Restore, Renew, Reinvest. It’s happening. Projects that seemed only a dream are suddenly coming together. Tuckpointing, awning replacement, painting and carpet, a plaque about our solar panels. I was surprised yesterday to open my Bible to this proclamation: Persia’s King Cyrus says: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth.
Read MoreI thought we were being prompted to expand the NCF stage, make it more accessible with a bigger turning radius at the top of the ramp, add railings on stairs with deeper treads, and (finally!) recarpet. I met with our wheelchair expert and talked to musicians and sound technicians. Our leadership team and finance folks agreed to
Read MoreI appreciate Melissa’s metaphor of God as artist- shaping and mending us into creations of value. May her vision of our brokenness being transformed into beauty encourage us to present all the pieces of ourselves to God’s hand to be made whole. -Renée When you break a piece of dishware, what do you do? Do
Read MoreMeditation is not something I ever attempted. Maybe because it sounded foreign and un-Christian. Or that sitting still and doing nothing did not appeal to me. Like other practices that people find helpful but don’t seem relevant to me, meditation seemed good for others. When I began reading James Finley’s Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence
Read MoreWhen I proposed a weekly pastor’s email in the fall of 2016, I anticipated alternating writing with my co-pastor to provide an avenue of communication between pastors and the congregation. Since he took Mondays off, I chose Wednesdays as my Sabbath. Tuesdays seemed ideal for a message from a pastor’s desk, while Thursdays worked for
Read MoreBetween my own education and sixteen years as a K-8 counselor, I have spent much of my life in schools. The anticipation, excitement, and anxiety of a new school year are palpable. Nowadays, Jubal is the K-8 representative in our family; he coordinates mentors and volunteers at two elementaries and Franklin Middle School in Champaign.
Read MoreGale Walden shares her journey and the helpers that attended her, a message of hope that feeds our faith.-Renée Because I asked New Covenant for prayers regarding my walking the Camino De Santiago, I told Renee I wanted to give a bit of an account of my trip, which I did not intend as a
Read MoreA simple prayer to start the day or to reset my mind midway helps me connect to what really matters. Thank you, Melissa, for sharing your writing and your faith.-Renée A new day God, let YOUR word,YOUR truth,YOUR love Permeate my being, my life,my soul till no other words matter,No lies. No hatred. till all that is before
Read MoreHow does your faith inform your financial planning? We were delighted to host stewardship consultant Lyle Miller and financial advisor Greg Liestman as part of our longtime relationship with Everence financial group (formerly Mennonite Mutual Aid.) Jim Linder’s introduction and prayer provides context to Lyle’s teaching and explanation of Everence’s mission. Below are some comments from questions
Read MoreReflecting on our identity as beloved, interim associate pastor Melissa Logsdon shares her personal experience to warm our hearts to love more and better.-Renée A much loved dog… …that’s what we tell people when they ask us “What kind of dog is that?” We go on to say he is a rescue and a little bit
Read More