Here is yesterday’s sermon from Cornerstone Church Winchendon.
Tag Archives: God
2021 At the Vicarage Week #11
The weeks are whizzing by faster than I seem to be able to live them, certainly faster than I can write about them. This last week has left me very little time to blog, but one thing I have learned over the years is that blogging and living seem to have some sort of seasonal relationship (at least in my world they do). There are seasons of intense living and then there are seasons of quiet reflection which lend themselves to blogging quite nicely. What I have learned about the seasons of living is that I have to ride them like a surfer rides a wave, and then I need to take a rest on the shore. Every bit of water I ride on my way to “the quiet of the beach” requires me to maintain a balance of tensed muscle and relaxed heart. This last month has been a lot like that.
March 12th- Today was my day off from ministry. So Brenda and I met with Sandy Freeman who is coming on Sunday to sit with Mom while we are out at church. Mom is getting much better. I think this might be the last week she needs somebody to come and stay with her while we are away at church. She is still using the walker but I think that might be the way things are now. She seems much more comfortable with it than without it.
March 13th– Saturdays have become a day for housework and review for Sundays. I am currently teaching a series on Sundays called Enter the Promise based in Joshua chapter 1. This week we are talking about dealing with the mindset of discouragement so I spent some time reviewing my sermon notes and making sure everything was ready for Sunday morning.
March 14th– Sunday!
Melanie James and the girls came to visit after church. I had a board meeting, but they got to visit with Mom and Brenda and Amanda while I sat with the board for the second part of my interview for the position of lead pastor of Cornerstone Church.
Then I got to come home and hang out with the newest addition to our family, Abigail!
March 15th– Writing day! I put together my daily digging deeper video and then I wrote my sermon, my Wednesday night Bible study, organized my thoughts for staff meeting on Tuesday and organized my weekly schedule around my appointments. Then I taught a music lesson and attended a DLT (Doing Life Together) Group for men. I really need to figure out how to get my business writing done and then spend some time doing some blogging and novel writing. I know I will figure it all out I just have to be more disciplined with my schedule.
March 16th– Today was our first in person staff meeting since last year! We social distanced and what not It was nice to just be in the same room! his afternoon we had my good friend Jody out to coffee at The Vicarage and then tonight I had worship rehearsal. It is not back to normal…I am not sure what we knew as normal is coming back….I am less sure it should. Jody wore his mask into the house this afternoon. Our team sang with masks on as we worshipped tonight, but we were together!
March 17th– The Wall tonight! We are almost finished the letters in Revelation 2 and 3!
March 18th– Today was office paperwork and pastoral meeting today. I met with some congregants and then got a chance to sit for an hour with Jon and Angela Bauver who are the founders of TWR House Of Prayer.
Tonight the church board met and voted unanimously to recommend me for the position of lead pastor of Cornerstone Church. The official announcement comes Sunday morning and then we will have a congregational Q&A and a vote at some future date yet to be determined. God is in control. I am at peace.
Share this:
Saturday Digging Deeper: As the Day Approaches
Share this:
Friday Digging Deeper: Spur One Another
Share this:
Thursday Digging Deeper: Saint Not Sinner
Here is today’s digging deeper video regarding our identity in Christ from Hebrews chapter 10.
Share this:
Wednesday Digging Deeper; Phil. 4:8
I just realized I failed to post this yesterday. It was a busy day with Mom and other things and thenwhole day slipped by without me posting at all!
Share this:
Tuesday Digging Deeper: Truth, Honor, Justness
Here is today’s diigging deeper devotion regarding three things we should think about.
Share this:
Monday Digging Deeper: Praise By Prayer, Petition and Thanksgiving.
Here is Monday’s digging deeper devotional on the subject of building a mindset of praise through the activities of prayer petition and thanksgiving.
Share this:
2021 At the Vicarage Week # 10
It is hard to believe we are 10 weeks into this new year. It is true what they say, “The older you get the faster the years go.” So much has already happened this year and there is so much more in store!
March 5- Cinquo De Marzo. I am still sleeping downstairs to help Mom, but she is needing less and less help. Soon I think I shall buy a baby monitor and return to my own bedroom. I am also thinking of a Life alert System so that we can begin leaving Mom alone for brief periods again.
Last night my brain was so full of Vicarage needs and ministry possibilities, I got up to pray at 12:30 A.M. and finally got to bed at about 2:45 A.M. Was up for the day at 4. God told me this was part of the new mantel He is resting upon me and that there would be many more nights spent in prayer, but that He would give me the power to run in this deeper race.
March 6th– I made up for last night’s sleeplessnes. Mom and I slept through until 7:30 A.M. this morning. The dogs didn’t even stir.
Today Mom and I folded and put away clothes from the week’s laundry. Then I started cleaning my old office upstairs. I don’t know what we will turn it inot yet, but I am determined not to let it become the junk room again. Admittedly that is what it is now, but not for long!
March 7th– Today was part 2 of our sermon series Enter the Promise. Today’s topic was “entering the promise by building a mindset of honoring and obeying the Word of God.”
After service I met with the board for our 1st official interview conversation. We went from 12 noon to about 3 P.M. It was great conversation. The pathway is opening up before me and us I think.
March 8th- This was writing day and I wrote and wrote and wrote.
March 9th- I led staff meeting today. Our staff discipleship question today was….
What are the characteristics of a person who is coming to know Jesus?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
March 10th- This has been a busy week, meetings everyday…. but I am learning this new pace. This morning I had a meeting about our practical philosophy of prayer as a church with one of our prayer warriors. I know that we must give a place of honor to prayer in our community. Our corporate prayer life must deepen.
Going forward the lead pastor of Cornerstone will have three top priorities, whether that person is me or someone else the prioroities will be the same…
- Leading the vision and mission of the church
- Leading the prayer life of the congregation
- Overseeing the discipleship and equipping of the saints
This is our prayer/ discipleship meeting from tonight.
March 11th- Today lacked personal balance. I did not give myself enough transition time between events and I did not close my night with enough prayer. It left me feeling a little catywompus on the inside. It makes for bad dreams.
Lillie-Put 