study
For more information about plans for Advent and for early 2021, please see the Bible Studies section.
Pastor's Update, Nov 2020
“Acts 29”
We have been going through the book of Acts for the last several months, so will it make any difference to us individually and as a church to have made that journey once we are done?
Acts begins in chapter 1 with the promise of the Holy Spirit coming to empower the group gathered in Jerusalem so they can be empowered to be witnesses of Jesus in Jerusalem, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Acts 28 shows Paul in Rome after the good news of Jesus has been spread throughout that whole part of the world. So, if there were a chapter 29, what would it look like?
I hope we don’t just tuck away our journey through Acts as some new intellectual understanding and leave Acts the same way we were when we began the journey. I hope we leave with a hunger to have God write Acts 29 and beyond in and through us. I hope we seek to have the same encounter with the Holy Spirit the original 120 had, and I hope we make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit to work in and through us to change the world the way he worked in and through that small group in Acts.
What about you? Is church a place you learn the right head knowledge and everything you need to do to go to heaven when you die, or is it a place you encounter heaven and enter into experiential knowledge of God as he works through you to better love and serve your neighbor?
My focus for the end of 2020 and into 2021 will be giving God access to write Acts 29 and beyond in and through us as individuals and as a congregation. May you join us on an uncharted journey into true Christian fellowship, intimacy with God, experience with the Holy Spirit, and a life which takes normal, everyday people and uses them to turn the world upside down.
Acts 29 Blessing and Commissioning: Sunday, November 22
The week after we finish going through the book of Acts on November 15, we will focus our Sunday service on what it would look like to live out the ongoing book of Acts in our lives, church and community. We will be doing a commissioning and blessing of those who want a greater experience of the Holy Spirit’s activity in their lives.
We have been going through the book of Acts for the last several months, so will it make any difference to us individually and as a church to have made that journey once we are done?
Acts begins in chapter 1 with the promise of the Holy Spirit coming to empower the group gathered in Jerusalem so they can be empowered to be witnesses of Jesus in Jerusalem, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Acts 28 shows Paul in Rome after the good news of Jesus has been spread throughout that whole part of the world. So, if there were a chapter 29, what would it look like?
I hope we don’t just tuck away our journey through Acts as some new intellectual understanding and leave Acts the same way we were when we began the journey. I hope we leave with a hunger to have God write Acts 29 and beyond in and through us. I hope we seek to have the same encounter with the Holy Spirit the original 120 had, and I hope we make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit to work in and through us to change the world the way he worked in and through that small group in Acts.
What about you? Is church a place you learn the right head knowledge and everything you need to do to go to heaven when you die, or is it a place you encounter heaven and enter into experiential knowledge of God as he works through you to better love and serve your neighbor?
My focus for the end of 2020 and into 2021 will be giving God access to write Acts 29 and beyond in and through us as individuals and as a congregation. May you join us on an uncharted journey into true Christian fellowship, intimacy with God, experience with the Holy Spirit, and a life which takes normal, everyday people and uses them to turn the world upside down.
Acts 29 Blessing and Commissioning: Sunday, November 22
The week after we finish going through the book of Acts on November 15, we will focus our Sunday service on what it would look like to live out the ongoing book of Acts in our lives, church and community. We will be doing a commissioning and blessing of those who want a greater experience of the Holy Spirit’s activity in their lives.
We publish the last six months of Pastor Mark's messages here. For older messages, please refer to the newsletters.