Be the Church in the Everyday

I love interacting with a new Christian.

You know, the ones that are just pumped up and on fire for God? The ones that you walk away from and can’t help but be just as excited as they are about God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus. 

Those are my favorite people to talk to.

The full-on, sold-out for Jesus excitement is so contagious and they don’t even realize that they are sharing the Gospel! How amazing would it be if we could all share that kind of enthusiasm when sharing our faith with others? 

Now, I realize that there are many ways to live on mission and you don’t need to be loud to accomplish sharing the Gospel. I also think sharing your faith through the ordinary is just as powerful. 

Years ago, I participated in a Bible study with a wonderful group of women. It was a multi-generational group, but most of us were raising young children at that time. I will never forget a discussion we had about mission-focused motherhood and how doing the most mundane tasks were really a way to teach our children about Jesus.

Yes, washing the dishes or folding yet another load of laundry can show your children what it looks like to serve others with love. One of the moms also made it a point to pray for her family while she folded their clothes. What a sweet way to change a chore into a blessing!

Regardless of how I share my faith, it is an assignment that I need to take to heart—to share the reason for the hope I have.

I, like all of us, have been placed by God in certain places and with certain people for Kingdom work and it is critical that we not waste the opportunities before us. My prayer is that God will open my eyes to how I can share my faith in each of these situations.

This past week, I have heard of multiple ways that people are leaving the church building on Sunday and “being the Church” during the week. None of these ideas are complicated, but they inspire me. I wanted to share some of them:

• Text someone in your contacts and ask how you can pray for them

• Take a friend on a walk and listen to them

• Linger in your driveway and get to know your neighbor

• Make a meal and take it to someone—regardless of whether they need it or not

• Send a note of encouragement to someone who is struggling

I truly hope that this small list is an encouragement to reflect on the unique sphere of influence each of us have been placed in and make a step to be the Church in our every day.

See you this Sunday!

Casey Teater

Let's Be Real

My junior year of college was off to a great start. I had a schedule of classes I was excited about with professors I really enjoyed. I had the opportunity to serve the guys in my dorm as a member of the student life team alongside a group of friends who were quickly becoming “my people.”

Then, one day my dad called and said, “The books you ordered for class were shipped here to the house instead of to campus.” Whoops. “I’ll drive up this evening and bring them to you.” Oh wow! I wasn’t expecting that.

But then when my dad got to my dorm, I realized bringing the books wasn’t the only reason he came. That evening, sitting next to me on the bed in my dorm room, my dad told me that my granddad (my mom’s dad) had died earlier that day.

My heart dropped and a wave of memories filled my thoughts as I quietly mourned the loss of my beloved Granddad.

All of a sudden, I wasn’t worried about the books or how I was going to get my assignments done. Instead, I started writing an email to my professors and packing a bag. Only telling my professors and my boss, I quietly slipped off campus and spent a couple days with family.

Upon returning to campus I was confronted by one of my teammates (who, to this day, I consider to be like a brother):

“Don’t you ever do that again. We are a team. We love you. But how are we supposed to support you if we don’t know what’s going on in your life?”

Whoa.

It was difficult for me to talk about the pain of the loss, so it felt easier to keep it to myself. But Sened helped me see that I was robbing my friends of the opportunity to help me bear that burden.

I can pinpoint that moment as a turning point in my life, when I began to understand the value of pursuing authentic community.

Fast forward to this past Sunday when I, along with many of you, listened to Pastor Kyle teach on this very value in our church.

Pursuing authentic community is telling the people around you when you are going through something hard so they can sit with you in the pain and pray for you.

Pursuing authentic community is being real and open when someone asks, “How are you doing?”

Pursuing authentic community is celebrating the ways God is blessing those around you.

Pursuing authentic community is sacrificing and giving of your own home/time/money/stuff to make sure people know they are important to you.

Pursuing authentic community is embracing humility and asking for help.

Pursuing authentic community is (kindly and gently-yet-firmly) not taking ‘no’ for an answer when you offer to help someone in need.

Pursuing authentic community is eating and laughing together.

Pursuing authentic community takes as many forms as life does, because that’s what pursuing authentic community is all about: gladly sharing your life with others, no matter what life looks like.

Thanks to my gracious-yet-stern friend, I learned the benefit that comes from being real with the people around you. By opening up my life to others, I found a band of brothers with whom to walk through life’s highs and lows.

And now, thanks to my my-life-is-an-open-book wife, I am growing in my desire and ability to be open and real with others. And we are so thankful for the way God has blessed us with authentic community here at Grace.

We have had friends cry with us through the pain of a miscarriage and celebrate with us the birth of two healthy babies. And, in God’s wisdom and by his grace, we have been able to be on the other side—being the shoulders to cry on and the ones to bring ice cream to celebrate.

I’m not saying I have done it all right, or even that I’m good at being real with people. But, what I hope you hear me saying is that I have seen firsthand the blessing that comes from pursuing authentic community. And that is why I believe it is such an important value for our church.

So, Grace, let’s be real with one another. Share your life with others, even when it’s hard. And let’s watch God work as he builds belonging within our church family.

I love you, Grace!

Nathan Ehresman

Theology Before Feeling

This past Sunday, Pastor Jack talked about our first and foremost core value as a church: Upholding Biblical Integrity.

This value flavors all of our ministries, including our worship ministry. One of the ways it flavors our worship ministry is through a value that we state this way: theology before feeling.

I have seen two extremes in worship.

I’ve witnessed worship that had very little content lyrically, but the music was full of slow and steady crescendos and decrescendos that got people excited and emotional. After 15 minutes of worship we had sung a total of 4 sentences and people’s emotions were off the charts!

I’ve also witnessed worship where people were so keenly aware of possibly having their emotions manipulated by music that they resisted any inkling of emotion while they were singing! 

I’ve heard people say, “I love the way worship makes me feel.” Conversely, I served at a church for some time where we loved God with all our minds really well, but we weren’t so great at loving God with our heart, soul, and strength.

Our value of Theology Before Feeling means we don’t choose songs just because of a feeling. We scrutinize our song repertoire with diligence. We make sure that we are worshipping in Spirit and Truth as John 4:23-24 says.

We make sure our songs uphold Biblical integrity.

There are some new songs we don’t sing because they are simply too vague, there are lyrics we have changed because they were misleading, and there are some verses of old hymns we have taken out because they are not true. Many of our newer songs are also very rich in theology or taken directly out of Scripture.

Thank you to the many of you who have taken notice of our commitment to singing truth and expressed your appreciation for it!

We also recognize that truth set to beautiful music can deeply affect our emotions.

You’ve probably all witnessed me struggle to sing or pray because I’m so overwhelmed by the truth of the gospel. Our feelings are not evil; they can deceive us, but when worship through song moves us because of truth, let’s allow the affections of our hearts to be stirred!

It’s not theology as opposed to feeling, it’s theology before feeling.

This coming Sunday we’ll be diving into our second core value: Pursuing Authentic Community. Whether in person or virtually, I look forward to being with you!

- Pastor Kyle

[Editor’s note] PS: We will be celebrating communion together as we study pursuing authentic community this Sunday. So, if you are planning to join us from home, make sure to have some bread and juice handy when you sit down to watch the service!

Perfection. Comfort. Ease. Cheese!

Perfection. Comfort. Ease. Cheese!

I bet you're wondering where I'm going with this, ha! Bear with me a bit here.

Over the past year or so, the church staff & elders have been praying over, revising, and re-articulating our church values (you will be hearing a lot more about them in the coming weeks). Our values are what color everything we do, setting our intention and direction.

All that talk of values led me contemplate, "What are my values?"

If values are the things that are important to me—the characteristics and behaviors that motivate me and guide my decisions—then what would my personal values be, exactly?

I've never put them down on paper and hung them on my wall. But if I did, what would it look like?

When I first began rolling this around in my mind and heart, things like Jesus, God's will, family, excellence, simplicity, and a few more were first to come. It would have been easy to leave it there and pat myself on the back for valuing the right things.

But the Holy Spirit prodded me to dig deeper.

The question became, "Does my life actually reflect what I think or say I value? What do my choices and actions reveal about what I value?"

These questions were a little more uncomfortable to answer.

Yes, in some ways I could see that those good values were truly driving many of my decisions, behaviors, and responses. But more reflection led me to see that I also really value some not so good things. Enter those words from above: perfection, comfort, ease, cheese. Yes, cheese!

Though I may not have intentionally chosen these values or made some pretty word art with them and framed them on my wall, God showed me how these things are more important to me than I'd like to admit. 

I've struggled with perfectionism since I was very young. My pursuit (or resistance) of perfection can take up a lot of time and emotional energy, as well affect my relationships negatively.

How I spend my time and approach daily responsibilities frequently reflects a desire for comfort and ease, trying to avoid difficulty or situations that feel uncomfortable.

And cheese… I turn to food (especially cheese in its many delicious forms) far too often for "self-care". Food can occupy way too much of my thinking space!

This wouldn't be the first time God has pointed out these weeds in the garden. It was hard to admit to myself (and now to you) that these things are still influencing my life. But it's a welcome opportunity to recalibrate my heart to what God values.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

My daily prayer must continue to be "more Him, less me" so that I can "lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and . . . run with endurance the race that is set before [me]." (Hebrew 12:1) 

When was the last time you thought about your personal values? Do you have them written down? What do your actions and decisions say you value? Are they the same?

Join us over the next few Sundays as we explore Grace's values. We're also really excited for fall ministry to be starting back up after a long break! So join us this Sunday morning for the start of Sunday School (kids through adults). See you then!

Juli Dirks
Executive Director of Ministries

A Half-Mowed Lawn and Jesus' Steadfast Presence

Samuel walked up to me while we were mowing and trimming the yard (he mows, I trim) and tells me that the lawnmower was broken.

“Mmhmm…”

Of course, I just thought that he was missing some step and casually walked over to the mower and turned it on. I have an EGO electric mower, which I love. You pull the lever, press the button, and you’ve got the quietest mower in the world, and it cuts the grass just fine. 

But not this time. 

This time it shook like a spring door stop, turned off, and then the red LED on the display began to blink. Now, my friends wouldn’t exactly call me a “mechanic,” but I was pretty sure that something was wrong. Red never seems too good. 

I turned it over and checked the blade. It apparently was pulling up grass from the roots. “Maybe it wasn’t sharp enough?” I had no clue what was wrong, so I dragged it into the garage and took the blade off to examine it.

I’m also not a “blade-ologist,” so I did what anybody my age would do: I googled it. 

There wasn’t a replacement blade within a 40-minute drive, and only half of my yard was cut. HALF. It was also after dinner time. We all know you should look at the glass half full, not half empty, but I doubt my neighbors would keep that perspective if I left my yard half-complete. 

I started thinking of alternative solutions, and I really didn’t want to borrow a neighbor’s mower if I didn’t have to. Then it occurred to me, I have a Power+ String Trimmer (weed eater)! It’s not really meant to cut a yard, but it could be a temporary resolve until I get a new blade in.

So I spent the next few moments trimming my yard down as evenly as possible (emphasis on “as possible”). It reminded me of the first time my mom let my aunt cut my hair as a kid. My hair was technically shorter, but I wouldn’t exactly call it a “win.”

Nevertheless, the front yard was cut and I bought myself a week to figure it out.

This year has brought a lot of new challenges for me. I’m having to pivot quickly and try new ways of doing things. Some are different but just as easy, and others have left me waiting for a more permanent solution.

The good news is, Jesus’ presence and promises haven’t changed. My faith in Him isn’t based on a predictable and comfortable life. 

I like the way Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put it, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

I haven’t seen the staircase in about 7 months, but Jesus hasn’t left.

See you guys this Sunday as we look at Jesus’ second sign in John’s Gospel.

Will He get upset and leave them? Can He still work among a people who need to see before they believe? You’ll have to come and hear the story to find out!

I love you, Grace. 
— Pastor Jack

Operation: Children's Ministry

This is our mission should we choose to accept it: reach the next generations. 

“He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers to teach their children,
that the next generation might know them,
the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments” –Psalm 78:5-7

We are blessed to have a large children’s ministry here at Grace. It is such a joy to walk the halls and hear the character of God being taught to our kids, hear our kids worshiping through music, and see babies being held and prayed over.

This mission to pass on our faith is a critical one. Now more than ever, we need to equip our children with a solid foundation of Truth. The world will bear down on them harder than the generations before. 

It takes many dedicated volunteers to teach our children here at Grace. Many of them pour hours of praying, planning, and preparing into accomplishing this mission. They are one of the most important pieces of children’s ministry; without them we couldn’t reach as many children as we do!

Church, if you have children or grandchildren that attend Awana, the nursery, or Sunday School, would you stop in and let their teachers and leaders know that you appreciate them? I know that this will bless each of them.

Will you also join us in praying for the upcoming year?

While this year looks different, we won’t stop working to accomplish our mission regardless of what the world throws at us. I am looking forward to seeing what mighty works God will do through our church this year.

Important information for children’s ministry this fall: 

Sunday school begins September 13 during the 9:00am service only. Nursery will be available during both the 9:00 and 10:45am services.

Awana begins September 9. (Parents, please plan to join us for an awards ceremony at the beginning of the evening.)

See you this Sunday!

Casey Teater

Holding Up One Another('s Arms)

When I was working on finishing our basement, I remember holding a piece of drywall in place while my cousin attached it to the ceiling with his drill.

Oh, how I wanted him to work quickly and get the drywall secured. My arms got tired SO quickly!

It would have been great to have another person helping hold up the drywall… or even holding up my arms! 

Where am I going with this? Hang in there, you’ll see.

One of our Community Life Group Leaders reminded me this past week of a beautiful story in the Old Testament about supporting each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

In Exodus 17, we see the nation of Israel after being freed from slavery in Egypt. While in the desert, Amalek comes to fight with Israel. During the battle, Moses stands at the top of a hill and stretches his hands toward the heavens. While Moses holds up his hands the Israelites prevail over Amalek, but when Moses lowers his hands Amalek prevails over Israel.

As you can imagine, Moses gets tired of holding his hands up. Aaron and Hur enter the scene as heroes to help Moses keep his hands up. Aaron helps support one arm, and Hur helps support the other arm. In this way, Israel gains victory over Amalek. 

Our Community Life Groups are a bit like this.

We help one another out in our spiritual battles. We support one another when we are weak and come to each other’s aide. We were not meant to carry our burdens on our own.

Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ”. 

Many of you who are in Community Life Groups are experiencing this! Some of you still need to connect with a group, or some other form of fellowship to experience this joy of caring for one another and encouraging one another!

This Sunday, after the 10:45am worship service, we are having Grouplink, which is the best way to connect with a Community Life Group. (We’ll feed you and take care of your kids. All you have to do is show up!)

We also have a virtual option! If you are interested in joining a group but unable or uncomfortable attending in-person, go ahead and sign up and we will be in touch about the virtual option.

We’ll share a little bit about why we do Community Life Groups and you’ll get a chance to meet the leaders of groups who are looking to add people or start a new group!

What better way is there to love people than to connect with others through a Community Life Group?

I love you church, and I’ll see you Sunday!
-Pastor Kyle

Rock Climbing and John the Baptizer

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that made you wonder, ‘What crazy sequence of events got me here?’

That was me this last Saturday afternoon, 30 feet off the ground on an indoor rock climbing wall.

For this risk-averse, heights-fearing, not-particularly-adventurous ground-dweller, being that high in the air is not a… comfortable place to find myself.

At the bottom of the wall, as I was clipping my harness into the belay system, there was enough excitement and adrenaline to overcome the fear and propel me 30 feet up the wall. But, at that point, the adrenaline ran out and I started to question the decisions that led me here.

Once I thought about it, the answer was easy, though: I was doing it for my brother.

I have the joy and honor of being the best man in my brother’s wedding, now just over three weeks away. Fulfilling one piece of my best man duties, I planned a day of Brent-themed fun for last Saturday.

Had it been my day, we probably would have done something much closer to the ground. But my brother is adventurous and competitive, so he had an absolute blast climbing around that gym for four hours. And, because it was our day to celebrate him, it was my joy to watch him have fun. (I have to admit, I had a blast too after I got used to the feeling of the harness and rope catching me.)

Thoroughly exhausted, we left the climbing place, cleaned up, fired up the grill, and enjoyed conversation over some rather large steaks. The groomsmen went around the table sharing first impressions of Brent and stories of how he has encouraged and helped us—and even helped lead one of us to faith in Jesus!

As the stories kept rolling, I think I was beaming with a bigger smile even than my brother was.

Why?

Because it was so encouraging for me to hear the many ways that God has used my brother to edify the people around him.

Fast-forward to the next morning, Pastor Jack is preaching through John 3:22–36 and he lands on verse 29:

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.

I thought, ‘That’s it! That’s what I was feeling last night.’

In this story, some of John the baptizer’s disciples came to him and said, ‘Hey, John! Remember that Jesus guy you baptized? Some of your disciples are leaving to follow him!’

John could have been upset that his followers were leaving. He could have gone to fight for his disciples to stay with him. But, instead, John knew what was going on: he knew that Jesus was the true bridegroom and, thus, the people—the bride—rightfully belonged to him. And, because John had that proper understanding of his role, it was his joy to see people following Jesus.

I could have sat there and listened to those stories about my brother and thought, ‘man, I wish I had that kind of impact on people!’ Or ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah… another story about how great Brent is.’ But that’s not my place. He is the groom. I am that friend of the bridegroom, rejoicing at his voice.

Now, I can take that attitude and apply it to joining Jesus’ mission.

When I see people coming to saving faith in Jesus, what will my response be?

Will I grumble and be upset because I wasn’t the one who helped them get there? Or, like John, will I have a joyful perspective and rejoice that, no matter how they got there, the lost are being found in Christ?

No matter what shape my ministry takes, no matter what role I play in Jesus’ mission, it is not me who deserves the glory. Jesus is the true bridegroom, and the bride—his people, the Church—belong to him. And it’s that perspective that will allow me to sit back and smile.

I love you, Church!
-Nathan Ehresman

Student Ministry Update

Happy Thursday, Grace!

Summer often feels like a time of transition, with many families moving from one school year to another—a pattern that is largely followed by our own rhythm of ministry.

This particular summer has brought with it additional transition for our church family as we move forward without two long-serving members of our team.

We know that with transition comes many questions. So, we wanted to share the below update on plans for our student ministry. These are words directly from Paul Brandes, our Student Ministry Consultant:

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Hello all!

My name is Paul Brandes. I currently serve as the Chaplain at Sterling College, and this summer I’m pitching in at Grace as Student Ministry Consultant. I have a background in student ministry, having served in a variety of churches and roles related to middle- and high school students. I love students, and I’m thrilled to have a chance to help the Grace Student Ministry reach its full potential. 

I have three aims for my work:

1. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Grace Student Ministry

2. Recommend programming direction for the upcoming school year

3. Help launch the search process for Grace’s next Student Pastor

All three of these areas of focus are underway to some degree, though there is much still to be done!

In the meantime, two questions that I am sure are on your mind:

1. When will the student ministry program launch for the fall semester?

2. Who will serve as the point person for the ministry while the pastoral search is ongoing?

Both are fantastic wonderings. The current plan for the fall Igniter program launch is Sunday, September 13, after Labor Day. We believe this launch date is most prudent based on the transitional nature of the ministry, as well as COVID-19 complexities. Regarding the Wednesday night Refuel program, conversations are ongoing with Awana leadership and volunteers. Be on the lookout for more information on that coming soon.

We know how vital it is to secure the right point person to lead the Grace Student Ministry during this transitional period. I have recommended searching for a school-year Student Ministry Intern that can serve in that role September 2020 – May 2021, and we are proceeding that direction under the authority of the Elders. We're excited about this option for several reasons. One, it gives Grace a chance to develop a young leader who is beginning their journey in vocational ministry. Two, it provides a longer runway for the pastoral search, taking off the pressure to have to rush through that process. We have some interested candidates already; please pray that the Lord provides the right person for this next chapter.

This is a key moment of change for the Grace Student Ministry. And while change can be challenging, the Lord often uses it as a catalyst for His purposes. I deeply believe that the best days of Grace Student Ministry are ahead, and I’m thrilled to see how the Lord brings it all together!

All the best,

Paul Brandes
Student Ministry Consultant

Broken Radio Prayers

About 3 months ago, the radio in my car started having issues. Sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn’t.

Mary literally hit the dashboard one time and got it to work!

Well, it got worse, and I haven’t actually been able to listen to it for about 2 months now. 

How can the worship pastor survive without his radio, you ask? Doesn’t he listen to worship music non-stop?

Yes, I do enjoy music. But I also enjoy listening to people like Ravi Zacharias and Alistair Begg on Bott radio. And yes, I pretty much never shut off the radio in the car.

But not being able to listen to the radio or a CD has actually been a really good thing! God stirred in my spirit to use this new time in the car to pray.

I find myself praying for specific people in our local church as I’m on my way to and from work. I find myself praying for open doors to share my faith or to point people to Jesus on my way to Dillon’s or Walmart. I find myself praying for wisdom and the Holy Spirit to speak through me when I’m on my way to meet with someone for lunch or coffee.

I’ve seen God really work through the time of prayer in my car and have been overwhelmed by how God has responded a few of those times.

On my way out to the men’s cookout I prayed that God would give me opportunities to minister to and pray for people. I prayed for divine appointment. Well, God certainly answered that prayer—there were 3 specific divine appointments that I was so thankful to be part of!

So, I want to invite you to join me.

I want to challenge you to shut off your radio and pray when you are driving. Yes, I’m a little jealous that your radio works and mine doesn’t, so it’s easy for me to tell you to turn it off and pray… but I believe you’ll see God work in powerful ways. Try it a few times, and just watch and be ready for what He does!

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Here’s my RightNow Media pick. We’ve watched a few of these episodes about archeology and found it quite interesting! There’s even some good humor to help keep everyone engaged. 

I’m looking forward to being with you on Sunday—whether online, in the Worship Center, or in the Fireside Room! I’m seeing great things happening and I’m believing God has more in store!

I love you, Church!

- Pastor Kyle

Sundays Are My Favorite Days

Sundays are my favorite days.

The joy of gathering together as a church family to be motivated, united, encouraged, and equipped is enough to seriously energize this introvert.

But you know what is even better than a Sunday?

Baptism Sunday.

That is because anytime one person gets baptized there is a party in the Throne Room, celebrating the public proclamation of a life transformed by Jesus. And that's why we throw a party here on earth when a member of our family chooses to be baptized.

This past Sunday we celebrated five such transformed lives—five members of our church family who publicly identified with the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

It was a glorious day, and I wanted to share some highlights with you.

Watch this video, and rejoice with me!

I love you, church!

-Nathan Ehresman

Weird But Fruitful

I’ll have to say it has been one of the weirdest summers for me, yet it has also been fruitful.

Weird but fruitful. As I’ve thought about it, that could easily be a way to describe youth ministry! 

But before I get lost in talking about the weirdness and fruitfulness of youth ministry let me say a bit more about the summer. It has been a summer filled with sweet and bittersweet memories.

We have spent the summer learning about the Holy Spirit with the Igniter students.

Last night, as we wrapped up our final night on the Holy Spirit, we did a spiritual gift inventory. A sweet and meaningful moment happened when each student and leader was invited to write down their top spiritual gift. It was amazing to see how the Holy Spirit has gifted the youth group. They were challenged to talk to their parents, leaders, and friends about how to use them, to see what areas they might be able to serve within Igniter, in our church, their schools, and the community.

I was reminded just how amazing it is that God uniquely gifted each one of us so that we could belong to one another and serve and strengthen one another.

Over the years there have been so many sweet and meaningful moments as we’ve seen God move in and through the lives of students. 

The bittersweet part is knowing that a transition is upon us.

I’m resonating with Paul’s words, “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers” (Philemon 1:4). Over and over I’ve been reminded that God is with us all, walking and guiding us through this transition. 

As I write my last staff journal to you, I just want to say thank you!

I have enjoyed all the weirdness yet fruitfulness in youth ministry here at Grace. God has been so good.

Thank you to those who entrusted your students to me and the other adult leaders, thank you to the many faithful coaches who sought to faithfully walk with students through the teenage years, thank you for loving our family, and thank you for praying for us.

There are a lot of memories that happen in 10 years, ones that we will carry with us our whole lives.

In His grace,
Pastor Loren

"Goodbye..."

“Goodbye…”

I’m glad we have the word, but, like most of us, I don’t relish using it. Since “goodbye” carries with it the emotional weight of separation, saying it takes some grace and faith. 

Last Saturday, Bobbie and I said our goodbyes to her father, Al Platt, who slipped peacefully into the presence of Jesus from his bed at Presbyterian Manor in the quiet early morning hours of Independence Day. We’re comforted by the assurance of Scripture “that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (Phil 1:23).

I love that my father-in-law is experiencing true freedom, that all of his burdens have been lifted and that the challenges of end-of-life frailty are over. I’m so thankful that we could be with him when he died and grateful for his legacy of faith and service to the Kingdom. 

Because of Jesus, that goodbye was a hope-filled one.

So is the goodbye I need to say to all of you. 

With the clock ticking on my last days here at Grace, I wish I could bid my farewell to each of you face-to-face but, since that’s not possible, I’m just going to blurt it out right here in this my last Staff Journal entry to you—my precious Grace family! 

If you’re a classic musical movie fan, I’m sure you can picture the scene and hear the notes from that final and poignant, pre-escape song from “Sound of Music” that begins,

“There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall and the bells in the steeple too,
and up in the nursery an absurd little bird is popping out to say ‘Cuckoo…!’
Regretfully they tell us…but firmly they compel us…to say goodbye to you.”

“So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night;
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight.
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu, adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu…”

Hmm… so it’s the clock’s fault that Bobbie and I are having to say goodbye to all of you, our friends and family at Grace, and we’re planning to escape to Switzerland?!

Yes, but no… not exactly!

I did hear an internal clock ticking in some way as the Lord told me it’s time to shift gears. But more than that, just as the song in the movie is part of a larger drama, so my “goodbye” is a small piece in an overarching picture of what God is doing at Grace and in our lives. And I can’t thank him enough for the privilege of sharing this journey with you all for the last nearly twenty-three years! 

Though it’s not easy to say, I like the origins of “goodbye.”

The expression evidently morphed from “God-be-with-you,” which is a great way to let go, and which expresses the sentiments of my heart and my hope.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

I add my “amen” as I say my “goodbye.”

And, I look forward to seeing you on July 19, my last Sunday at Grace as I share my last sermon at Grace as one of your pastors!

Blessings!

Steve

Truth On Our Lips and In Our Hearts

Our very curious and energetic 2-year-old categorizes songs by why who he hears sing it most often and then, when he hears a song he recognizes, he calls it out: 

“Dada song!”

“Mama song!”

“Kyle song!” (During our stay-at-home time, Pastor Kyle became a bit of a celebrity at our house because of how much Caleb enjoyed watch the worship through song portion of our services.)

I’m often impressed by how fast—sometimes before the singing even starts—he recognizes a song. And then that realization drives home the power of music to stick in our hearts and minds.

Here at Grace, a driving principle of our worship ministry is to get truth onto our lips and into our hearts. And, as I have seen in my own home, this can start with the littlest members of our church family… even when they are barely conscious. 

You see, the four songs that Caleb most often calls “Dada songs” are the four songs that I routinely use to sing my kids to sleep:

• How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

• Before the Throne of God Above

• Build Your Kingdom Here

• All Glory Be to Christ

Initially, this was my four-song rotation because they happened to be the four songs I had memorized. But, as I sang them over and over (and over and over and over), I came to recognize that they do a good job of summarizing the truth that I want my kids to store up in their hearts.

How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That he should give his only son
To make a wretch his treasure

Out of the abundance of his love for us—for me, for you—God gave Jesus in order to redeem and reconcile us back to himself.

Before the Throne of God Above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me

But it wasn’t just a one-time thing in the past; the glorified, risen Jesus is consistently pleading my case before the Father. 

Build Your Kingdom Here

To see the captive hearts released
The hurt, the sick, the poor at peace
We lay down our lives for heaven’s cause
We are Your church
We pray revive this earth

Because God, in his love, has redeemed and is reconciling us, we—the church—now have a mission: to take the hope of God’s loving kingdom to the broken world around us. 

All Glory Be To Christ

All glory be to Christ our king
All glory be to Christ
His rule and reign we’ll ever sing
All glory be to Christ

In it all—redemption, reconciliation, kingdom growth—nothing is by my power and I am not worthy of any glory; all the glory belongs to Christ.

If, by singing those four songs, that fourfold truth takes deep root in my kids’ hearts… praise God! Even if the words “how deep the Father’s love for us” instantly make them drowsy and “all glory be to Christ” opens the door to dreamland, the roots are taking hold. And that is why we sing truth at our church and in our home.

What songs are on repeat in your house? What truths are you hiding in your heart as you sing?

(If you are looking for a place to start, you can find a playlist of our Sunday morning worship repertoire on Spotify or YouTube.)

I love you, church!

-Nathan Ehresman

Introducing Paul Brandes

We are excited to introduce Paul Brandes as our new (temporary) youth ministry consultant! By serving in this role, Paul will be a vital piece in keeping the Igniter Student Ministry rolling—and moving forward—in the time following Pastor Loren's resignation.

As youth ministry consultant, Paul will have three main functions:

• Assessment: attending youth functions; meeting with parents, students, and volunteers to get a good picture of our current youth ministry

• Recommendation: help to develop a plan for maintaining ministry through the fall and into spring (during our search for a new youth pastor)

• Search Process: help the elders by speaking into the search process based on his work this summer

We are so thankful God provided Paul to serve our church in this way at this time. And, because he will be working here behind the scenes, we wanted to give you a chance to get to know Paul.

Please read the interview below, and join us in praying for Paul and our Igniter Student Ministry during this time of transition.

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Grace: Tell us about yourself and your family.

Paul: My wife Ashley and I have been married for ten years. We have two sons, Bevyn (5) and Owen (3).

When you are not helping us out at Grace, what are you doing?

I'm currently serving as the Chaplain at my undergrad alma mater, Sterling College, where Ashley and I met. I'm also helping my best friend from seminary, Caleb Barrows, plant a new Fellowship of Evangelical Church in Lyons, KS called King's Cross Church.

You look kind of familiar... where have I seen you before?

I wish I could say I had a first life as a reality television star, but I'd be lying.

If you recognize me, it's likely because I've visited Grace a few times, including once to give an interview with Caleb about King's Cross. And I'm thrilled to be coming to preach on July 5!

How did your role as our youth ministry consultant come about?

The genesis of my calling to pastoral ministry came as a result of the influence of the two incredible youth pastors I had in middle and high school. "I want to do for others what Brandon and Dan did for me," I thought.

I've been privileged to serve various youth groups over the past dozen years, and even though my pastoral calling and work have broadened out, it truly is my first love. If I can be helpful to students, sign me up!

Specifically for Grace, I've spent the past year working at Sterling College for David Landis [editor’s note: David is our elder chairman here at Grace]. He and I both thought youth ministry consulting would make general synergistic sense for my role as Chaplain, and that I might have something specific to offer Grace at this time. 

Why are you excited about filling this role at Grace?

As I've heard more about what the Lord is up to right now at Grace, the word that keeps coming to mind is "transition."

While transitions can be scary, the Lord can (and often does) use them to catalyze amazing growth. I'm so excited to get a front row seat to the amazing things that I believe God is going to do in and through Grace!

What are your goals for your time as our youth ministry consultant?

I hope to provide helpful assessment of the youth ministry, a recommendation for how to structure the ministry for the next semester or two, and provide input on the search process for the next youth pastor.

How can we, as a church, be praying for you?

Pray that I would listen well and provide truthful insight that proves to be deeply helpful.

In Christ We Are One Body

Many of you know that I’ve been taking master’s classes online. In the last few weeks of class, we’ve talked a lot about the Imago Dei. Genesis 1:26 declares that all people are made in the image of God. All humans are inherently more valuable than any other creature on earth. This has made for timely discussion and timely truth with racism being a hot topic in the media. 

The sad truth is that racism exists. We live in a fallen world where there is injustice, and we live in an ungodly world where people don’t understand the truth that all people are made in God’s image.

As Christians who hold to the unchanging truth of God’s word, we are the ones that understand and teach this truth that directly combats the evils of racism. 

Even more powerful is the truth about everyone who is in Christ. As Ephesians 2:11-22 and Galatians 3:26-29 so powerfully declare, we are one body!

Any hostility that once existed is gone.

In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for we are all one in Christ! And this truth must be seen in us as we live it out. 

In Christ we already have the strongest union through the Holy Spirit as brothers and sisters of all different colors and languages. Our job is to maintain that unity we have through the spirit as one body, in humility, gentleness, patience, and love (Ephesians 4:2-6).

While our city may not have a lot of racial diversity, I’m still praying that we would be the church, representing Christ in our neighborhoods and places of work. I’m praying that we would be known for our love and for our actions that reflect our understanding of the truth that all people have inherent value as beings created in God’s image.

It’s been so great hearing your voices again, and I love worshipping God with you through song every Sunday! May God continue to build momentum through our church for His Kingdom! I love you all!

-Pastor Kyle

PS, here’s my RightNow Media pick of the week to give us more material and teaching on racism and how scripture speaks to the issue.

New service times — 9:00 & 10:45am

IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU ON SUNDAY!

We were so encouraged by how many people came to worship with us. In fact, we quickly filled up the Worship Center and overflowed into the hallway and the foyer.

We know that overflow is not ideal; we would much rather all be together in the Worship Center. So, to accommodate everyone who wishes to worship together in person, we are moving back to two services starting this Sunday, June 14.

SERVICES WILL BE AT 9:00 & 10:45*AM.

*Did you catch that? The second service will not be starting at 10:30am like it used to but, instead, at 10:45.

The additional time between services will allow us time to clean the Worship Center and the bathrooms—another precaution in our efforts to make our reunion as safe as we can.

But that’s not all! The added time between services comes with a handful of other advantages as well:

• With only 15 minutes (or less if we run long) between services, the transition from one service to the next can be a little chaotic. We think added time will help smooth things out in the parking lot, foyer, entering/exiting the Worship Center, etc.

• The quick transition between services requires people to exit the Worship Center quickly, which does not allow much opportunity for conversation and connection. And we want you to have time to connect with one another! So we think the added time will create more space for relationship building and belonging.

How long will we use these new service times?

That is a great question. We plan to continue with these new times for the foreseeable future—likely for at least the next year.

In addition to capitalizing on the advantages above, the decision to continue the times for at least the next year comes out of respect for the many of you who serve in one form or fashion on Sunday mornings. As you consider your service commitment for the next year, we want you to know what you are committing to.

Will the service be live streamed?

Yes. Lord willing, we will continue live streaming the second service—now at 10:45am!—on both Facebook and YouTube.

Unfortunately, some wacky tech issues prevented us from streaming last Sunday. (We are so sorry for that inconvenience! If you missed the service, you can watch the recording here.) But, the good news is that we think we have it working again so you can expect to find a live stream this Sunday around 10:40am.

That's a lot of information. Can you summarize it?

For this Sunday, June 14, here is what you can expect:

• Two in-person services at new times: 9:00 & 10:45am

• Overflow (should it be necessary) will be in the Fireside Room

• The 10:45am service will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube

• Doors will open at 8:40am and remain open through the morning

• Rows in the Worship Center will be spaced out to continue allowing for social distancing

• Our hospitality team will be wearing masks while they greet you and hold doors open (and will continue refraining from handshakes and hugs)

• No physical programs, other printed materials, or coffee (bring your own notebook and caffeine!)

• We are not offering nursery or kids programming at this time but we do have disposable, take-home activity bags so families, we would love to have you join us

• We will ask you to exit the Worship Center quickly after the service so we can clean

If you ever have any questions, please call the office (316-283-2554) or use the Connect With Us button.

WE ARE EXCITED TO WORSHIP WITH YOU AGAIN ON SUNDAY!

What to Expect When We Reunite

Let's Choose Love

Have you seen this image going around? Can you identify with one or more of these expressions?

I think this image adequately describes the way things are right now. I've personally heard almost all of these perspectives voiced by someone.

It's a difficult place to live for all of us, isn't it?

Opinions and feelings are so varied. Information (and misinformation) is constantly changing. Clarity and surety are in short supply.

This situation has reminded me of something I learned in a Bible study a number of years ago: the difference between personal convictions and biblical convictions.

Clearly, the Bible doesn't specifically address what a church should do about meeting in the case of a worldwide pandemic — how cautious or brave to be, whether to wear masks or not, how to configure chairs in the Worship Center, or how soon to begin children's ministry.

That would have been a incredibly big help if God had included that in the scriptures! Pandemic 3:12, "Thou shalt begin services on…" Ha!

But since he didn't, we must pray for wisdom to make those kinds of decisions since our personal convictions will fall on all sides of the matter. We all have our own reasons for those convictions too — health, age, concern for relatives, personal experiences…

Thankfully, the Bible is clear about a lot of other things: extending grace to others, loving others, being kind, and trusting in Him.

To be sure, our desire to be reunited in person is due to our love for one another and a strong desire for fellowship which comes from our shared love of the Lord. That love also drives our desire to be cautious and careful. 

So, as we begin the process of gathering again, let's choose love.

There is beauty and strength in our diversity of ages, abilities, perspectives, and even our personal convictions about the coronavirus. Let's extend grace by valuing people more than we do our own convictions and opinions. Go the extra mile to respect and protect those who are most vulnerable or extra cautious. Reach out to and encourage those who may need to wait awhile to return. We are the church. Let's be the church!

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We are excitedly anticipating and diligently preparing for our first in-person Sunday morning gathering on June 7 at 10:30am! Things will look different; they may even feel strange. But God will be in our midst! Join us in praying for a safe and joyful reuniting.

Juli Dirks
Executive Director of Ministries

Practicing Trust

I was a little taken aback when he asked, but I was glad that he did.

When I said that I am “trusting God with all of this,” he was quick to reply, “what does that even mean?!”

You know that feeling of, “So what! How does that help me now?!” That’s the vibe he was giving.

Friends that won’t take simple answers and pose deeper questions are both a blessing and a pest. I know, because I am one of those people. When those outside of the church ask me surprising questions, it is often a vulnerable exposure of the heart. They’re almost always connected to doubt or pain.

I think we all want to hear the truth in practical terms. When friends are hurting, they’re not interested in the lofty musings of a philosopher. They want something to apply to their current situation that sounds like it came from a wise farmer, not a grandiloquent professor (amirite?).

My friend wanted to know how I was dealing with all of the change and tension in my life, probably because he wanted to know how to handle his own.

Times are difficult right now. Many things have changed on a global scale in just a mere two months. Not only that, but my place of worship and work have become unfamiliar and uniquely challenging. Every time we make a decision, it changes before the week is over. New information or events have caused additional work, extra meetings, and added stress.

So, after silently praying in my mind, I told him how I have been trusting God in the fewest amount of words I could.

“Well, first, I have told God everything that is going on in my life. Every worry, every concern, every joy, every desire; I have shared everything I can with Him. I even opened up about my current regrets... bad things I’ve been thinking and feeling and, sadly, doing. I have confessed and spoken about it all with Him.

Second, I continue to believe that He actually cares. The Bible says to cast all your worries and concern on Jesus because He cares for you. I have faith in the Bible, so I believe that Jesus genuinely cares about what is happening in my life. I know He loves me, and I remind myself of that every day.

Third, I expect that He is going to do something about it. I believe He responds to all of my prayers. He doesn’t always do what I ask (thank God!), but He hears every word and has the power to change hearts and situations, including mine.

That is how I trust God. I share all that is going on, believe that He cares, and know that He will intervene and work it all out for the good.”

After I was done he simply said, “Oh... okay.”

Because our friendship is strong, I assumed that he wasn’t unaffected or uninterested. Maybe he just had to chew on it for a while. Either way, I was glad he asked, because once we finished talking I looked upward and whispered, “Thanks for reminding me how to trust You.”

I have been practicing trust a lot lately. Some of the process feels like exercise... I know the next move, and I choose to do it. But my heart hasn’t been left behind. As I practice trust, I develop more trust. And I don’t know of anything I need more than trust right now. 

I love you Grace family, and I am praying that God continues to guard your hearts as you trust Him with your lives. I will see you (well, you’ll see me) this Sunday as we continue learning about how Jesus lived as a human being.

Pastor Jack