Today we celebrated 5 January staff Birthdays with a pizza lunch. Matthew (he turned 19 on Wednesday!) received his own veggie pie, though something possessed Doug to also try a slice.
I guess that’s what gives his hair its nice healthy shine…
Also celebrating this month are Nikki Jones, James and Adam Brewer (Adam volunteers helping Mike with the building a couple days each week), and Aaron Campbell.
The pastors and wives community group enjoyed a gingerbread house competition on Friday night. It was guys against girls with the winning team to receive a future lunch provided and prepared by the losing team (not much of a prize for the ladies, but those were the agreed upon terms…)
Can you guess which group decorated each house?
Somehow, the ladies’ Hawaiian luau themed house won over the judges more than the guys’ West Virginia shack. Perhaps the ladies pre-planned strategy and extra supplies had something to do with it (contrasted with the guys deciding what to make a couple minutes into the 35 minute competition time.)
Hopefully the ladies like hot dogs…
During the message this Sunday (download/listen here) I referenced the State Champion Baseball Team I was a part of in High School (Go Blue Jays!) Naturally, the question has arisen on the number of guys I mentioned primarily played (10 of the 25 members on the team) versus the standard nine that take the field.
As it turns out I was neither utterly ignorant of the rules and positions of the game nor engaging in sermonic hyperbole. The PIAA rules allowed for a Designated Hitter, which the team utilized for their pitcher’s place in the lineup.
Just in case you were wondering…
- Aaron
Upon first glance, you might think that Gene’s new preaching attire from this past Sunday is interesting. A red hat turned sideways and a tie? Interesting. A faithful KingsWay member took this picture during last Sunday’s message on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 (download/listen here). Gene skillfully used a hat (or “cap” as he would say) to show that different ways of wearing hats (up high, backwards, sideways, covering eyes) often can show what may be in a person’s heart and their intentions. We heard all throughout the message that “God’s design is for His Glory and our good” and that Biblical Womanhood and God’s design is something to celebrate not apologize for. This message is certainly worth a listen or a re-listen to better understand and apply God’s design of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Toward the end of the message, Gene asked a very helpful question which I would encourage you to consider in the coming days. “How can I best reflect, as a man or woman, who God has created me to be and celebrate manhood and womanhood?”
- Steve
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Had I more time in my message a couple weeks ago, I planned to illustrate the reality of the above verses on God’s choice of the foolish and weak in the world for His purposes by highlighting our pastoral staff.
Because really, with the exception of Matthew (full scholarships for pre-med studies at an ivy league school, multiple academic achievement awards, classically trained pianist, etc., etc.), Paul really is talking about us! We’ve got an ex-pharmacist, an ex-nurse, and a couple computer-ish/business guys. We’re not an impressive bunch — without a single Seminary or Bible Degree among us (including Matthew!).
But it’s a perfect illustration of God’s purposes to use the weak and the nothings so that the only boasting that can be done is boasting in the Lord. We are very aware during our weekly review, if a meeting went well and peoples’ lives were affected—it was because God showed up—we have nothing in and of ourselves to offer.
So if you are newer to KingsWay or you simply haven’t had the chance to get to know us well enough yet, please be aware that we are not impressed with ourselves. In fact, we count it a victory every time we don’t do something to totally screw things up!
We’re as amazed as anyone that He has privileged us with the roles that He has, but at the end of the day we are convinced He has put us—the weak and foolish of this world—into these positions so that it is evident to all He is at work so that He receives all the glory.
And that’s just fine with us, because we love being able to be along for the ride!
- Aaron
This afternoon at the office, we had some fun with darts. Gene apparently thought he was a skilled dart thrower so we put him to the test.
But this was the result. Please don’t try this at home. This didn’t turn out to be a great idea.
In case you are wondering, I’m (Steve) OK now. Really.
We eventually figured out how to prop the dart board up and had our dart throwing contest to determine the winner of the $100 Gift Certificate for dinner at the “When Sinners Say I Do” Marriage Conference. A winner was selected with a couple throws of the darts. And the winner is……….. Watt and Lara Russell. Congrats Watt and Lara!!
- Steve
