The Flame - Winter 2016

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F C H R I S T C H U R C HThe Flame

WINTER | 2016

CONTENTS

SENIOR PASTORRev. Shane Bishop

ASSOCIATE PASTORRev. Michael Wooton

For a complete listing of the Christ Church Staff visit:

www.MyChristChurch.com/staff.

WORSHIP TIMESFairview Heights Campus

Sunday - 9am, 11am,& 6pmSaturday - 5pm

Wednesday - 6:30pm

Collinsville/Maryville CampusSunday - 10am

Millstadt CampusSunday - 10am

Scott CampusSunday - 10amThe Flame Magazine is a quarterly magazine published by Christ Church.

©2016 Christ Church. Learn more about Christ Church at MyChristChurch.com. EDITOR: Carrie Gaxiola DESIGN: Justin Aymer COVER: Mike Creagh

4 SECRET TO HAPPINESSby Rev. Shane Bishop

5 COMMIT TO PRAYERby Roni McDaniels

6 SPIRITUAL COMMITMENTby Dave Huff

7 A LOVE THAT LIFE BUILT by Urban Gaxiola

8 COMMITMENT: A JOURNEY...by Matthew J. LaFrance

9 MY RABBIby Rev. Mike Wooton

10 HOPE MEANS NEVER GIVING UPby Rachel Frazure

11 COMMITTED TO MEMORY by Dr. Steve Heitkamp

12 LOVE FOR A LIFETIMEby Carrie Gaxiola

14 FORGIVENESS: THE GIVE & TAKEby Kevin Siddle

15 BILL’S STORYby Becky Olroyd

16 COMMIT TO FITby Kelli Tobin

17 LEADING THE NEXT...by Amanda Cates

18 A DAILY DECISION TO WALK IN...by Robb Hass

19 DISCIPLESHIP COURSES...by Jim Oppedal

20 PAST, PRESENT, & FUTURE...by Carrie Gaxiola & Jeffrey Bishop

22 CONNECTING TO CHRIST...by Pam Huff

24 PROJECT CHRISTMAS CHEERby Serving Christ Team

FROM THE EDITORWelcome to a new year! Some may be wiping their brow and saying, “Good riddance to 2015!” Some may be satis-fied with the year that is behind them and ready for new challenges and joys in 2016. I’m just thankful for another day to continue in His grace, another day to dream a little, and another day to commit to doing the things God has called me to do with all my might!

As you read these pages, the theme is very evident - commitment! I am not a big fan of the word “resolutions”. It seems to be taken too lightly in our culture. The thought seems to take on the connotation that a resolution is made pretty much to be broken...the day after it is made. Com-mitment takes on a stronger meaning. It’s something that may cause sacrifice, tremendous energy, and a determined effort to see it through no matter what. I like that. I want to be challenged to be committed for as long as God calls me to a task, a relationship, or a job. I want to be known as a committed person; some-one that can be counted on no matter what. I pray that you will read every ar-ticle in this issue. The authors that have written them have committed to share their gifts with you and the thoughts they have penned are not just eloquent, but thought-provoking and life-changing!

As we close out this year and the fourth issue we have published with my name on the editor byline, there are so many people to thank. All the proofreading ed-itors, the writers, the professional editors that have mentored me, and our patient

Layout Editor, Justin Aymer, are an amaz-ing example of commitment. Thank you to my family and their countless hours of “keeping it quiet in the house because Mom is working on the magazine…”.Thank you to my husband who spent hours talking and praying with me over the articles submitted and my own in-securities about being “just a gal with a high school education but hearing God’s calling to be the editor” and going on a camping trip in the freezing rain with the boys so I could work on this issue. All of this shines with commitment. A labor of love, that I know, I just know, will impact lives and have eternal rewards! My heart is so thankful for you all!

My new request for you as readers is this: make a commitment to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength in the new year. Love others as Christ has loved you. Read this issue of the Flame with a desire to seek God and ask Him where you can obediently serve Him. Finally, our new motto for the Flame is this: Read it and Leave it! Use this to connect people to Jesus Christ through the written word. Give it to your neighbors, leave it in the doctor’s office waiting room, on a chair in the mechan-ic’s office, in the work breakroom!

May 2016 be your best year ever as you love and serve the One who committed His whole life to you!

In His Service,--- CARRIE GAXIOLA ---

Mission Of The FlameBe inspirational through biblical articles

and devotions. Be informative in the announcement of future events that

connect people in ministry.

Questions about the Flame? Contact the Editor, Carrie Gaxiola, at: [email protected]

The Flame Online:Get The Flame Magazine online. Sign

up for email reminders of new editions. Visit MyChristChurch.com/theflame.

THE FLAME // WINTER 2016 3

As I inch into the middle part of my fif-ties, I have made some profound discov-eries quite apart from (and perhaps in spite of) slowing metabolism, thinning hair and stiff joints and aching muscles. And yet there is no disappointment that such epiphanies have taken me this long; these discoveries were impossible to make in a shorter amount of time.

I can honestly say at 53 that I am happier than I have ever been in my life. Not ev-erything is perfect, but it no longer has to be. That is a win in itself. As I examine the sources of this middle-aged happi-ness, a surprising one emerges; the pres-ence of long-term relationships. There is clearly an inner peace and undeniable joy that comes from fifty-three years as a son, fifty-one years as a brother, thir-ty-three years as a committed Christian, thirty-two years as a husband, thirty-one years as a father, twenty-nine years as a minister, nineteen years at Christ Church, six years as a grandfather and the long-term friendships that add real time value to my life. These things all get sweeter as the years roll on…and more appreciated.

Here are some simple thoughts on what I have learned about long-term relation-ships:

1. Commitment is essential. Long-term anything is impossible without it.

2. Keep God first. If God is not in first place in our relationships and vocations, there is nothing constant to which we can anchor our lives.

3. Be a promise keeper. If you say you are going to do something, do it. Period. Keep your promises. Pursue the life of which you dream. In that order.

4. Keep your marriage strong. A marriage takes constant care and attention. There is no auto-pilot. If your marriage is bad, everything is bad.

5. Make time for old friends. Long-term friendships are not things of convenience like high school, col-lege or work friends. These tend to be more spread out as you get older and are logistically more challeng-ing. You have to prioritize these re-lationships.

6. Battle to keep your family close together. Nothing worth hav-ing comes easy. Everything in our fractured culture is engineered to dismember families. Want family? Fight for it.

7. Make memories. Buying children and grandchildren stuff because you don’t have time to spend with them is like eating a frozen dinner. Mak-ing memories is like cooking from scratch. The former is better than nothing, the latter is best by a mile.

8. Don’t take things personally. Choosing not to get your feelings hurt is essential. If someone says something with which you could take offense, refuse to do so. I reit-erate, this is a choice and not a dis-position.

9. Exercise impulse control. Even the people closest to you don’t need to know your opinion on every sin-gle thing. It is great to have people around with whom you are comfort-able, just don’t get too comfortable. Careless words are deadly and no one should have to be subjected to your unfiltered self.

10. Take nothing for granted. The effort and energy required to build a good and meaningful life is what it takes to maintain it.

11. Don’t ignore problems. Address them quickly. Weeds are really easy to pick when they are small.

12. Tithe. This has nothing to do with this article but we are in a capital campaign.

13. Admit your mistakes. Offer for-giveness. Accept forgiveness. We don’t have long-term relationships because all involved are perfect. We have them because all involved are forgiven.

14. Enjoy your life. Life is a gift. Open it slowly. Appreciate. Enjoy. Cele-brate.

When I was younger, I ran at a full sprint in pursuit of immediate goals and tend-ed to take relationships for granted. At fifty-three, I have discovered the great-est accomplishments in my life are not things I can put on a resume; they are the people I call my family and my friends. And all good things, lasting things and things of true value require commitment!

Rev. Shane Bishop, Senior Pastorfacebook.com/revshane@RevShaneBishop

THE SECRET TO HAPPINESSBY REV. SHANE L BISHOP

WINTER 2016 // THE FLAME4

COMMIT TO PRAYERBY RONI MCDANIELS

Have you been experiencing one of those hectic weeks? At times, we all feel over-whelmed by life’s responsibilities. Some-times our job stresses us out. At other times, our spouse or family members just don’t seem to be there for us. Sometimes we feel as though we have no personal time, as we chauffeur kids or grandkids in a never-ending cycle of ball games and dance recitals. Then, what about that un-expected car repair bill when your budget is already stretched? Finally, there’s the last straw -- a bad health report. Okay, so let’s take a minute. We already know what to do. The Bible tells us to turn to God. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus tells us “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”

Our sustained levels of stress and, con-versely, our ability to reside in God’s peace regardless of our circumstances, says a lot about the state of our person-al relationship with God. God calls us to abide in Him. John 15:4 gives us Je-sus’ words, “Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, nei-ther can you unless you abide in me.” So how do we learn to abide in God? The answer is deceptively simple but so of-ten difficult to initiate. We must hum-ble ourselves before God with a contrite heart and kneel before Him in prayer. It is only through submitting ourselves to God in obedience and prayer that He can begin to shape us and bring us closer to Him. Is your prayer life non-existent or less than it should be? Then I encour-age you to start praying today! Pray first thing in the morning when you wake up. Thank God for the new day and the many blessings He has given you. Pray for your family members, our church staff, and ministries. Pray ‘popcorn’ prayers throughout the day as you face uncom-fortable or anxious moments. Final-ly, end each day with prayer. Start with a couple minutes a day; then be faithful to that time with God each day. Make

prayer a priority and schedule it. Over time, you will find that prayer changes your relationship with God. Over time, you will discover that prayer moves from “me-centered” cries for help to “oth-ers-centered” calls for kingdom building. Ultimately, prayer brings you into align-ment with God’s will for your life.

I have learned to face life’s challenges one day at a time. One of the things I have learned is that each new day brings an-other opportunity to say yes to God, to trust and obey, and to abide in His pres-ence. When we do that consistently and faithfully, God deepens our relationship with Him and pours out His strength, endurance, and perseverance that enable us to better serve Him. Through loving God, we learn to love others. See Mat-thew 6:33, “But strive first for the king-dom of God and His righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.” I encourage you to commit to God by committing to prayer. Press into God, for He yearns to hear your voice, and He will provide for you. Don’t let the world steal your joy. God loves you, and only He can fill your heart with the joy and peace that passes all understanding.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

“Ask, and it will be given you;

search, and you will find; knock,

and the door will be opened

for you.”Matthew 7:7

“Rejoice always, pray

without ceasing, give thanks in all

circumstances; for this is the will of God in

Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Roni McDanielsFlame Volunteer Writer


Most of us view commitment as a stron-ger focus of the will to greater adher-ence, work, dedication, resolve, or effort to accomplish a task. Whether that task is a job, better health, a personal goal, a raise, or advancement in career, there is some great truth in that understanding. It is my contention, however, that spiritual commitment is different. A human view of commitment can lead to two contrast-ing spiritual errors. The first is spiritual pride. If you think your efforts are better than others’ and they are just weak, you will soon see yourself as spiritually supe-rior—a dangerous place to live. The sec-ond error is spiritual frustration, leading to despair, as you feel inadequate for the task and begin to see spiritual growth as too difficult.

Give UpThe first movement in spiritual com-mitment is to give up, surrender, and let go. You did not enter into life with Jesus Christ by more effort, more work, deep-er moral understanding, or better be-havior. You came into life with Christ by coming to the end of yourself. Let go of your efforts, admit your emptiness, your futility, and your inadequacy. It is pre-cisely in letting go that we place ourselves where God can work in our lives. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…so that no one can boast (Ephe-sians 2:8-9). Give up. You can’t. God can.

Give InThe second movement is to give in. It is a deeper movement than giving up. It is a dying to self. For I no longer live. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live. Christ Jesus lives in me. (Ga-latians 2:20) I was a pastor. I had goals, dreams, plans, and visions, and I have seen God do incredible things. I do not believe I will ever again be a pastor, and I have come to a new awareness. God is not there to fulfill my plans or goals. He is not my genie to bless my efforts. He asks of me the same thing He asked of His Son—to empty myself and become a servant wherever he places me (Philippi-ans 2:5-8). It is not about me or my per-manence or my place in the universe. I must become less that he might be more. The less Dave Huff gets in the way, the more Jesus Christ can come through. The story of the Christian martyrs is not about a successful life or personal devel-opment, it is a full awareness that to walk with Christ is to be ready to die for Jesus. That death starts now. My opinions, my views, and my way of viewing the world is not relevant, only what Christ asks of me. Dave Huff must die that Christ may live in me—crucified and risen.

Give OutIt is only when I surrender and die that I have anything to offer. As a man who values knowledge and learning, I have a thirst for more and more. I used to think that my learning and intelligence were

important. My therapist put it into per-spective when she reminded me that no one really cares how smart I am. Dave Huff will never be smart enough to make a real difference in the world. Only Christ in me makes a difference. The gift of no longer being a pastor is a powerful gift of insight and humility. I am no longer re-sponsible for the direction of a church or the pastoral care of believers or for saving the lost. I am responsible for being faith-ful and maintaining Christ in my life. Whether I am serving coffee in the Christ Church Café or working as an electrician with other construction workers, I have nothing of value to offer others except the things that Christ cultivates in me. The more I know of Grace, the more I can of-fer Grace. The more I experience Forgive-ness, the more I can offer Forgiveness. The more I accept Mercy, the more I can offer Mercy. It is about being a witness for Christ in my behavior and actions toward others.

These are not steps of progression and linear growth. They are different move-ments of commitment that I practice all the time moving from one to another, sometimes practicing them all at once. I am merely a servant who remains com-mitted to Christ.

Dave HuffFlame Volunteer Writer

SPIRITUAL COMMITMENT

BY DAVE HUFF

“For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.”~ Colossians 1:13-14 ~


A LIFE THATLOVE BUILT

BY URBAN GAXIOLA

When we are born again we are born into a new family, the family of God. It is a wonderful love the Father has given and so much of that love is expressed within the church family.

As a young boy, this made such a differ-ence in my life. At 10 years old, my par-ents separated, and my siblings and I became another statistic in the ranks of broken homes. It was difficult not hav-ing our parents’ involvement in our lives as a result of their decision to dissolve what we knew as family. As a result, my siblings and I were not close due to the distractions of my parents’ decision and the stress it induced in our home and in-dividually. Interestingly enough, though, my parents made one decision for which I am eternally grateful; they made sure we attended church!

After their separation, we never wor-shiped together in church as a family, but God had something in mind even in our family’s brokenness. We attended a church that taught the importance of a personal relationship with a loving Sav-ior and with Father God. In those days, we called the men of the church “broth-er” and the women of the church “sister”. The congregation would often spend the day at church on Sundays, hear precious testimonies from people about God’s lov-ing favor, worship together and share a leisurely meal. Prayer needs were shared and spontaneous prayers based on those

needs were offered to God. Faith was strong as we encouraged one another! I can still see tears streaming down the fac-es of those treasured saints and remem-ber the care that was so evident amongst the body of believers. As a young adoles-cent searching for stability and a sense of belonging, God anchored me and gave me a glimpse of what He loved for His people to be for one another - a family rooted in the love of Jesus Christ. I had a sense of having a rightful place and be-came a part of all the church had to offer: Bible studies, adult choir and any place I could gain fellowship and be a part of serving others.

Even though home life was complex and I had many struggles in school as a result of the stress at home, I found a place of nourishment and true joy as part of my local church family. As I grew as a young man of God, He called me, surprisingly, to serve Him in the pastoral ministry. As God, through His people, shepherded and cared for me, I was able to lead His people with this same zeal and love for the church family. My wife was brought into the church in similar fashion, and we met in church and have been married nearly 30 years. Our life has been one of commitment to our marriage, our chil-dren and the local church. These com-mitments don’t always make for a life of ease, but they certainly make for a life of no regrets. We love serving and enjoy-ing fellowship with our church family.

We have committed to a Connect Group where there is mutual benefit as we share our lives and our Connect Group “broth-ers and sisters” share with us. We have eight children of our own, and it delights us to watch them grow as many of them serve in various areas within the church.

The church family is an awesome gift from God. No, it is not without its prob-lems, but when we commit to the church with our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness, not only do we grow in faith and have a sure foundation in our lives, we have the privilege of touching the lives of others. Perhaps we can even be a part of healing a life that was like mine many years ago as a young boy. If you are searching for a place to call home, a place that will meet you in your brokenness and a place to belong, commitment to the church family will allow you to become another life that love built!

Urban GaxiolaFlame Volunteer Writer

“Behold, what manner of love the Father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God.”

~ 1 John 3:1a ~


COMMITMENT:A JOURNEY TO GOD

BY MATTHEW J. LAFRANCE

Commitment was never something I re-ally gave a thought to, especially when it came to my relationship with God. When I was a boy, I “committed” my life to Jesus. All that meant was that I said a prayer and called it good. I treated this commitment like a one-way road, and guess who I thought was on the receiving end of it?

I went through the majority of my life treating my relationship with God this way, and never got much from it. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. But, in 2011 I started attending a weekly Bible study. This study slowly brought me closer to God, and, though it took quite some time to get there, I slowly started giving God the commitment He requires of His peo-ple.

I started slowly; a prayer each night be-fore bed. It might not seem like much, but when the only time I spoke with God was at church or that Bible study, it really was a big step. It was an open dialog on a daily basis. And as I spoke to God, He started speaking back to me.

I eventually got to a point where I was also praying in the car every morning on my way into work. And during both of those prayer sessions, I always had one prayer that I’d pray;

“Dear Lord, if it be your will, let me serve You through my writing. And if not, then let me serve You through some other means.”

See, at that point, I wasn’t doing any kind of service for the Kingdom. I wanted to do something; I just … didn’t know what. Writing is something that comes nat-

urally to me. Give me a notebook and a pen, with an unlimited amount of time to work, and I’ll have you a story in no time. If God would provide some way for me to serve with writing, that’d be a win-win.

I sat in the Café at church one Sun-day night, writing, when Shane Bishop walked by. He extended a greeting to me, which I reciprocated. He took a step out of the Café, stopped, and then walked back up to me and said, “You’re here ev-ery Sunday night before service.”

I said, “Yes, I am.”

He explained, so long as I’m here anyway, that I should consider volunteering as a greeter. I told him I’d think about it, and he left.

A bit of insight about me: if I tell you, “I’ll think about it,” it means I did and the an-swer will be “no.”

I went on writing, when I realized that what I’d been praying for was an oppor-tunity to serve God in any possible way, if writing wasn’t on the table. Natural-ly, God HAD to use Shane Bishop, of all people, to offer me a chance to prove that those were not empty words prayed until something I wanted to do came up.

The next week, Shane asked me in the Café if I’d thought about greeting, and I told him I had and I’d do it. He prompt-ly pulled me away from my work, intro-duced me to Carrie Gaxiola, and now you’ll see me from time to time Sunday nights.

Small steps lead to bigger steps. The more I committed to God, the more He did for

me. I prayed to Him daily, He prompted me to pray twice daily. I asked for the op-portunity to serve Him with writing or any other way, and He gave me people to greet. I took that new role on, and the same night that I told Shane that I’d be a greeter, an advertisement ran in the an-nouncements saying The Flame needed writers.

But it doesn’t stop there. In volunteering for The Flame, Carrie Gaxiola wanted a sample article from me. Having only written fiction up till that point, she asked me to write about devotion. I nev-er did devotions, so I began engaging in a devotional study on my Bible app in order to write this test article. Doing that test article completely changed my life, as it’s led me to dive into God’s word daily through a new habit of devotional study.

See, that’s why God wants commitment from His followers. Commitment drives us forward; strengthening our relation-ship with God. The question is, how committed are you? Are you just com-ing to church once a week and leaving God alone the rest of the time? Start with a prayer. Just once a day. See where He leads you.

Matthew J. LafranceFlame Volunteer Writer


MYRABBI

BY REV. MIKE WOOTON

I love funny blooper videos on the inter-net. One of my favorites is called “Home Shopping Ladder Blooper.” In it, a home shopping network host is doing his best to sell a ladder to the people at home. This ladder is no ordinary ladder; this is multi-purpose, multi-positioning, fold-ing, aluminum ladder. These things sell themselves!

Not only can this ladder do everything you’ve ever wanted a ladder to do, it’s safe and easy to operate. The host tells the people at home, “This ladder is very easy to operate. You just push the two little buttons on the side, after you let go of the buttons it locks right in!” Now for anyone who is watching, it is clear to see the ladder is NOT locked in. The host is overly ambitious and decides to climb the ladder to demonstrate its reliability. In a matter of seconds, the host is flipped three feet onto the ground and tangled in the ladder. Without missing a beat the host says, “Actually I didn’t have it locked in…once you lock it in, it’s okay!”

The host was doing what he was sup-posed to do, sell the ladder to the peo-ple watching by showing it works. The problem was the host was committed to selling the ladder but not learning how the ladder actually worked. He didn’t re-ally learn about the product he was sell-ing and missed the mechanism that was most crucial to operate the ladder, the lock button. The lock button is one of the smallest parts of the ladder, but it is what makes the ladder usable. Without the lock button, you have something that appears to be a ladder until weight is ap-plied and then it collapses. The lock but-ton in our relationship with God is com-mitment. God can only complete a work

in our lives when we stay committed to Him or else our faith collapses.

I wonder if we as Christians are really committed to God or have a faith that is set up to collapse under pressure?

Let me unpack that for you. Commit-ment to God means we are willing to be like the disciples were with Jesus. The disciples learned from Jesus in every way because he was their Rabbi (Teacher). In the first century, the students of the Rabbi would learn to do everything that the Rabbi did. How long did the Rabbi meditate on scripture and pray? The stu-dents would do the same. How long was the Rabbi’s hair? That is how long the students would grow their hair. The stu-dents mirrored how the Rabbi ate, slept, and even…used the bathroom! The stu-dents wanted every part of the Rabbi’s life poured into their own. That only hap-pened when they became committed to the Rabbi’s way of life.

If we are not committed to God we will be like the shopping network host who fell down when it came time to show off his product. He spent five minutes telling the world how great the ladder was but had never actually used it before. Com-mitment to God takes us from a faith that collapses to a faith that is secure. The dis-ciples wanted more than the rewards of selling Jesus to the audience, they wanted to be just like their Rabbi.

In Matthew 11 Jesus tells those who have religion without commitment to “take my yoke upon you.” In Jesus’ time, oxen were used to plow the fields. Farmers found that younger oxen had great strength but would use all their energy by the halfway

point of the day. The farmers figured out if they yoked (bridled together) a young-er ox with an older experienced ox, the younger was forced to find a sustainable rhythm that would allow them to work the entire day. When we commit to God, our faith will stand and endure for our entire lifetime.

When we approach God in prayer, are we looking to learn from our Rabbi? Have we truly bought into His way of life? Commitment to God is the lock that en-sures our faith never collapses.

I wonder if we as Christians

are really committed to God or

have a faith that is set up to collapse

under pressure?

Rev. Michael WootonAssociate Pastor


HOPE MEANSNEVER GIVING UP

BY RACHEL FRAZURE

When parents realize that their child has special needs, many thoughts often run through their mind. Will my child be accepted? How different will he be from other children? Will she fit in and make friends? Will our family carry on like “normal” families? Will my child marry? Will my child have a relationship with Jesus Christ and understand what that means? These questions are very real to me because I have contemplated them in regard to my family and raising a child with special needs. I, along with other parents, have hope for all children that God has given us, whether they be neu-rotypical children or children with spe-cial needs.

I believe that raising a child with special needs requires a lot of hope. I asked some parents within our church family who are raising children with special needs to answer the following question: “How has having hope helped you in raising a child with special needs?”

A parent shared with me that “hope is di-rectly linked to faith.” Isn’t that so true? As a believer, it takes more than that pie in the sky mentality of “ I hope…” It takes faith. “Raising a child with special needs

can seem excessively complicated.” Not only do parents cope with the initial di-agnosis, but they also face days of medi-cal appointments, tests, referrals, individ-ualized lesson plans and all the meetings with school officials to set those plans. Although it can at times seem daunting and overwhelming to face these chal-lenges, the journey becomes “not just bearable, but enjoyable!” You begin to de-velop an “abundance of hope.” This faith journey, and the great amount of prayer that it requires, brings about blessings. Parents begin to see changes in their chil-dren that they never imagined.

Another parent told me: “Our daugh-ter’s development has greatly surpassed what the doctors said she could do. We praise God for this and continue to have hope that she will continue to progress. We have hope that as she matures, she will have the ability to truly connect with others and create deep friendships. We have hope that she can become all that God has designed her to be, and that she comes to understand the amazing love of God and of her family. Without hope, this journey would seem very dark and impossible. Hope keeps us going, allows us to take pleasure in the little things…”

Hope also means never giving up. Not only do parents of children with special needs have hope for their children, they also are committed to never giving up on their children. Some experiences are real-ly tough on a parent.

One parent shared this part of their fam-ily’s journey: “I had a really hard time accepting it at first. I stopped going to church after his diagnosis…, not because I didn’t love God. I couldn’t stop compar-ing (to other children), and I didn’t know how to let God comfort me. It was a very dark time...I know better now, but it took a lot to get there.” Commitment natural-ly follows hope. No matter the obstacles, parents refuse to give up on their child, taking the steps necessary to be obedient to God in raising that child in the best way possible and with the strength only the Lord can provide. “I know that God has a purpose for my child’s life, and I am called to help him discover that. I believe now that helping him discover his pur-pose is discovering mine.”

I believe that God is a God of restoration. Whether you are disabled, discouraged or “down on your luck,” God can give you strength for the journey. An individual, and those loving and supporting the indi-vidual, has to possess hope in the form of faith; faith that God will never abandon or forsake him. With that faith comes commitment to the life set before us.

We are all a part of God’s original and di-vine plan - “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16).

We are God’s children - all of us, along with our quirks and differences. He is good, and His love for us is strong. God sent his Son to this earth to die and come back to life again that we may have hope. We can clearly see that God never intend-ed to give up on us. We must press on, have faith and never give up.

For more information on our Special Needs Ministry at Christ Church, contact Rachel at [email protected]. Rachel Frazure

Director of Special Needs Ministry


COMMITTED TO MEMORY

BY DR. STEVE HEITKAMP

What memories do you feed, and what memories do you starve? The way you answer this question will define you and your commitments.

“As often as you drink of this cup, do this in remembrance of me”……I Corinthians 11:25

Memory allows me to walk outside right now on a crisp winter day, look at a bar-ren tree, and see leaves. In my mind, I can recall and stir the memory of leaves that once were. I can see them on the limbs as they flutter in the breeze. They are gone now, but I can bring up imag-es, sights, sounds, and feelings. Such is the power of memory. About 90% of the brain’s neurons are located in the cerebral cortex, which plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, and language. It is a complex system, designed by God, to balance short and long-term memories that allow us to file and retrieve the experiences of our life-time.

In the book, Searching for Memory, the Brain, the Mind and the Past, Daniel L. Schacter writes, “Except for those an-noying moments when memory fails, or when someone we know is afflicted with memory loss, most of us are barely aware that just about everything we do or say depends on the smooth and efficient operation of our memory systems…” He continues, “We perform these feats of memory naturally, even though the tasks require the virtually perfect oper-ation of memory-retrieval systems with the processes so complex that even the most advanced computer would not be able to carry out the assignment as easily and effectively as we do.” Our memory is forged daily, on the foundation of years of experience, working like the masterful inner workings of a clock. Tick, Tick, Tick….memory shapes the tasks of each day.

Memory shapes our spiritual lives as

well. All of us come to faith in Christ and life in the church at different times in our lives. Some are brought to faith as adults, some as teenagers, and some like myself were born into the church. Faith became truly real to me when I got to college, however, the early years were shaped by life in the church. I remember running the halls of the church as a kid, and still to this day, the moment I dis-covered someone had left the attic door unlocked, which led to the space above the Sanctuary. The building dates back to the early 1900’s, and has nooks and crannies to peak a young boy’s curiosi-ty. The space over the dome of the wor-ship area was expansive and provided for many adventures. I walked the catwalks that were behind the scenes. I can still hear the boards creak, and see the dust in the air through the sunlight, as my feet stirred the attic. I feel the adrenaline, be-ing careful not to step off the boards. It fascinated me as a child. I climbed the ladder to the bell in the steeple and sat where only birds visited. I became aware that there was an “unseen” and “seen” world of the church, and became curious about the unseen things. It is no won-der that I became a pastoral psychother-apist who explores and ventures into the unspoken, the unseen world of people’s thoughts and memories and helps them explore. It is always an adventure. In Colossians 3:2, God calls us to “Set your minds on things above, and not on earth-ly things.” Such is the nature of memory.

Countless times in Scripture God calls us to remember or recall Him and what He has done: Isaiah 46:9 says, “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God. I am God, and there is no other.”

God Calls us to Remember:

1. Who He is

2. What He has Done

3. What He will Do

4. Who we are in Him

5. How we are to treat others

6. How to see things from God’s van-tage point.

Try something with your memories:

1. What is one of your most vivid good memories as a child? Can you de-scribe this event to someone around you and why it stirs you?

2. What is the most significant way in which you remember hearing the voice of God lead or speak to you? Can you describe this to someone around you?

And Finally:

3. What is a troubling memory of your past which persists? How can you focus on remembering the things above and focus on Him, so the power of that memory will shift from pain to healing?

Dear Lord, You are the God of all memo-ries. We are called to remember You and all You have done and will continue to do through Your promises. Help me feed the good memories and starve the pain-ful memories to grow into Your fullness and all that You have called me to be. Help me remember each promise, and grow those thoughts. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Dr. Steve [email protected]

www.horizonhope.org


LOVE FORA LIFETIME

INTERVIEW BY CARRIE GAXIOLA

I recently had the joy of interviewing six couples who have stood the test of time in their marriages. Thank you to the Hasses, Bev-ineaus, Oppedals, Stevens, Brambles and Cliftons for sharing your time, love and wisdom. Combined, these couples have 331 years of marriage among them! Wow! In light of our current culture that doesn’t have a high regard for Biblical marriage, it is so refreshing to hear their stories and understand that they made a commitment that said, “Till death do us part.”

Before we get too much further into the story, I know about di-vorce and its many complexities. I know the tragedy that faces so many when a marriage is obliterated. I am a product of parents that divorced and I, too, ended a marriage some 35 years ago. It is a painful thing; sometimes worse than death. You grieve some-thing that was lost but still is with you, especially if you have chil-dren. While I know God’s Word says He hates divorce, He is also a loving, redemptive God, full of grace, mercy and forgiveness. So read on, make a determination to cling to God if you have been through a divorce, and look to Him for hope and healing.

These precious couples spent this treasure trove of time with me and cumulatively here is what they had to say:

How do you keep the friendship side of your relationship thriving?

“Talk to each other. Care for each other’s feelings. Have a date night once a week even if it’s just a walk around the park. Let your children see you courting each other and keeping the friendship/romance side of your marriage alive. It is healthy for you and them. Enjoy common interests. Travel together when you get a lit-tle older and really connect. There is nothing to distract when you are in a car seeing sites together. It seems that people these days don’t really want to be married. It doesn’t seem as important as it used to be. Make it important!”

“Realize that your obligations change over the years. First, you are courting and getting to know one another. Then work, building a career and establishing your household becomes important. If God gives you children, raising them becomes a top priority. You can’t lose sight of each other in the midst of life obligations. It is also very important to balance your work obligations with fam-ily. Don’t sacrifice the family for the sake of climbing the corpo-rate ladder. God will take care of your needs if you take care of the things that He prioritizes. Marriage and family is one of those pri-


orities.” One couple had these thoughts:

“He always made it home for dinner. Even if he had evening meetings, he would take the time and eat with the family. In our day, it seemed that family obligations were taken more seriously. We think another detriment to the family and a healthy marriage is being in the age of electronics. There is always something in someone’s hand. We are not paying at-tention to one another like we did in the past. It is so important to really pay atten-tion to your spouse.”

And another thought:

“We made it a point, because we were within distance, to visit our parents weekly. Kids came and the obligations changed but that time was never wasted. We believe honoring our parents helped our marriage and kept it close.”

How do you talk through disagree-ments in a healthy manner?

“For us, one would bring it up and ulti-mately we would agree to disagree. Move on and don’t get bogged down. Life is too short to get bogged down.”

“I had a lot of times my tongue was sore from biting it! Honestly, though, why not bite your tongue? You don’t always have to be right. If you are, and you trust God, He will work it out if you are patient.”

“Sometimes we have had some real doozies that we couldn’t resolve...then we would take a trip in the car. That helps. You couldn’t get away from each other, so you had to resolve the issue.”

“We’ve had some verbal ‘knock-down drag-outs’. At a point, you have to walk away. Somebody’s heart has to soften and that is where the Holy Spirit comes in and helps. It takes time sometimes, but if you quit communicating it’s over.”

“Remember that causes of unhappiness can be worked through. Do what God tells you to do and you are both going to be happy and work through difficulties because you are obeying God. We are in a marriage to please the other person. Humility is huge in a marriage. Try to re-

member that the anger ultimately is not worth the long-term pain. Sometimes you just have to walk away and give each other some space.”“Well, I never go to bed angry like the Bi-ble says, but I stay up a month at a time because of it sometimes!”

How do you grow together spiritu-ally?

“Be involved in church. When one spouse decides to serve in an area in the church, trust that God is leading them and be supportive.”

“Make sure to have other Christians in your life. They are needed to enhance our marriage. Go to church together and enjoy yourself in church. Have your fam-ily in church and lead by example, not force. If your spouse and children see you enjoying church, it will be appealing to them. The church has a lot to do with keeping the family together! A house di-vided cannot stand! Be unified and be in-tentional about your involvement.”

“Pray together. It’s key.”

How do you weather the storms of life together? The answers to these questions were beautifully shared. I can’t convey how much love was in the room and the tenderness of the Holy Spirit was present. With time passing and years together, you can only imagine some of the diffi-culties shared. Death, cancer, other illnesses, personal struggles. It was laid bare, and here are some of their thoughts:

“You have to do more self-examination. Too often we want to examine what is wrong with our spouse, when in fact I am the one that needs help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; go to counseling, have oth-ers to talk and pray with you. Whatever it takes to eliminate strife and struggles in your marriage.”

“When there is illness and death, you spiritually work through it together with the Lord’s help. If you’re not going to be-lieve in God together to help you through the worst of times, who are you going to

trust?”

“Some of the best counsel you can get is from your mate. Be open, talk, pray, stay on the ride together. There will be a lot of ups and downs. Lean on each other and tag team. When one is down, the other can pull you up. Be there for each other no matter what!”

Finally, what would you say to younger couples or couples about to be married?

“Remember it’s a sacrificial relationship. 100/100, not 50/50. It is a combined ef-fort; not two separate people, but one flesh.”

“It’s a give and take, day-to-day commit-ment. Remember to whom you made your promise-God.”

“It’s easy to get married. Staying married is where the work can be. Take your wed-ding vows seriously. When we got mar-ried we knew there was a likelihood that we would change jobs but not spouses. Make a commitment to grow old with each other.”

“Make a commitment to yourself and your spouse that divorce is not an option! Look at your spouse during the day and at the end of every day and say ‘I love you!’ and mean it!”

“Cherish each other. They are a gift from God.”

Carrie GaxiolaFlame Editor

[email protected]


FORGIVENESS:THE GIVE AND TAKE

BY KEVIN SIDDLE

Congratulations on making it to a new year! I hope that 2015 was a blessing to you and your family, but I pray that 2016 will be the best year ever for your faith walk. Like a lot of people this time of year, we begin looking toward ways to improve ourselves. Instead of looking at some of the normal choices people make at the new year, what about mak-ing a commitment to improve your rela-tionships instead? What about making a commitment to be continually mindful of seeking for and offering forgiveness to others?

Matthew 18:15If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

Twice in my life I have had to ask for for-giveness for serious pain that I caused to a loved one. Both times taught me so much about myself, about love, and about God. When we come to someone broken, vulnerable, and without ego, we make ourselves available to great grace.

When I was in college I put myself in a position where I needed to ask a close friend for forgiveness. It was a bad sit-uation, and I was solely to blame. There were no excuses and no one else that could be held accountable except yours truly. I knew that if I didn’t go clear the air, then our friendship was over.

Reluctantly, I went to my friend’s house, asked him for forgiveness and opened up about what went wrong, how it went wrong, and how I knew it would hurt him. I apologized many times and told

him that I wanted to make this right by him. Then my friend did something to-tally unexpected. He forgave me. He said that he was hurt and disappointed, but by coming and talking to him, I showed that our friendship was important to me.

Over the years since that conversation our friendship has grown from good to blessed. At the time, I could have never guessed that our friendship would grow the way that it did, but when we step out in faith and do the difficult God stuff, He is faithful to offer peace.

There is no question that asking some-one for forgiveness is a difficult task. As a follower of Christ, though, we can take comfort that we have the Holy Spirit as our guide. Romans 8:26 tells us that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” During those times of vulnerability, the Holy Spirit will guide us with wisdom, under-standing and counsel (Isaiah 11:2) to be able to mend relationships and speak the necessary words.

Equally as important as asking for for-giveness is to offer forgiveness to those who have hurt you. When we refuse to forgive someone, we are holding onto that hurt, resentment, betrayal or anger. Instead, we need to choose love.

Ephesians 4:31-32 NIVGet rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassion-ate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Turning resentment, anger and bitterness into love seems difficult, but it is actual-

ly pretty easy. This is where the power of prayer becomes evident. By praying for someone who has hurt us, we are freeing ourselves from the past and allowing God to intercede on our behalf.

If you don’t know what to pray, or how to free yourself from past hurts, you might start with something like this:

Heavenly Father, please free me from the burden of resentment. Lord I pray that you would help me to forgive those who have hurt me, and that I would no longer be chained by that sin. Please help me to forgive them completely so that I can see them the way that you do. Please work powerfully in their lives granting them grace and peace. Lord, please forgive me of my sins and thank you for your pa-tience and love. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Seeking and offering forgiveness may not get the same excitement built up as losing weight or trying to stop drinking soda, but it will certainly change your re-lationships in ways that are so much lon-ger lasting! If you have areas of your life where forgiveness needs to be present, I pray that you would take that step out in faith and do the gritty work of God stuff. When we do the right things the right way, we’ll get the right results at the right time.

Kevin SiddleFlame Volunteer Writerfacebook.com/kevin.siddle.12


BILL’S STORY

BY BECKY OLROYD

When I first learned of the subject for this edition of the Flame I thought to myself, “What a no brainer!” And I im-mediately responded that I was on board to write about “commitment” to family. I asked my children to what area of their lives they felt the most committed. Each responded without hesitation that it was to their family. I seemed to be on the right path.

Webster says that commitment is “a pledge or promise to do something.” At first it just seemed too obvious. We all make a commitment to our spouse when we marry. We pledge to love, cherish, honor and obey. I had done that. And when each of our children was born there was an unspoken commitment to love, nurture and support them forever. But how could I put the idea of family com-mitment into meaningful words?

For weeks I procrastinated as I tried to make the subject relevant. I would lay awake at night. I researched the internet for a better definition of commitment in general and in Biblical terms as it relat-ed to the family. I prayed about it, and I cried about it. I attempted to apply the likes of Abraham, Jacob, Ruth and Naomi to the context of family commitment. Ev-ery TV show I watched spoke to the sub-ject. But I couldn’t make any of it work toward my goal.

And then I received an email from a dear friend from our past. We knew Joy and Bill from a lifetime ago. We had shared many great times together and stayed in touch throughout the years. Bill and Joy were an unlikely couple. He was fun lov-ing, a bit edgy and verging on wild. She

was classy, subdued and beautiful. Bill’s email was updating me on the trials that he and Joy have experienced since she suffered a stroke a few years back. I knew he had cared for her lovingly through-out the ordeal despite numerous medical challenges of his own. But when he end-ed his email with a poignant need to fix Joy breakfast, I was inspired. Here was commitment.

Then, as I was visiting my 96 year old mother a few days later I was telling her of Bill’s story and my essay in prog-ress when it hit me that there could be no better example of family commit-ment than my own mother. My mom’s name is Billie. My dad called her Bill. She raised six children to be responsible Christian adults. She cared for infant twin sons while Dad served overseas. She stood up to my junior high principal on an incredibly foggy evening telling him that she didn’t care if the bus was going to an away basketball game, her cheer-leader daughter was not going to be on it. She stood stoically beside our family car watching her three year old son run toward her on what is now I55 after he had fallen from the car and was yelling, “Don’t go off without me!” The first time my younger sister suffered an anaphylac-tic reaction to peanut butter, she cradled Gwen in her arms as she was rushed to the hospital. And when my youngest sis-ter lay nearly lifeless from dehydration, Mom never left her side.

Two Bills – two entirely different stories from two entirely different lives and life-styles. I know not of Bill and Joy’s faith journey, and I’m not sure that it matters. I do know that my mother and my fa-

ther shared a commitment to each other, their family and our God that cannot be quantified. As unique as the stories of my friend and my mom, are countless oth-er unique stories of family commitment throughout the ages and all around us today.

As I began to write this morning I had a text from my daughter, Emily. I texted back that I was tackling this essay and having some problems. Emily is a pris-on psychologist and her response was, “A 5150 is an involuntary commitment in prison terms.” She then went on to ra-tionalize my struggles – that’s what psy-chologists do. But maybe she had a point. Maybe family implies an involuntary commitment. Or maybe it’s as simple as Webster defines – a pledge to do some-thing. For, “inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40 (KJV)

Commitment is a pledge or promise to do

something.

Becky OlroydFlame Volunteer Writer


COMMIT TO FIT!

BY KELLI TOBIN

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

It’s a brand new year and soon everyone will be signing up for gym memberships and preparing to make 2016 their best year ever! The problem is that most peo-ple don’t ever fully commit to making those permanent changes. As Christians, we should be committed to growing in God and reaching others for the King-dom. Sometimes my motives and com-mitment to working out and staying in shape are for my own personal wants and desires. The smaller pants that suddenly don’t fit. The bathing suit for the sum-mer season. Sometimes, I am trapped by wanting to fit a certain mold. All in the pursuit of worldly gain. It is during these months or even years, that I realize my objective is off. John reminds me in this verse that I’m not bearing any good fruit by selfish ambition. When my de-sire becomes for God and an honest pur-suit of Him, completely unrelated to my personal aims, He fills those voids. He is the completion to my incompleteness. And after a little bit, His goals become my goals. Not only do I receive rewarding benefits, but He in turn allows me to in-spire and reach others for His Kingdom!

Here’s my top five suggestions for hitting the ground running for the new year and being successful along the way:

1. Pray It Out - Ask God to help you stay committed this next year and season. Let Him lead in your daily pursuit of your goals and passions.

2. Write it down - Seeing what you want in your own handwriting will leave more of an impression than just a thought.

3. Keep it visible - Keep that hand-written note somewhere you will pass or see it at least 10x each day. A good place is the fridge, the bathroom mirror, in your purse, or maybe on your desk.

4. Make 1 small change - Don’t try to start exercising 5 days a week, cut out potato chips, drink 10 glasses of water a day, and never eat chocolate again. I don’t know about you, but all of that at once sounds terrible. Instead, aim to stop eating at 8 pm, 3 nights a week. Try to workout 3x a week for 15 minutes. After that becomes a habit, pick up an extra 5 minutes. Many small changes lead to big lifestyle changes.

5. Set a new goal - Once a new goal is reached, (and you will because you’re amazing!) set a new one! Aim a little higher. To see contin-ual growth, there must be continual challenge.

My prayer for all of us is that as we’re committed to God, we would be inspired to honor our bodies as a temple. Start today and ask a friend who can pray for you and hold you accountable.

Be ready to step out of your comfort zone. Just as in the Kingdom, there may be great risks but also great rewards. Stay committed friends!

Kelli TobinAthletic Ministries [email protected]

5The Top

PRAY IT OUT1.WRITE IT DOWN2.KEEP ITVISIBLE3.

SET A NEW GOAL5.

MAKE 1 SMALL CHANGE

4.


LEADING THENEXT GENERATION

BY AMANDA CATES

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word commitment as a “promise to do or give something; a promise to be loyal to someone or something; the attitude of someone who works very hard to do or support something.”

I think each and every one of us can think of something to which we feel strong commitment such as work, our marriages or our families. While these parts of our lives are part of our core, part of our day-to-day living, God has given each of His people spiritual gifts to use to glorify Him. He gave these unique gifts to us as part of His wonderful plan. But what does it look like to be committed to honoring God with your spiritual gifts? The answer to that will be different for each person, but I’m going to share some of my thoughts for those that are gifted in teaching, mentoring or exhorting.

As Director of Elementary and Tween Ministries, I am privileged to work with wonderfully gifted individuals who are responding to the gifts given to them by God. When I think of commitment in reference to Children’s or Youth Minis-try, I think of our Small Group Leaders. Small Group Leaders are the meeting point between the heart of the family and the light of the church. As Ministry Directors, we train, equip and resource these folks with every tool we can think they may need or want. The job of a Small Group Leader is to connect with the children in their group. They accom-plish this through leading children in ac-tivities and discussions that relate to their Biblical lesson for the week.

Imagine what our society would look like

if every child knew the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness that comes through Jesus Christ! That’s exactly what Small Group Leaders can accomplish! Most of our Small Group Leaders serve every week. Some serve twice a month. These folks spend time at home reading through the week’s activities and plans. They attend one worship service and then volunteer at another. They all give freely of their time. This commitment isn’t about checking off a to-do list for them. It’s about show-ing a child the love and acceptance that God has shown them. It’s about know-ing they are making a difference in a life. They are making a difference in the Kingdom of God! They have gotten to know the kids in their group. They know what school they attend. They know what hobbies the kids enjoy. They know when your child seems sad, happy or angry. They are the first line of spiritual defense for our kids outside their home. Your child’s Small Group Leader may be the first person to pray for them and with them outside of their family.

Keep your imagination hat on for just one more moment! Consider what could be accomplished in the future if every child grew up knowing they had been created in the image of God; that Jesus died for their sins; that those sins are forgiven; and that God wants to be in an ongoing relationship with them. Does that scene stir emotions inside you? Is it possible God could be calling you to be a Small Group Leader? He works in mysterious ways but never calls anyone to something for which He hasn’t equipped them to do. We are a growing church. We are always in search of more Small Group Leaders at every campus. Are you one of the folks

we are praying for God to send to us?

The biggest objection we hear from peo-ple is that they don’t know enough about the Bible to lead kids. Well, guess what? The kids are learning the Bible as well! Come alongside and learn with them! I like to say that everyone can learn some-thing from Children’s Ministry. Even the most seasoned Bible scholar can get a fresh take on Jesus through the eyes of a child.

If God is calling you, don’t let anything stand in your way! God has a plan for each of us, and it’s for our good and for the good of His Kingdom. Committing to leading the next generation is a commit-ment you won’t want to miss!

For more information in becoming a Small Group Leader in Children’s Minis-tries contact Amanda Cates at [email protected]

Amanda CatesDirector of Children’s and Tween

Ministries


Katie pointed out that Sunday at church is the easy part; “everyone’s like me at church, no pressure”. However, she point-ed out that “Monday through Saturday” was the tough walk, as peers are pres-suring her about weekend plans, where social media is blowing up with gossip and rumors, and when talking about your faith openly makes you look and sound different. I told her not to worry… adults deal with the exact same issues. How does our faith walk look on a Tues-day at 2pm when the world is dragging us down? Where do we put our hope on Friday night when we’re out with friends? Regardless of your age, being a commit-ted Christian in today’s “wired world” is a tough road indeed.

To extend the idea of how tough com-mitment can be, we discussed the big-gest obstacles Katie faces. She mentioned pride and the high/different expectations people have of you because of your faith. Pride is a challenge for all of us, but I love where Katie went with this. She men-tioned that it’s hard not to take credit/have pride for a job well done. “I want the credit!” Whether in marching band, aca-demics, or a faith-sharing experience, she realizes we have to give credit to God and acknowledge that He gave us the talents/abilities we are enjoying.

So why do so many students struggle with accepting Christ, or if they’ve ac-cepted, openly walking in their faith? Katie talked to the power of rebellion. Through movies, music, and other forms of media, teens realize these are the “re-bellious years”, and that walking in the light of Christianity doesn’t quite define the typical teen. They have many free-

I think commitment can be a scary word. It sounds a bit ominous, pushes us to look beyond the short-term, and shows itself in several aspects of our lives. Whether we are called to commit to a relationship, a vision from our boss, a workout program, our education, or a ministry opportunity, the desire to com-mit may initially exist, but it doesn’t al-ways have sustainability.

As the Christ Church High School Youth Director, I get a chance to work with some amazing young people and discuss the commitment areas of their lives. For them, like many of us, making commit-ments to “worldly” things tends to be a bit easier than making commitments within our Christian walk. I recently had a chance to discuss what commitment looks like for one of our seniors, Katie Cooper, and she provided some fabulous insight into the challenges teens face to-day.

Our initial discussion focused on a gen-eral definition of commitment through the eyes of a teenager. Katie used phrases like “a conscious effort to follow through” and “a decision that’s made daily” to get us started, and I couldn’t agree more. You can’t commit to something halfway, and can’t assume that it’s a one-time de-cision. It’s ongoing, 24/7/365. Some of Katie’s biggest commitments include the Belleville East Marching Band, her fam-ily and friends, and her academics. She spoke of how these required work and, especially with family and friends, that it was a “2-way street.” Exactly.

As we moved into what it takes to be a committed Christian in high school,

doms with getting a driver’s license, later curfews, and the ability to begin making some of their own decisions. Unfortu-nately, being a Christian doesn’t often play a role in this. In addition, Katie mentioned that teens can easily commit to worldly things because of the tangi-ble benefits and outcomes. “They do a sport, they get a trophy, win an award, get to wear a uniform, get praise from their teachers, friends, family, etc.” With Christianity, we don’t always see tangible rewards, or at least not right away. Every-one wants instant gratification, and un-fortunately, a commitment to a solid faith walk doesn’t always provide it.

Since Katie is a senior, my final question was regarding her concerns with her faith commitment as she heads to college. She cited the loss of her current accountabili-ty partners (since they will be staying be-hind or heading to different schools), and her desire to stay in Scripture and attend worship. Great concerns, but concerns I believe she’ll handle well. Regardless of this next phase, she’ll still make a daily decision, and she’ll still make a conscious effort to follow-through. Will she stum-ble along the way? Just like all of us, she will, but she realizes the eternal prize that we all have with a commitment to Christ. And that prize is something to fight for and commit to every single day.

A DAILY DECISION TO WALK IN THE LIGHT

BY ROBB HASS

Student Connection

Robb HassSenior High Student Ministries [email protected]


a neighborhood barbeque, deploying to some distant land (sometimes without being able to share the location), or miss-ing a significant part of watching children grow up, it is not without pain or price. The knowledge that freedom is not free and the willingness to pay the price is a tremendous commitment. With all this in mind, our servicemen and women ful-fill their commitment willingly.

What do bible study and military obliga-tion have in common? When you com-mit to a substantial obligation, it is not clear just how difficult it will be to com-plete the task. Often we have distorted concepts of the time it may take or the effort involved. Frequently we may find ourselves frustrated or overwhelmed and the Lord must be our source of strength. The Lord may use our friends, cowork-ers, classmates or brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage and help us shoulder the coursework and the call to “study to show ourselves approved” in the dis-ciplines of being a Christ follower. (II Timothy 2:15). We can offer ourselves to be the hands and feet of Christ to pray and give assistance to others. Fulfilling a commitment may not be easy, and it may even seem impossible, but we know all things are possible with Christ. Through Him, we are able not only to satisfy our commitments, but we can help others meet their commitments to be more dil-igent in the endeavor to know and under-stand God’s Word.

The Bible is very clear. God wants to be our God and He wants us to be His people. Now isn’t that an awe-inspiring commitment? The most powerful force in the universe is willing to have a per-

When the editor of The Flame mentioned the theme for the next magazine being “commitment”,, the first thing that came to my mind was the people I have had the pleasure of working with through the Discipleship Bible Study program. Each night there are designated segments of reading. There are six courses lasting approximately nine months. A number of people from Christ Church have been through all six of these courses and many others have done at least one or two. In each case, these students of God’s Word have grown tremendously in scriptural knowledge and in their relationship with Christ. The commitment to take time out of each day to listen to what God would say through His word, then discuss it at the end of the class week shows great re-ward for the effort. Many times the les-sons for each student are unique to the individual as God speaks to each of us in ways that apply to us personally or give insights that may benefit others. There are challenging passages, some that may bring a burden to understand, but as we cumulatively share our insights in class, the burden is lifted and applicable knowl-edge of God’s Word becomes life-chang-ing!

As I further ponder the concept of com-mitment, I think of our military com-munity. From the moment one joins the military, the commitment is service to their country, 365/24/7. For some, the idea of being subject to a phone call, a knock on the door any time of the day or night, or putting oneself in harm’s way is a difficult concept. For those serving pa-triots, it is a privilege to serve the needs of this country. Whether giving up a planned weekend, a family gathering or

sonal relationship with you! Will you commit to the Creator God, the provider God, the loving God, the forgiving God, indeed, the one and only God? Will you commit yourself to His service; not just this moment, today or this year? From the beginning to the end, He is willing to be your God. Are you willing to be His? Are you willing to commit to become a disciple of Jesus Christ and His Word?

DISCIPLESHIP COURSES -COMMITMENT TO BIBLICAL STUDIES

BY JIM OPPEDAL

Jim OppedalFlame Volunteer Writer

MORELEARN

Learn more about Adult Bible Study

Discipleship at Christ Church!

[email protected]@att.net


PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE: CHRIST CHURCH’S “TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS’ MINISTRY

BY CARRIE GAXIOLA & JEFFREY BISHOP

On a cold wintry night more than a de-cade ago, a Christian couple sat warm and comfortable in a local diner, enjoy-ing a meal and the other’s company. The conversation soon turned to the needs of others, a challenge by Rev. Shane Bish-op to serve in Christ’s name, and a con-viction that they were exactly the people called to help people living on the streets amidst us. “We went and bought a big five-gallon cooler, some bulk hot chocolate, and hit the streets,” Cheryl Shoffstall recalled. “Boy were we unprepared! We had no coats, no socks, no food. It was that night that we realized there was a definite need for a ministry in this area.” Whether they knew it then or not, the Shoffstalls had started what would be-come Christ Church’s Winter Patrol homeless ministry. The ministry started small: with donated socks and coats piled in the Shoftshall family room and no budget or storage space to work with for its first couple of years. Realizing that addressing home-lessness is a year-round effort, the min-istry formally requested – and received – help from Christ Church, “and God took it from there,” Shoffstall said. Today, the

ministry serves up to 100 people at any time. After the significant commitment of lead-ing the ministry through its first eight years, Cheryl transitioned out of her leadership role. Robin Watt had long had a heart for helping people on the streets – even before attending Christ Church and coming into a saving relationship with Christ. After his baptism, he became ac-tive in the Winter Patrol. “I had it in my heart to do something for someone that could do nothing for me,” Watt said. With Shoffstall’s transition out, Watt wrestled with a call to step in. He then heard one word, “Jonah,” and knew that, despite the weaknesses he thought he had, he needed to obey and follow the call of God, just as the reluctant Bible prophet had. He accepted the call, and with it, the conviction that they were serving “the least of these,” in our com-munities. Thus, the ministry renamed it-self to mirror the lives of those that Jesus taught about in Matthew 25:31-40. In his leadership, Watt also saw the need for the ministry members to “reproduce ourselves;” to not just serve the homeless,

but to also seek out other church mem-bers with a heart to serve the homeless and to disciple them to expand the im-pact of the ministry. After three more fruitful years at the helm, and while Watt and Shoffstall are both still actively involved in the minis-try, once again its leadership and its stra-tegic direction is in transition – in a way that seems Providentially pre-ordained. Earlier this spring, Watt knew he’d be stepping down, and crafted an email to the members of his ministry asking them to pray and seek God’s will for the next ministry leader – but he didn’t send it out then. At about the same time, Eric Ahland-er and his family transferred to the area. They found a church home at Christ Church and got involved right away, first at the Scott Campus, then at the Fairview Heights location, where they learned about the homeless ministry. On their first outreach visit, Ahlander met and prayed with a man named Dustin who was living on the streets. After that prayer and that first stop on the streets, Ahland-er knew exactly how he was called to serve. A few months later, Watt sent out the email that had sat in his drafts folder all that time, and Ahlander was there to re-ceive it and to be convicted by it. As if in God’s perfect timing, had the note gone out in the spring as intended, the Ah-lander family would not yet have been in the area to receive it. Since taking the helm, Ahlander changed the name of the ministry to Takin’ It to the Streets, to more concretely represent the work of the ministry, and drawing from the name of a hit song from the band The Doobie Brothers. He believes God has asked each leader to build the next part of the road that the ministry is on.

Ministry Spotlight


“The mission does not change as leader-ship has changed: to feed the hungry and poor and reach out to those that are on the streets,” he said. His vision forward is to encourage more Christ Church peo-ple to “get out of the pews and get on the bus.” Ahlander said he wants to see the youth of Christ Church get involved in the min-istry in ways that they best can – particu-larly with the “behind-the-scenes” prepa-ration work that precedes outreach visits on the streets. Bridging gaps with other ministries – such as the eyesight minis-try that provides glasses to the needy, or the worship ministry to perhaps include a guitarist for street worship – is all part of his broader vision for expanding the impact his group can have. Unlike other ministries where the re-turn on investment is clear and strong: baptism rates, membership, church at-tendance or professions of faith – it’s of-ten hard to see the impact of the work of a ministry like Takin’ it to the Streets’. Nonetheless, the never-ending challenge of the ministry doesn’t remove its need – or its fruitfulness. Shoffstall in particular is always ready with an unequivocal sto-ry of ministry success; by her account, its

impact includes:

• Team members have had life-chang-ing encounters with Christ while serving

• Team members have formed strong friendships with others in the minis-try while serving side-by-side on the streets together

• Unchurched friends started serving after being touched by stories they heard about the ministry from team members

• In turn, many of those unchurched friends have started attending church after serving the ministry

• Community advocates working the problems of the homeless from a secular perspective have seen God’s hand at work in the ministry

• Many church members who hadn’t tithed before started to do so after seeing firsthand how their tithes im-pact the ministry

• A spinoff ministry, focusing on homeless children, has since formed

Despite its impact, Watt said he has come to realize the truth that Jesus shared with his disciples: that the poor will always be with us. “There will always be a need to serve those less fortunate,” Watt said. “The number of people the ministry serves ebbs and flows with the seasons. It is not just a ‘today problem’ but a problem that has been with us for all of time.” Ultimately, Ahlander wants to see the word of God put into action based on James 2:15-16, which says, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” The homeless ministry is uniquely charged to do a lot of good on the streets of our communities, where too many are invisible, yet are hurting. Most signifi-cantly, a commitment to take it to the streets allows Christ Church to make a difference to as many of them as possible. Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version

Committing to Take it to the Streets“There is a lot to do!” Those are Eric Ahlander’s words of warning to those who’d com-mit to Christ Church’s Takin’ it to the Streets homeless ministry. According to the new director for the ministry, the group’s work starts behind the scenes, where hygiene bags and foil-wrapped chicken meals are put together to hand out. Other prep work includes gathering, sorting and preparing donated clothing, coats, hats and gloves. This work is essential to the ministry’s success, and is ideal for youth members, since those who interact with homeless people on the streets must be 18. It also takes a particular spiritual maturity for those who head out in the church bus to minister in the harsh elements of the streets, according to Ahlander. “We are disciples of Christ, involved in discipling each other, praying together to pre-pare and reaching out to those that may not have even a kind word spoken to them,” he said. “People have to realize it is not an easy ministry. Oftentimes it is downright heartbreak-ing,” he said. “The commitment we want to see is fearlessness and a commitment to be-ing selfless. Fearless to walk with Christ and what He’s called you to do; it’s a fearlessness that prays with people, and a willingness to see what a hard life really looks like.” “The entire purpose is to be the light of Jesus Christ and to give love and hope,” Ahland-er added. “It is the mission to let people on the streets know they are loved.”

LEARN MORETo learn more about the needs

of this mission, or to get in-volved, visit the

Takin’ it to the Streets Facebook page at

facebook.com/CC.LeastofThese


CONNECTING TO CHRIST THROUGH A CONNECT GROUP

BY PAM HUFF

As members and participants at Christ Church, you surely hear a lot about Con-nect Groups. Many ask, “Why should I take the time out of my busy life to add one more thing?” through a Connect Group.

First, it might be useful to be clear on what exactly a Connect Group is. Quite simply, it’s a group of like-minded indi-viduals who commit to regularly spend time together in fellowship, establishing and deepening relationships with one an-other, usually around those things they share in common.

Odds are, you may already be in an affin-ity group, which is like a Connect Group in that it is perhaps geared toward a fa-vorite hobby, a civic group, or a profes-sional organization you and other mem-bers belong to. Often you’ll serve others in need, have fun, learn and develop to-gether in community with others in these groups.

The main difference between those con-nect groups and a Christ Church Con-nect Group is that God should be a central theme -- and member -- of your Connect Group, and the aim of regular-ly meeting is to deepen your Christ-cen-tered relationships with fellow believers in that group.

For me, being in a Connect Group is one thing that I can’t live without. My Con-nect Group holds me accountable; its members listen to me when times get tough; celebrate life’s great events with me; and help me learn from God’s word. We all need someone, or a few someones: those friends to live life with. Connect

Groups provide a way to build relation-ships with others and with Jesus Christ.

Connect Groups are a great way to invite unchurched friends, neighbors, cowork-ers, and maybe even family members to experience Christian community. It is often easier for folks that don’t know Jesus or who don’t attend church to in-stead go to a restaurant or to your home for a Connect Group than to walk into a church. That’s one reason why most of our groups meet off campus.

We need to remember that Connect Group is not just about us; we have a purpose in life and we have a purpose at Christ Church: to connect people to Jesus Christ.

Connect Groups should be a commit-ment made first, not last. If you don’t have time to commit to a Connect Group, one thing to consider is that may-be you are too busy. None of us can ma-ture in our faith by going to church just once a week. A Connect Group provides us with an opportunity to really deepen our faith. I encourage you to re-evaluate your life, re-evaluate your priorities. Is God first?

Everyone needs to be in a Connect Group; it’s part of our Christ Church “SYNC” standard of worship,+2 and a tithe, which helps us synchronize our lives with God through worship, loving God, loving our neighbors and generosity . If you aren’t a part of a Connect Group yet, I challenge you to find one and join. We have included a list of current open groups and new groups in this issue of The Flame.

If you don’t find one that seems to be a good fit, then I’d encourage you to start your own. All it takes is for you to invite a couple friends and you’ll have a Group! Always be on the lookout for folks to in-vite. I’m here to help you and to equip you as you commit to seek a Connect Group to connect with.

CONNECTEDGETLearn more about

Connect Groups at Christ Church!

www.mychristchurch.com/ConnectGroups

[email protected]

Pam HuffDirector of Adult Discipleship

[email protected]


New & Open Groups

Millstadt Women’s Group meets once a month on Monday nights from 6:30 to 8:00. Contact Sheri Luecking @ [email protected].

Pub Theology at The Peel in O’Fallon, IL at 9pm on the sec-ond and fourth Wednesdays of the month. Contact Zack Dunlap @ [email protected]

Scott Campus Men’s Group - Video study (Authentic Manhood), Meets every Tuesday @ 7pm at Scott Campus. Con-tact Wayne Kunde @ [email protected]

Ruth Hayley Barton’s Book Sacred Rhythms Book Study. A mixed group looking at spiritual disciplines. We meet at 10:30 am. on Wednesdays. Contact Rachael Dunlap @ [email protected]

Thursday Morning Women’s Group meets at the Coffeehouse in O’Fallon from 9:30-11:00 a.m. every Thursday morning. Study includes a variety of books and books of the Bi-ble. Contact Pam Huff @ [email protected]

“Wing and a Prayer” Small Group meets Monday evenings at 6:30 at the Cards home in Swansea. Dinner and study. Contact Bruce and Anna Card @ [email protected]

Coram Deo Connect Group beginning on Tuesday, January 19th, at 6:30 PM. Mixed group ( age, gender, marital status) will meet at The St. Louis Bread Company in Fairview Heights. Contact Orville and Jane Mercer @ [email protected]

Faith & Friendship a women’s connect group. Groups meet 1 x week, discussing life applicable topics based on Scrip-ture with encouragement and prayer. Monday 6:30 - 7:45 p.m.; Tuesday 10:00-11:30 a.m.; Wednesday 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.All three groups meet at St. Louis Bread Co. - Fairview Heights. Contact Linda Duncan @ [email protected]

Millennial/Learning Life is a group of young adults who love Jesus. We meet Thursdays at 6:30 to fellowship with one another and study various topics to help us grow in our under-standing of what it means to live Christian lives. Contact Tiffany Edwards @ [email protected]

Something For Singles Ministry: We exist to con-nect divorced, widowed, and never married singles of all ages in Christian Ministry. All members are invited to monthly fel-lowship gatherings and separate small groups and activities throughout the year. Contact Becky Olroyd @ [email protected]

Inter-generational Group meets on Sunday mornings at 10:45 for a scripture-based, topical Bible study designed to grow your relationship with Jesus Christ and impart scriptur-al principles for modern Christian living. Meets in Conference Room A @ Christ Church. Led by Dave Gillingham.

The LeQuatte’s Connect Group is geared to couples and meets every other Saturday evening from 6:30-8:30 for a potluck and group study at the LeQuatte home in Shiloh. Child-care is not provided. Contact Craig & Jill LeQuatte @ [email protected]

Sonlight Class consists of singles and couples 18 year olds to Seniors in their 90’s. Fellowship, social events, Bible Study. Sundays 9:35 - 10:30 a.m. in the Chapel. Contact Rick and Liz Reed @ [email protected]

Millennial Couples Connect Groups trying to get off the ground. Parents responsible for own childcare. Variety of activities and topics. If interested contact [email protected]


PROJECTCHRISTMAS CHEER

BY SERVING CHRIST TEAM

Thank you, Christ Church, for support-ing Project Christmas Cheer again this year. With your help we provided 340 gifts to residents at 13 nursing homes. We have been supporting the local and regional nursing home residents for nine-teen years. In our first year we gave gifts to 25 people. As our church grew, so did our giving. We have been consistent-ly giving over 300 gifts for the past few years.

Many thanks to a great group of peo-ple who helped sort, check and deliver the gifts to the nursing homes. We also want to thank the church staff for help-ing with publications, copying forms, setting up tables and fielding questions. A special thanks for the CUMC Methodist Women and Men who bought haircuts/shampoo/sets for a number of residents at one of the nursing homes. This was over and above the normal gifts given to those residents. When you consider that the cost of this beauty/barber service would equate to almost half of the resi-dent’s monthly disposable income, you

can imagine how appreciative they were. We couldn’t have done it without all your help.

Giving to those less fortunate not only makes us feel good, it is mandated by Je-sus. It is also in the best spirit of Christ-mas to give to someone who can’t possi-bly return the favor. The residents are so grateful for these tokens of love. Many of them are not verbal enough to say thank you, but the look in their eyes when they see their gift or feel a warm throw or sweater says it all. The nursing home personnel are always amazed at our gift giving and look forward each year for an invitation to participate. Our church is well known for the number and quality of our gifts. This is certainly serving Christ ‘around the corner’.

Thanks again,Serving Christ Team

What It Means To “COMMIT” by Dave Merrill

I beg your time if you permit,Consider now the word “commit”.

This English word may not be clear,As different meanings will appear.

At once I might “commit” a sin,Another time “commit” to win.

I might “commit” to do some good,“Committed,” then misunderstood.

The OT Scriptures give command,Do not “commit” to murder man.

(Exodus 20:13)While Proverbs teach God’s chosen

few,“Commit” to Him in all you do.

(Proverbs 16:3)

The Psalmist finds the path restored,“Commit” your Way unto the LORD.

(Psalm 37:5)Disciple Peter understood,

“Commit” yourselves to doing good. (1 Peter 4:19)

These different meanings are revealed,

When Hebrew text is unconcealed.Mā al “commits” a treacherous act,

(Leviticus 5:15)Resha “commits” a wicked pact.

(Proverbs 16:12)

Nā aph “commits” adultery, (Exodus 20:14)

Avah “commits” iniquity, (Daniel 4:27)

Shagag “commits” to go astray, (Numbers 15:28)

Misled by sin, and not The Way.

Greek words in A.D. Testaments,Are also full of “commit”-ments.

Phoneuó will “commit” to slay, (Matthew 5:21)

Kleptó “commits” to take away. (Mark 10:19)

But didómi “commits” to care, (Matthew 5:31)

And graphó writes “commit” to share. (Revelation 1:19)

For Jesus’ para-tith-e-mai,“Commits” to God his final cry.

(Luke 23:46)

The word “commit” falls far too short,

Our tongue “commits” us to distort.While I “commit” to make this

rhyme,“Commit” I too... “The Flame” on

time.


GOD AT WORK

WEDDINGS

William Card & Erica Yates – Oct 3Dustin Finnegan & Melissa Markle – Oct 24James Korba & Stacy Hollaway – Nov 7

NEW MEMBERS

SEPTEMBER 2015Eileen Appel David Crowe Lily Crowe Gerald P. Fenelon, II Sheryl Fenelon Ashley Lewis Julie Morris Michael Anthony Morris Benjamin W. Oatley Elizabeth Oatley Maria Page Janelle L. Sorbie Allen R. Whitesell Patrick A. Wilson Patsy Wilson

OCTOBER 2015Cory Clagett David Cozad Lynda CozadJohn Forsythe Brenda Hicks Joseph Loring Shelley Loring Kurt Striegel Pamela Striegel

NOVEMBER 2015Rachel S. Davis Rusty V. Davis Dawn A. DuQuette LeRoy DuQuette, III Helen Jeannette Eberle Stuart Taylor Eberle Hydéa A. Holland Carrie A. Kaufman Aaron M. Kaufman Gary L. Smith Loretta K. Smith Eric Willingham Tammie L. Willingham Susan E. Woodruff Kari Clagett

ATTENDANCE

2015September Worship Avg = 2,026September Connection Avg = 581October Worship Avg = 2,039October Connection Avg = 716November Worship Avg = 2,139November Connection Avg = 549

MEMBERS PASSING

Robert Potter – Sep 7Frances (Charlene) Alderfer – Oct 9Mary Louis Stepp – Oct 10Patricia Shye – Nov 25

BAPTISMS

SEPTEMBER 2015Mya Danridge Kyle Ferguson Lane Ferguson

OCTOBER 2015Cole Agne Jacob Agne

NOVEMBER 2015Roman Battleson Solomon Battleson Caden Clagett Conner Clagett Kari Clagett Penelope Hammond Alayna Hemann Owen Niemaczek Karson Showers Nolan Stolz Liam Whitesell


GETTING TO KNOW YOUCarmen Wuebbels

Job TitleFaith Community Nurse Coordinator

Job DescriptionIntegrator of Faith and Health, Health Educator, counselor, and advo-

cate, referral advisor, and volunteer coordinator.


What made you decide to attend this church? My husband, Gary, want-ed to try Christ Church, and we loved it from the very first visit and have never left!

How are you Syncing with Christ Church? Faith Community Nursing, Sunday School, Choir, Ushering.

Do you attend a small group? Choir is my small group!

How has this changed your relation-ships? Lots of love, laughter and worship as a team!

What song describes your life jour-ney? Because He Lives – I can face to-morrow!

What cartoon character best de-scribes you? I never liked cartoons but I did like the Three Stooges. I am Curly (I have naturally wild curly hair).

Describe the perfect date night. Dinner and dancing, I like the dancing so I can work off the supper! I also like to stay in sit by the fireplace, watch a movie and graze on appetizers.

Who do you respect the most? Dad and Mom because they have always set a good example for my Christian life and my marriage.

Which souls of our society do you think need the most help? Those that don’t know Jesus as their personal Sav-ior and have not accepted Him into their heart!

How did you meet your spouse? He was working with my girlfriend’s hus-band. I went with her to take her hus-band’s lunch and Gary saw me with her.

Gary asked her husband for my number, and the rest is history.

What is the first thing you notice about people? Their smile.

What do you think the secret to a good life is? Love. I frequently tell peo-ple I love them. I even tell people I just met that I love them. There are different kinds and degrees of love. I think we all need to hear it, and I might be the only person or even the last person to tell someone they are loved. God has put a love for people in my heart that I just can’t explain.

How did you come to know God? I grew up in a Christian home where we would all gather in my parents’ bedroom, Dad read the Bible to us and then we prayed together as a family.

Where are you from? I was born at Belleville Memorial Hospital and grew up in Highland IL.

Which sport do you like? Golf is my favorite sport to participate in. I like pro baseball, football and hockey.

Do you have a nickname? Carm or Wibz.

Which do you prefer, sunrises or sunsets? Hmm, I like both. I love a beautiful sunrise when everything is fresh and it signifies a new day a new beginning. I also love a beautiful sun-set-that time of the day when you can say it’s time to relax and thank God for the blessings you received for the day.

Would you sing Karaoke in front of coworkers? Well sure! We all need to laugh on occasion.

Who plays the most influential role

in your life? My mom . She is such an awesome Christian lady. I have never seen my mom upset, and she always sees the good in everyone. She and Daddy both have influenced my prayer life as they are awesome prayer warriors!

What do you prefer - spontaneity or stability? Spontaneity

Are you a Cubs or Cardinal fan? Car-dinals!!!!!

Describe a perfect day off from work? Sleep until 6, read, cuddle with my puppy, go to brunch with hubby and home for an afternoon nap.

What’s the best birthday gift you’ve ever received? My Mustang when I turned 16.

What’s the strangest food you’ve eaten? Alligator

Would you rather fly a jet or drive a race car? I drive like I have a race car everyday, so I guess I would like to fly a jet.

What movie would we find you in, a western, comedy or romance? Ro-mance

What store in the mall would we see you in the most? Shoe store

What attracted you to your spouse? He was funny

What advice would you offer to a newlywed couple? Keep God first in your marriage and make certain you teach your husband those 2 little words “YES DEAR” -- hahaha

Most hated chore on the household chore list? Dusting and so does Gary so if you come visit please bring a dust rag!!


Christ Church is making it super easy to give your tithes and offerings! We are excited to announce our Text 2 Give pro-gram. It’s simple, just text our keyword “CC” and your donation amount to this number “28950”.

TEXT2GIVEGET STARTED TODAY!

1. Text CC and your donation amount to 28950. (Ex: CC 150 - this keyword equals a $150 donation to Christ Church.)

2. Follow the registration link to set up your account.

(you will only have to do this the first time you give)

3. Give Again by texting CC and your donation amount to 28950!

More information about our Text 2 Give program is on the back. Contact Alan Prass at [email protected] with any questions.

How does it work?Send a text message to the number 28950. Type in one of our keywords, a space, and the amount you wish to give.

For Example: CC 75

If this is the first time you have giv-en via text, you will receive a text re-sponse with a link to a page where you will register your information. Follow the link, fill in your name, ad-dress, email address, and debit or credit card information and you are done! This one-time registration is required to complete the donation. When the registration is complete, you will receive a receipt for your gift via text message.

Any time you want to give after your initial registration, all you have to do is send a text message to 28950, text in one of our keywords, a space and the amount you wish to give. Your card will automatically be charged, and you will receive a text message receipt for your gift. Message and data rates may apply

Are the keywords important or can I just text anything?The keywords are very important as they indicate where the donation or payments are going. Be accurate when you text! The keywords are not case sensitive and you do not have to include a dollar sign or decimal point. But, remember to include a space be-tween the keyword and the amount you wish to give!

Which kind of debit or credit card can I use?Visa, MasterCard, Discover

Is the amount added to the phone bill?No, the amount is not added to your phone bill, but it is charged to your debit or credit card, the card you registered with during your one time

registration process.

How secure is this?This solution is PCI Security Certi-fied, and there is no data whatsoev-er stored on your phone. PCI is the industry security standard for credit and debit card statements, and in-cludes a rigorous periodic security testing and audit of the entire sys-tem. For more information, see the following links:

https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/security_standards/index.phphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_DSS

Is my personal information safe? Your personal information is kept secure and only accessible by Christ Church and mobileAxept. mobileAx-ept prohibits any direct or indirect solicitation, including adverting or publicity.

What is the maximum amount I can give?You can give any amount you wish. The maximum limit depends on how much your bank will allow you to charge to your card. You may give full dollar amounts (25) or dollars and cents (25.25)

Will I be charged per text message?The cost of sending and receiving the text message is determined by your cell phone provider. It normally is the same as sending a text message to a friend.

How can I unregister or unsub-scribe?Simply text STOP to 28950. You will then receive an acknowledgement that you have unregistered.

What kind of receipt will I receive?You will receive a receipt via text message. Donations made via text messages will also be included on the contribution statement that you nor-mally receive from Christ Church.

OUR KEYWORDSCC - General FundCCBuild - Building Fund

CCNOC - Network of CaringCCMission - Missionary FundCCSpecial - Special Events / Offerings

Steve [email protected]

Mobile: (618) 407-9110

www.strano.com/stevewhite

Th e highest compliment I can receive is the referral

of friends, family, & business partners,

~ Th ank You ~

Carie Bradshaw(618) 593-3258

[email protected]

Providing Our Communityand Military/VA with Options

Carie Bradshaw(618) 593-3258

[email protected]

INTEGRITYProviding Our Community

and Military/VA with Options

TURN YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS INTO FINANCIAL SUCCESS.

05-4000 © 2015 The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (Northwestern Mutual).

Ryan Blaha Fairview Hts(618) 589-7047 x7047ryanblaha.nm.com

CHRIST CHURCH BUSINESS OWNERSYou can help Christ Church produce the Flame magazine by becoming a sponsor. Call us at 618-277-4659 for details.


ONE CHURCH - Multiple Locations

Learn more about Christ Church at

www.mychristchurch.com

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS CAMPUS339 Frank Scott Pkwy E, Fairview Heights, IL

Service TimesSundays – 9:00am, 11:00am, 6:00pmWednesdays – 6:30pmSaturday – 5:00pm

SCOTT CAMPUS4051 161 Highway East Belleville, IL

Service TimesSundays – 10:00am

MILLSTADT CAMPUSMillstadt Primary Center at 105 W Parkview Dr in Millstadt, IL


COLLINSVILLE / MARYVILLECAMPUSHeavenly Rhythm Dance Studio (Temporary Location)

2229 Vandalia St, Collinsville, IL


Learn more about Christ Church at www.myChristChurch.com. 618-2774659. 339 Frank Scott Parkway East, Fairview Heights, IL 62208.

The Flame - Winter 2016

Documents

Transcript of The Flame - Winter 2016