News From the Road

Continuing the Vision

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:32:11 -0500

The leadership wants to thank all who have been in prayer for the expansion project. It has been very exciting to see the building take shape through the spring and summer. Because of your generous giving we are very close to being able to complete the first stage of this project before winter. Some of the needs that we have to complete before winter includes: initial electrical work, shingles, siding, and the heat for the south side of the building. We are looking for volunteers to help shingle the first Saturday after the sheeting and felt are on the roof. Likely this Saturday, September 20th.

Gene Gochenour shared some of the financial needs we have for the continuation of the project this past Sunday at both services. We want to thank Gene and Bob Morton for taking the lead on the building project. They have worked tirelessly to keep things moving and make sure that we can get the most value out of every dollar spent on this project.

We would appreciate if you could make a pledge for the continuation of the expansion project. You pick up a pledge sheet at Church. All donations should be marked building expansion on the memo line and can be put in the offering or mailed to the office.

Please let us know if you have any questions. Enjoy the slide show below that includes photos of the large crane setting rafters.

Growing your Faith in Community

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:23:04 -0500

There is little more important in life than growing your faith in connection with a community of believers. I am glad that Logan Christian Church is just such a community. The way we encourage one another and challenge each other to deeper faith and knowledge is a sign of a healthy Church and growing body.

Today, I want to share with you an opportunity to grow your faith even deeper. If you have a desire to know God’s plan for your life, if you have questions about your faith, then you need to get connected to one of our classes or small groups. I have highlighted below some of these great classes and small group ministries in our congregation.

This coming October we will be emphasizing our small groups and Sunday school classes. We will also be looking for new small group leaders. If you are a current Sunday school teacher, small group leader, or are interested in helping I want you to join me for a teacher training on Monday, Sept 29 at 7pm. We will share some visions for our groups, look at training material, and discuss upcoming studies we would like to do.

Classes and Small Groups
+Sunday+
Every Sunday at 9:30am between our two worship services we offer Bible based training for adults, students, and children. There are five adult classes and age appropriate classes for students and children.

+Tuesday+
Tuesday night at 7pm we are offering a small group for adults at the Church. This year we will begin our study by looking at the nature and character of Jesus, in the book, The Jesus I Never Knew.

+Wednesday+
Ladies Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 9am at the Church. This small group shares God’s message of hope and encouragement for women.

Wednesday we have our groups for youth of all ages at the Church. Students in Pre-K through 5th graders meet after school from 2:30 – 4:30. Jr. High students meet at the Church from 5:00 – 7:30 and H.S. students meet from 6:30 – 10:00. A small snack is provided for those who come after school and a light dinner is served for the Jr. High and H.S. at 6:30.

+Saturday+
Saturday night at 7pm we are offering an evening of worship. This small group gathers for encouragement from one another and communion with God. We sing, study the Bible, and share a time of communion around the Lord’s Table.

Snakes and Slippery Rocks

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:35:04 -0500

My father tells great stories from his youth. They are the kind of stories that kids love to hear and make mothers nervous. Dad grew up in southern Missouri and from his stories I gather he spent a good deal of his childhood days outside running with his friends. They were thick as thieves and always getting into mischief. They played in trees, walked the railroad tracks, hung out at the old Indian caves, and when it got hot spent a lot of time in the local creeks.

Dad has recounted many times how much fun it was to swim in the creek, but you often had to keep a wary eye out for snapping turtles and water moccasins, poisonous snakes that can swim in the water. Sometimes when they played in the creeks they would wait until one of their friends was making his way across the moss covered rocks and then cry, snake. The end result was usually watching a friend fall recklessly into the water as he tried to scramble out of the way of the mythical snake. They saw enough snakes that apparently this joke worked every time!

Think about the Israelites and their leader Joshua crossing through the Jordan valley and across the smooth moss covered river rocks. What fears did they have? The spies a generation ago had told of countless obstacles in the way between them and possession of the promise land. The powerful cities and people in Canaan had been overwhelming to them.(Numbers 13:27-33) Now a new generation was given an opportunity to receive the promise their parents had rejected. They were about to step foot into the promised land of God, but the same dangers still loomed ahead of them.

I believe we are at a similar place in the history of Logan Christian Church. It can be dangerous standing on the slippery rocks of Gods leading, as human beings we tend to see dangers around every corner. These dangers may be real or they may simply be phantom snakes. Yet this place is not unfamiliar to us. We have seen all the champions of the faith in this place before. Faithfully they focus on following God knowing He alone can show them the path through the dangers.

Our own congregation has put itself in the hands of God many times. Think of the faith that was required to start this Church in 1887 by a handful of Christians. Think of the faith required to rebuild it after the fire. Think of the faith required as we have added classroom space, youth programs, and ministers. Some say that faith is its own reward. The Bible says the reward of faith is receipt of the promise. Jesus promised that the Church would be such a force in this world that not even the gates of hell could slow us down! (Matt. 16:18)

God is certainly leading us into an undiscovered country. We are only beginning to see the bounty that he has in store for His Church. We are in the middle of one of the largest building campaigns our church has ever undertaken, our youth program shares Christ with hundreds of kids, our Church is engaged in evangelistic work in our community, state, country, and around the world. And what is ahead we can only see by faith. You may remember the verse we used for our VBS theme this year,

This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (1John 5:4)

It doesn’t get much clearer than that. Put your faith in the one who has already given us the victory through Christ Jesus.

Building Progress

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:26:48 -0500

Photo Gallery
Take a moment and see some of the recent progress on the building project. It is amazing to see it going up so quickly. Thanks to all the workers! Here is the link to my photo gallery at flickr.

Latest Progress
This week saw more walls being framed and raised. The most difficult section went in on Thursday, Aug 21. This section of wall separates the two structures and is covered with sheet rock to provide extra fire protection. Soon the all the exterior walls will be up and some of the rafters will begin to be placed. We do need to continue to pray for our contractors. The work can be quite dangerous. This past week, Sharon and I saw a near miss when one section of wall fell as it was being installed. Thankfully no one was in the way when it came free from the lift.

Walk Through
If you have a chance to walk through the work site (just ask Ron Riley, Gene G., or Bob M. if you want a tour) you will be able to see how this two story 56 by 164 expansion will connect to our existing building. Roughly two thirds of the building will be a large multi-purpose room and the rest will be classroom space, offices, and modern restroom facilities. The offices will be located near the existing ramp in the Southwest corner. Across from the offices will be two classrooms useable as a modern nursery with its own restroom. In the middle section north of the nursery will be our new and much larger restrooms. Everything North of that section will be our multipurpose room.

Area Contractors
A lot of different folks have helped us get to this point. Area contractors who have already worked on the project include: Architectural work was done by Emswiler Architecture of Missouri Valley; Moore’s plumbing of Woodbine; Lowell Green Construction, concrete work; M & S Framing, Mike Hedegaard of Missori Valley.

Volunteers
Many of our own members have already put in countless hours in volunteer time preparing our site for development and coordinating the efforts of all our contractors. We are on pace to have the framing completed in four to six weeks. This should allow us to have the office space useable early this fall/winter. Then the rest of the south end of the building will need to be completed, followed by the multipurpose room, and finally the 2nd floor class area. These projects will be done largely by our own people and will depend upon availability of funds and manpower for their completion.

The Future Use
We have many planned uses for the space. Our youth programs will enjoy the recreational uses of the gymnasium. With the addition of a stage, modern lighting, and sound in the space we will even have the ability to hold worship services and other larger church gatherings in the new multipurpose building. We are hopeful that the gym will also be used by our community. We hope to have open gym times for youth and adults for exercise and recreation. The room will make a great space for large weddings, funerals, and community events as well. The real joy of seeing this structure going up is that it not only provides our congregation with more space, but that it will allow us more opportunities to connect with and share with our community, neighbors, and friends the love of Christ.

The View from Pisgah

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:20:36 -0500

This past summer I had the privilege of visiting Soldier Valley Cemetery located south of the town of Pisgah, Iowa. The cemetery is located on a hillside that overlooks the beautiful Soldier Valley. The purpose of the visit was to lay to rest an elderly saint that had lived a full and joyful life. The internment was dignified and filled with the hope of heaven.

The day’s events left me thinking of a Bible passage from the Old Testament:

Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land...Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.”” (Deuteronomy 34:1,4 NIV)

There is something bittersweet about the death of Moses. I always want to feel sorry for Moses, but in many ways God’s actions in these verses are a tremendous act of grace. Moses didn’t always have a strong faith in God (see Numbers 20:12), but here at the end of his life God choose not to remind him of his past failures. Instead, God gives him a glimpse of the coming reward for the people of Israel.

Like Moses we too can have trouble remaining steadfast in our faith in God’s plans for His people. We anxiously wonder what will happen in the future to God’s Church, our family, and our own life. When I start feeling this way I am thankful for prayer and God’s comfort. In these moments of confession I rarely feel God reminding me of past failures, instead by grace he leads me up the mountainside and asks me to look out across the valley of His purpose.

What do I see as I stand atop Mt. Pisgah and look across that beautiful valley? I see a strong and vibrant Church in Logan. It is a community of grace. People worshiping and working side by side regardless of their various backgrounds. Reaching out to those in need, and gathering in those who are seeking to know the Saviour.

There are some obstacles in the valley below. A rushing river, rogues, and even armies may try to stand in our way. Yet, God has planned a way through each. Our job is to remain faithful and obedient so that we may be part of the family of God who crosses over into the promise land of God’s purpose for Logan Christian Church.

Ron