Pastor's Blog

“How do we get more young people to come to church?” Almost every congregation asks this question! Churches all over the US are looking for ways to connect with young people as we watch weekly worship numbers decline, giving sliding downward, and the average age of most congregations going up. Every church is trying to find that magic bullet that will bring in more young people to combat against these rising concerns.

I know there are some who would wrinkle their nose at using a preposition at the end of a sentence. I, for one, love this American phrasing. It says all I want and doesn't bring any other baggage. ‘Where you at’ asks where you are; I want to know because I care about you. There are other ways of expressing the same sentiment, but when I hear this version, I know immediately: I am dealing with an American.

This is the word of the year for Christ Lutheran. Hineni. It is Hebrew for, “Here I am” and the theme for our current sermon series. It doesn’t mean being counted as present in class, “Here I am!” It doesn’t mean being found by rescuers, “Here I am!” It means hearing the call of God, stripping away all fears and doubts, stepping forth in confidence and being ready for action, “Here I am.”

Luke 2:8-15I was making cookies with my daughter the other day. We make a whole bunch of “drop” cookies. No baking, just mix the ingredients together and “drop” the resulting paste onto wax paper. In a couple hours we can eat to our heart’s content. We’ve picked up some of these recipes over the years and I didn’t realize it until we were almost done but, for me, that’s the official start of the Christmas season. Making Christmas cookies means Christmas is really, finally, here.

Can you find the Christmas Spirit this year? I can tell you where!

Matthew 6 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Recently, there was an article in the Charlotte Observer about a young man who had been abusing children over the course of five years through his volunteering with their soccer league. To make matters worse, the newspaper listed all the area churches where this abuser had volunteered at their children and youth programs.

It’s happening, folks. Yesterday marks the day I saw my first Christmas Tree being driven home. Strapped to the top of a Nissan Altima, you just know this car is pulling into a house fully decked out with 5-foot-tallcandy canes plunged throughout the yard, faux icicles dangling from the gutters, tinsel strewn around the banisters, and mistletoe over every doorway.

I am so excited for you to meet Kenny Champagne this Sunday, November 20, at all the services at Christ Providence. With over fourteen years of working with youth and their families, Kenny will be taking on the position of Director of Family Ministries for Christ Lutheran.

There are more churches in Charlotte than there are foster children in the system in Mecklenburg County. Come learn how we can make a difference and band together as THE CHURCH to make an immeasurable difference in the lives of vulnerable children.

Matt 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?

Cue the theme from Mission Impossible. A new AOL Instant Messenger window pops up on my desktop. It’s an upperclassman and new friend of mine asking if I, a freshman at Valparaiso University, am busy. It’s Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 11:00 PM (“Do you know where your children are?”).

Retirement. It’s a strange new world, most of us only experience once. We can’t practice it or experience it until it arrives (kind of like having a first baby). We wait…and wait…and wait and start preparing and then suddenly things start changing... really fast! Little things you may not think about until it hits you in the face; like removing all the ongoing staff meetings on your calendar that were there in perpetuity for 22 years, and you are deleting the entire series or figuring out how to word an email away message that says you’re never coming back! I guess Teams will disappear when my email is disconnected. It was my lifeline to my colleagues during Covid and working from home… I’ll miss it.

I am pleased to announce that we have extended an offer to fill the position of Director of Family Ministries with an excellent candidate, Kenny Champagne. He will start on November 20.

I find, when I’m talking to people about the Bible, that sometimes they have the opinion that the Bible is a book of rules. That God wants us to do XYZ and is looking to see if we follow.