Read the Book

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." —Theodore Roosevelt

Confirmation Morphs Into Head to Heart

Luther's Small Catechism

Head 2 Heart

The challenge we are seeking meet for the young people of our congregation with Head to Heart is to make a clear distinction from what has historically been called Confirmation Class, what has been used in the past, to a system and a process that will meet the needs and the challenges present for our youth in our culture today. The society and culture in which our children are living today has much different values than the culture of our parents and grand-parents. H2H is “not” class, it is “not” school, it is a ongoing, long-term ministry which helps prepare and teach children about their Savior, but so much more. What we really want and need is to create stronger, more vibrant, tenacious, and steadfast bonds between our youth and their Savior. The struggle we have is in articulating and communicating the process, and the system, and the purpose, and the unique method, and reasons for doing what we are doing to the parents and members of our congregation. Head to Heart is a ministry that is built to bring our youth together, bond them to one another in love for Christ, and cement them into the body of Christ so that they will develop a much closer relationship to their Lord and to His family. Our parents and members need to understand our goals and the path we are taking to insure these stronger relationships. Our knowledge of facts, how they are connected, the languages, and the culture of the Bible, and the truths of who we are and how we are connected to those truths, is vitally important and provides a necessary foundation for building our life in Christ. However, we must never think knowing and information is enough.  Sadly, some have the notion that information, knowing something is all they need. Too often we fail to make the connection between information and behavior, information and the connection we need to our Savior and He people. We fail to see the real need of our soul is to have a "RELATIONSHIP"  to our Savior and the community of believers. We fail to recognize what the family, the community of faith does for us and our children. We think we can live separated from God's Word and His Supper for great parts of our lives without any damaging effects on our "faith in Christ."  It would be like a smoker, thinking that knowing the facts of what this practice does to their body, is enough to protect them from the damage smoking does in their lives. In some ways we fail to meet the real human needs of people for a the deeper connection to God and His people and their absolute need to remain, REMAIN connected to Him.  We do not want Confirmation to equal Graduation.  We would like to see the confirmands honestly live what they believe and remain faithful not because mom and dad “make” them, but because they recognize their own needs, and they are invest in serving and caring for one another, and are motivated from a godly heart to boldly live lives that reflect that understanding, and that deep and abiding commitment.  When truths of God’s Word have migrated from their heads where the know them to be true and significant for their lives here, today and tomorrow, to their hearts where they believe them strongly enough so they motivate them to use to their hands, minds, vocations, marriages and very beings to live their faith in Christ, daily and serve Christ and their neighbor until God takes them home, then we will know God's Word has impacted their lives for eternity.  These are the goals we are working for in Head to Heart.

This is what you will see when you log into our updated and improved website.  Keeping people informed and welcoming new members are two of the things a website can do.  Those of you who use the World Wide Web to locate information, to share news and pictures with others or even to watch movies, learn new things and converse with people on the other side of the globe, if you would comment on what we might consider adding to our web page and web presents please let me know.  I would love to hear from you.
Blessings & Peace,
Pastor John

Using Bible 101

When I come across good information and interesting resources that would help people know and understand the Word of God better, I like to share this information.  It seems to me that God has given us an opportunity to open His Word up to more and more people to help them understand God's mission and purpose. The Apostle Paul and the other Disciples could write letters and share those letters, but we have the internet.  How can we use this to increase our understanding of God's gracious gift of salvation?  How can we use it to connect with our young people and teach God's Word to them so they will have it on their hearts for life? Can the internet help us be more effective?  I've created a Screen Cast to tell and show you a little bit about BIBLE 101.  You can see it here:  Please let me know what you think? Send me an e-mail or tell me after worship, or give me a call.