How might you prepare for Resurrection Sunday? We have not greatly emphasized Lent season as others have, but there is something beneficial in looking with anticipation to high points on our church calendar, and taking advantage of opportunities to practice greater reflection. And I am excited for our plans for Easter this year.
Keep ReadingThere's a vast gulf between useless and essential. For example, a church building is not essential. We could still function as a church without a building, and meet in a park, a rented space, and/or from home to home. We could still be a viable and biblical church. Yet while a church building is not essential, it is certainly not useless. We find daily benefit from having a church building to host events, meet for prayer, and most of all gather for worship on Sundays.
Keep ReadingHave you noticed any changes around the church building? We've been working to make some upgrades and updates to our facilities, starting during last Saturday's workday, and in preparation for Easter Sunday. Thanks to all those who came out and helped (more than I could name here)! We'll have another workday on April 5th, and we'd love for you to help.
Keep ReadingWho are you discipling? That's the question that will be at the heart of our vision over the next few years. If you were at the family gathering on Sunday, you heard that our vision is that by 2030, every member/attender of CBC will be equipped and trained to disciple someone else, and that by that date every single person (kids aside) in our church, when asked, will be able to answer the question, "Who are you discipling?" with a real and concrete answer.
Keep ReadingSunday evening we will gather for our semiannual Family Gathering, and I hope you will join us! In advance of and preparation for Sunday evening, please look at the document that you received in the CBC Weekly. In it are this year's ministry reports, as well as a graphic representing our proposed vision statement and new church covenant.
Keep ReadingI studied biology/pre-med in college, and, as with any major, some courses were more challenging than others. Then there were other classes that were what you might call "filtering" classes. I remember talking to one of my hockey teammates about taking organic chemistry, and he remarked; "That's the class they use to weed you all out, huh?" He was spot on.
Keep ReadingDec 26
2024
Martin Luther wrote that the book of Romans “is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.” Luther’s study and reflection on Romans 1:16-17 led him to the understanding that the righteousness of God is a gift we receive by faith, more than a standard we must achieve, to be saved.
Dec 19
2024
The great foundational mystery of Christmas is the miracle of the incarnation. It is much easier to say, “God sent His Son to save us,” than it is to understand the miracle of the act. In the incarnation, the eternal God took on mortal humanity. And in the one person of Christ are united two natures – human and divine.
Dec 12
2024
If I haven’t said it before I’ll say it again – Christmas season remains maybe my favorite time of the year. A lot is added to the calendar, but those extra events are part of the fun. These last two weeks I’ve thoroughly enjoyed dipping into the Psalms (it’s always fun to change genres, going from the narrative of Acts to the poetry of the Psalms). And I find myself especially looking forward to our Christmas Eve service. It’s not because we’re doing anything particularly extravagant.
Dec 5
2024
Scripture has quite a bit to say about finishing well. I particularly like Ecclesiastes 7:8; “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” It’s an encouragement to endurance. It is better to finish a thing than to start it, and better to be patient and endure than be proud and be knocked down. These are good words for the Christmas season, and something I want to keep in my mind and heart as we run toward year’s end.