Today's post: Playing with PowerPoint.
29 January 2009
Visit my blog at WordPress.com
I've decided to keep my blog at WordPress.com. I'll keep this blog active for awhile until people get used to going to my new one. It's so much easier to use, and I like the slicker look.
28 January 2009
Trying a new blog site
Assuming I can get away with this, I'm trying a new blog site which I read about in USA Today this morning: WordPress.com.
If you'd like to check my new blog, which I hope to maintain more regularly, go here: http://nocopom.wordpress.com.
If you'd like to check my new blog, which I hope to maintain more regularly, go here: http://nocopom.wordpress.com.
21 January 2009
Annual meeting on Sunday
We all convene our annual meeting this Sunday to adopt the 2008 Annual Report, a budget for 2009, and leadership for the new year. Here are excerpts from my submission for the annual report.
* * * * *
Follow Me. Two words.
That's Jesus' call to us. He doesn't say, "Come join my small group and we'll do a Bible study." Nope. His call is simple and clear. Follow Me...
We learn to love and serve God best in the context of corporate worship gatherings.We convene to encourage each other in enthusiastic, God-focused praise and worship.
Then we need to love and serve fellow believers. That occurs best in the context of small groups. it is where we are known, where we can truly know others and serve their deepest needs. We can't learn those needs in a worship gathering. It's in someone's livng room or kitchen where we learn to put what we know about God and ourselves into action, with help from people who know us and still love us.
But focusing on God and each other does not make us complete disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus doesn't save us so we can sit around patting each other on the back, congratulating ourselves that we're on our way to heaven. That may be true, but Jesus expects us to pay attention and help the others we find along the road to eternity.
So in any given week, we should be actively prsuing three things: loving and serving God, loveing and serving fellow believers, and loving and serving our fallen world.
Do these three things appear on your calendar every week?
* * * * *
Follow Me. Two words.
That's Jesus' call to us. He doesn't say, "Come join my small group and we'll do a Bible study." Nope. His call is simple and clear. Follow Me...
We learn to love and serve God best in the context of corporate worship gatherings.We convene to encourage each other in enthusiastic, God-focused praise and worship.
Then we need to love and serve fellow believers. That occurs best in the context of small groups. it is where we are known, where we can truly know others and serve their deepest needs. We can't learn those needs in a worship gathering. It's in someone's livng room or kitchen where we learn to put what we know about God and ourselves into action, with help from people who know us and still love us.
But focusing on God and each other does not make us complete disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus doesn't save us so we can sit around patting each other on the back, congratulating ourselves that we're on our way to heaven. That may be true, but Jesus expects us to pay attention and help the others we find along the road to eternity.
So in any given week, we should be actively prsuing three things: loving and serving God, loveing and serving fellow believers, and loving and serving our fallen world.
Do these three things appear on your calendar every week?
20 January 2009
Inauguration Day
Ran a few errands at lunchtime and it seems most people are listening to or watching the inaugural "love fest." The historical significance of the first non-white president (Obama is not truly African American) cannot be ignored, and on one level, this is a huge advance for this country.
But I confess I am very disappointed in Obama already. We have people who are struggling to pay their mortgages and heating bills, manage sky-rocketing health-care costs and taxes, and Obama & Co. (the Democrats) are throwing the most expensive coronation, er inauguration ever!
If Obama has said, "Let's just do what is Constitutionally required to effect the transfer of power, and then get down to business. [Okay, maybe one party (I suppose the Democrats do have a reason to celebrate)]; that would have been a HUGE statement in light of our deteriorating economy.
But I confess I am very disappointed in Obama already. We have people who are struggling to pay their mortgages and heating bills, manage sky-rocketing health-care costs and taxes, and Obama & Co. (the Democrats) are throwing the most expensive coronation, er inauguration ever!
If Obama has said, "Let's just do what is Constitutionally required to effect the transfer of power, and then get down to business. [Okay, maybe one party (I suppose the Democrats do have a reason to celebrate)]; that would have been a HUGE statement in light of our deteriorating economy.
19 January 2009
Assorted thoughts for mid-January 2009
I don't know whether I want to listen to Obama's inaugural speech tomorrow. There won't be anything he will say to change my opinion--I did not vote for him--and I will probably only feel worse hearing all he wants to do to our country.
* * * * *
Spent the last two weeks preparing our church's annual report. We went electronic this year, mainly to cut costs, but since all but five members have email, we created PDF files of everything and emailed them. Now we need to figure out how to post documents for download from our website.
* * * * *
We purchased the license to show the movie Fireproof throughout 2009 (our CVLI license does not cover it). Our small group is going to plan three showings in March, which we will open to the community "on behalf of the church in Littleton" so it's not an "our church" thing. I hope we can kick off two or three small groups from the movie, using the follow-up discussion material.
* * * * *
Last summer I read Bill Hybels' book Axiom. One of his axioms is "Six by Six." Every six weeks, he selects six objectives/goals/projects he works on for that period. Bill works long days, much longer than I do or can, but I've been thinking that it may be a good idea to implement something like it this year for me. Maybe "Four by Six." I already have one thing completed two weeks into January (annual report). Number two: performance evaluations...(oh goody!)
* * * * *
Spent the last two weeks preparing our church's annual report. We went electronic this year, mainly to cut costs, but since all but five members have email, we created PDF files of everything and emailed them. Now we need to figure out how to post documents for download from our website.
* * * * *
We purchased the license to show the movie Fireproof throughout 2009 (our CVLI license does not cover it). Our small group is going to plan three showings in March, which we will open to the community "on behalf of the church in Littleton" so it's not an "our church" thing. I hope we can kick off two or three small groups from the movie, using the follow-up discussion material.
* * * * *
Last summer I read Bill Hybels' book Axiom. One of his axioms is "Six by Six." Every six weeks, he selects six objectives/goals/projects he works on for that period. Bill works long days, much longer than I do or can, but I've been thinking that it may be a good idea to implement something like it this year for me. Maybe "Four by Six." I already have one thing completed two weeks into January (annual report). Number two: performance evaluations...(oh goody!)
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