Thursday, May 1
Posted by Pastor Pat at 4/24/2008 8:19 AM and is filed under uncategorized 
Read Luke 24:44-53
Forty days after Easter, Jesus ascended into heaven. After Jesus “opened their (the disciples) minds so they could understand the Scriptures”, what task did he give them? With what promise? How do you think they felt? Who are the disciples in your life who encourage your service to Christ?
Prayer for the week
O God of glory, your Son Jesus Christ suffered for us and ascended to your right hand. Unite us with Christ and each other, in suffering and in joy, that all your children may be drawn into your bountiful dwelling. Amen.
Reclaiming the "L" Word (Renewing the Church from its Lutheran Core) by Kelly Fryer
Read chapter 1 - "In Defense of Dogma"
Forty days after Easter, Jesus ascended into heaven. After Jesus “opened their (the disciples) minds so they could understand the Scriptures”, what task did he give them? With what promise? How do you think they felt? Who are the disciples in your life who encourage your service to Christ?
Prayer for the week
O God of glory, your Son Jesus Christ suffered for us and ascended to your right hand. Unite us with Christ and each other, in suffering and in joy, that all your children may be drawn into your bountiful dwelling. Amen.
Reclaiming the "L" Word (Renewing the Church from its Lutheran Core) by Kelly Fryer
Read chapter 1 - "In Defense of Dogma"
- Considering Fryer's definition of "dogma", what would you say a dogma of the Lutheran church would be? How about Briarwood - what is the most important thing you want to accomplish there as a staff member this summer?
- Read Nehemiah 1:1-4. He had a very important task to do - what did he do before he got started? Have you been praying for Briarwood?
- Look at some of the "Thinking it over" questions. Any comments?
- Please commit to memorizing a verse or brief passage of scripture every week. I recommend:
- Psalm 8
- Colossians 2:6
- Micah 6:8
- Ephesians 2:8-10
- Philippians 4:13
- Colossians 3:12-13
- What is your vision for the Church?
- What is the vision of Briarwood? What do you think it should be?
- In five words (in order of importance) describe yourself.
- How have you experienced change in your own life? What does this say about your openness to change?
- As you prepare for a summer at Briarwood, how do you see “camp” as a “new adventure” that God is calling you and campers to?
- In Genesis 12:2, Yahweh tells Abraham and Sarah, “You have been blessed so that you can be a blessing.” What does this mean to you? Does God speak these same words to you? And if so, how have you been blessed? How are you a blessing?
- Yogi Berra makes a bold statement: “You’ve got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going ‘cause you might not get there.” Where are you going? Who is involved in helping you get to your destination?
- In chapter 1 Kelly talks about THE WELCOME PLACE. Who is welcome in your church? Who isn’t?
My vision for Briarwood is a stable support-base, and a solid foundation on which faith in Jesus Christ can be shared.
I think the "dogma", or most basic foundation is Jesus loved us--and not just "us" or people like us--but ALL God's creatures--SO MUCH, that he went to the cross and died to save us from sin and the power of the devil. At camp, that means we encourage and love the unpopular kids, the ones who are so different from me (even my polar opposite!).
Reply to this
I love Colossians 3:12-13 (and extending it through verse 15)!! When I read Colossians last semester, this is what I wrote in the margins pertaining to these verses: “An epilogue to the fruits of the spirit. Forgiving others when they have hurt us is the hardest thing to do. Yet we must, to be emotionally and spiritually happy. And love goes hand in hand with that. You cannot be a loving person if you can’t forgive others. And the only way to truly have peace in our hearts if to hold no grudges against others. Being thankful to the Lord is the easiest thing to do: you can do it through song, dance, meditation, prayer, smiles, laughter, compassion, etc.”
1. vision for Church: tolerance
2. vision for Briarwood: share and teach about God’s love, mercy, and graciousness
3. me in a nutshell: tolerant, organized, hard worker, compassionate, faithful
4. changes in my life mostly pertain around college (obviously): new school, new people, new state, etc. and now with transferring to TLU next fall: more new school, more new people. I’m getting better at being open to changes, but they will always present a challenge for me.
5. Camp will be a new adventure because it won’t be the same as last year and I tend to cling to the happy memories of the past and that makes it hard to accept new stuff.
6. You have been blessed, bestowed with love and mercy, so that you can bring love and mercy into the lives of others around you. I’ve been blessed in having a loving family and awesome friends who genuinely love and care about me. I hope that I am blessing in that I can be a good role model of a loving and caring person.
7. I am moving toward love and tolerance. My religion professors, family, and friends are all road signs guiding me on my life journey.
8. Everyone is welcome at our church- we have quite the array of members.
Reply to this
I LOVE ALL THE BIBLT VERSES STATED ABOVE. But i will have to say that the book of Philippians has on of my favorite bible verses. when you say you can do all things that which Christ Strengthens you. that means if you wanted you could take on the world with the littlest army and still make a difference because Christ is on your side.
1)MY VISION FOR THE CHURCH: better communication through the youth and the elders.
2)MY VISION FOR BRAIRWOOD: I have only been there a couple of times and I can't say that i was ashamed at what went on. I thought it was amazing. but i do see change in camp in the years to come and know it will be for the better. i see briarwood as humble, warming, welcoming, kind, and many more things and know it will all be growing in the years to come.
3)I am faithful, strong-Willed,kind, outgoing, and organized.
4)i am very open to change i believe. when you are growing up just want to experince everything and anything because you dont want to feel left out. so i think i am open to chnge and know that i won't always be able to have it the same way that my parents had it but its always for the better.
5)As we journey through yet another year. we will grow in our in faith and people will learn to accept people for who they are and not something different. That is one of the many things i love about going to camps is you learn you are not all the same but you learn to accpet that and become life-long friends.
6)i believe that God speaks to everyone in that way. Because he did give up his only son to die for us, so we may have eternal life, and live with him.he shows his love daily through all of us, maybe its the little things like a baby crying, a hug, a smile , or the big things like family, church and many more. i believe God has spoke to all of in many ways and continues daily through multiple lengths.
7)i am moving toward stronger relationships and tolerance throughout those realtionships, and i am being helped by many people. like my parents, freinds, family, teachers, pastors, and even those people that i have never really associated with.
8)within my church we dont have a setpeson who can come in and worship but we also dont have all the cultures portrayed through our church but we do something for everyone who walks through that door of church. because we have all been taught to accept people for who they are and do not pass judgement upon others unless you are worthy to be judged and not going to get those stones casted upon you.
Reply to this