From The Pastor's Heart - August 2008

Here We Go Again!

August is here and everybody knows what that means....Back to School! I hope you had a great summer. I know it has been a blessed one around Caledonia. We have had some great times and have seen some great accomplishments for the Lord. Thanks to everyone that has pitched in around the church. The extra painting, the cleaning help, the food ministries, the Vacation Bible School workers and everyone else that has helped out. We are thankful.

August and January seem like they have a lot in common to me. In January we get all excited about the potential the New Year holds, and rightfully so. And I tend to get that same feeling about August. Because of school starting back up, it just seems like a great time to get back in the game or maybe you might need to take a mullet. (Golf term for a do over) Well the good news is that there is a lot to get excited about and involved with at Caledonia this fall. Let me give you a brief heads up about our Tuesday nights open league slow pitch softball games. That's right, an open league where anyone age 15 and up can come out and play some softball. The girls will be starting at 6:00 and the boys at 8:00. The concession stand will be open, the kids can play at the park, everyone can visit and fellowship and it will be a blast! Definitely beats a bunch of summer reruns! The other thing I want to make mention of is a heads up for our kids. HEY KIDS! It's Upward Football and Cheerleading! It will be starting in early October and running into November. I am so excited about the fun and good times we are going to have. The flag football will be available for boys and girls ages K-8. The cheerleading will go down to preschool. Of course we are on the look out for helpers, coaches, assistants, refs and concession people. Lots of opportunities to get your hands and feet involved in serving the Lord! Stay tuned for more details and how to get involved. And here is the best news yet! Jerry Pat Thurston has agreed to help us organize a Golf Scramble at the Egyptian Country Club in mid October that will allow us to drop our entrance fees substantially for all of our Upward mainistry. Even Soccer! Well I hope you can sense it.....You throw in Thanksgiving and Christmas and you have a Fall to remember.

And why is all of this so important? Friend, I can sum it up in one word......OUTREACH! Outreach to our friends. Outreach to our neighbors and Outreach to our families. All these fun things do help to make life better but I hope we all agree, the best thing is the Life that Jesus Christ offers. In everything we do this fall let's strive to use it to point people to Christ. As I have been sharing lately, "JESUS is the ANSWER" regardless what the question is! My prayer is that we use all of this to reach out to those that don't have the relationship with God that they so badly need. Caledonia has been and will be a place that takes JESUS to the people. And friend, that makes it an Exciting Place to be! Have a great fall and until Next month.....

I'll See YOU in Church!

Bro. John

 

From The Pastor's Heart - July 2008

Greetings Church Family!

Hope everyone's summer is off to a good start.  So far the weather and the temperatures have been kind but I fear those days will soon be over.  Such is Summer in Southern Illinois.  As you are all aware, July brings with it one of this country's oldest and most respected holidays: July 4th.  Like so many other holidays we celebrate, I fear that once again we get so involved in the "hoopla" of the celebration that we forget what we are celebrating for.  I would like to use the bulk of my newsletter article this month to refresh our memory.

July 4th 1776 is a date that should always be remembered in American History.  This is the date that a group of people from different states, backgrounds and social standing signed the most important document in American History.  The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia on this date and put the kingdom of Britain on notice that no longer were the people of American going to be subject of their kingdom's rule.  What most people don't think about or realize is that by signing this document, these men committed an act of treason against the mother country, a crime that was certainly punishable by death.

Of the 56 men that signed the Declaration:

5 were captured by the British and tortured until they died.

12 had their homes ransacked and burned.

9 men died from wounds that occurred while fighting for the army.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy.  He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.  He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding.  His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

British soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters.  He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire.  The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.  The enemy jailed his wife and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.  For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.  A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

As we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July, let us be grateful for the freedoms and liberty we enjoy and never forget the people who paid that price for us.

May God Bless America!

Bro. John

 Hello Caledonia Family,

I know I tell a lot of people that December is my favorite month (and it really is) but I got to admit, May runs a VERY close second.  After just completing my 21^st year in teaching, I am once again reminded how much I love to hear that phrase “last day of school”.  I realize that not everyone may share my excitement (sorry parents) but, for the rest of us, we are ready for a break.  The end of the school year often marks important milestones for many.  And that sets up my article this month as we congratulate all those that have reached their goals this year.  Whether it is moving from one grade to the next or even finishing up a degree, I want you to know that we commend you for your accomplishments and give praise to God for your talents and abilities.  My prayer is that everyone can use what you have learned and achieved in a way that God will be praised and His Blessing can be upon you. 

I also want to say a “Big Thank You” to all those unsung heroes and warriors out there that have dedicated their lives to teaching and sharing information with others.  They may be teachers, volunteers, support people, drivers, cooks or custodians…we say Thank You Very Much for what you do.  May God continue to pour out His Blessing on you and yours for all you do.

With that said, I wish everyone a Great Summer Break and I am looking forward to what God will do next year.  Enjoy your summer!

I’ll See You in Church!

Bro John

 

From the Pastor's Heart - April 2008

Hello Church Family!

As I begin this newsletter article it is Good Friday and the sun is shining outside. After a long winter of troublesome weather I am ready for a change.   It feels like Spring is just about here and I am very glad to see it.  (Bet I’m not the only one!)  As we dive head first into April, I first want to ENCOURAGE you…… no….. PLEAD with you…..no….. BEG you to make plans to be a part of the upcoming sermon series “Extreme Home Makeover”.  Join us as we begin a study of what God intended our homes to be like and what we can do to begin to make our families part of “Heaven on Earth”. The series will last the entire Month of April.  My prayer is that God will give us clear instructions through His word and that we will chose to make His teachings the foundation that we build our families on.  Please share this series with your friends and family and invite them in for worship.  We must take our homes back for God if we hope to see our country turned around.  

The nice weather outside also reminds me that Upward Soccer is just around the corner.  The first games start Aprils 5^th and continue into early May.   Please remember to keep the entire process in your prayers.  Ask God to be with our coaches, players and support personnel.  Make sure you plan to be a part of the games and excitement.  Come and share some Love with the families of our players.  That is what Upward is all about!            

Lastly I want to take a moment to say a Heartfelt “Thank You” to the Servant Warriors here at Caledonia.  Those of you that last year served as teachers, nursery workers, cooks, custodians, musicians, sound men, lighting and video workers, children church workers, fix-it people, office workers, computer and Internet, committee members and everyone else that serves, we say “Thank You” for your service to God.  As the nomination committee makes their rounds for securing workers for next year, please lift up prayers and seek God on His calling for you in the upcoming year.  If God has spoken to you about serving here at Caledonia, let us know in the office. God Bless and ……..

I’ll see YOU in Church!

Bro John

 

FROM THE PASTOR'S HEART - FEBRUARY 2008

Greetings Church Family and Friends,

Hope you this newsletter finds all of you off to a Great Start in 2008.  In honor of February being the traditional “Love” month, I wanted to share with you a few thoughts about a necessary “tool” in the art of Love…… Communication.   Anyone that has ever been in a healthy relationship with another person understands the importance of Communication.  I find this to be true in our relationship with God and each other.  Whether it is in a verbal or non verbal form, no relationship can last long without it.  So then the question arises…why does it seem so hard to do?  I want to cut straight to the chase here and tell you that Communication requires Time and Effort.   And the truth is that no relationship can last without it!  Think about it in your relationship with Christ: in order for us to be in full fellowship with God we must invest both Time and Effort.  Time for Prayer…. Time for Bible reading…. Time for worship…. Time for service…. and each of these things requires an Effort on our part.  If you don’t think that is true, try to get a family of five ready for church!  It just does not happen naturally.  Even in my house, none of us just JUMPS out of bed on Sunday morning.  But we know it’s best for us and we make the Effort to be there.  Even after it becomes a habit it still takes an Effort on everyone’s part.  And then what about our relationships with each other…. do you remember how sweet a relationship can be?  We could not wait to be together, we would talk on the phone for hours and say absolutely nothing…. but yet we talked… we Communicated.  We shared our dreams, our hopes and concerns.  As we grow older we find that there is so much more at stake with our relationships….Family, Kids, Finances, Jobs….the list can sometimes seem endless and with all these responsibilities we find we don’t have the time or the energy to give our relationships what they deserve.  And that is when problems begin.  We allow those other responsibilities and priorities to override our relationships with our loved ones and that is a fatal error.  Friends, take a good hard look at the ones you love and care about.  Make sure that you make the Time and Effort to maintain the relationships that you have.  Of course this applies to marriages but it is just as important with all other relationships as well.  Take time to let them know how you feel about them.  Make an effort to share what on your heart and mind….the good stuff and the bad.  No man should be an island to themselves.  It is just not healthy.   Have a great February and make sure you tell someone you Love them!

God Bless,

Bro John

  

FROM THE PASTOR'S HEART - JANUARY 2008

Happy New Year Church Family!

I won’t lie.  It is very hard for me to think about the New Year because as of this writing we still haven’t finished celebrating Christmas.   But as schedules demand, I have forced myself to spend a few moments thinking about saying “Good-bye” to 2007 and “Hello” to 2008. 

            When I think back on 2007 I will always remember it as the year of struggles.  I can’t say I have enjoyed the struggles but I do feel we have all learned a great deal from them.  (Or at least I am sure I did!)  I am so glad God does not demand perfection, from individuals or from churches.  May we all learn to be as forgiving and understanding as God is.  In my mind, 2007 will also be the year that God tried to teach us that we can never exist as a church without Him.  For the first time in my 10 years as pastor at Caledonia I can actually say that I was concerned about our finances.  Not “IF” God could do it but “HOW” He would do it.  But as December draws to a close, I am happy to report that we have made it.  Our bills are current and we are moving forward.  Thank You God for your provision for us. 

            So what about 2008?  Where do we go from here?  I am not sure how 2008 will turn out but two words keep coming to my mind- COMMITTMENT and RESOLVE.   I believe the sure-fire way to over come struggles and remain Victorious is to stay the course….even if it is not easy!  If God has called us (which I believe He has) He will make a way for us.   As your Pastor let me share with you what I am committed to for 2008:

1. Equipping the saints.  I am committed to putting more resources in the hands of the people at Caledonia.  The work that needs to be done in our community is larger than anything I can do myself.  I will work hard to seek to hear God for each message I bring and will make every effort to put quality teaching and inspired teachers before our Congregation and Life Groups.  

2.  Feeding and clothing the hungry.  As God provides, I am committed to making Caledonia Community Church God’s hands and feet in our community.  May people come to know that God loves them through our actions.

3.  Sharing the “Good News” of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.  I am committed to the Great Commission and sharing the Gospel to as many of our friends and family that will listen.

I commit myself and the resources of Caledonia to meeting these objectives for 2008 and have resolved not to back down claiming the promise of Philippians 6:1 that says “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”.   My prayer is that all of you will join me in this calling and this time come next year we will call 2008 the Year of Victory!                           

God Bless

Bro John