The success of our church’s overall ministry during this summer has been driven by the continuing commitment, faithful giving and tireless effort of many church members. I want to thank all of you who continue to walk with me in our Christian faith while we are facing extraordinary economic hardship. Many achievements during this summer — namely the youth and elementary camps, Vacation Bible Study, Pacific Islander Luau, Christmas in July, Goodwill fundraising program, Fundraising Thermometer campaign, Sierra Leone fundraiser, summer potlucks, etc.— have strengthened the bond among us all. I sincerely want to thank you all who have dedicated tirelessly your time and effort for the success of these events.
The trustees have completed many projects including the painting of the new storage unit and curbs around the parking lot. The women’s Bible study resumed after their summer break and the men’s study group has continued to increase in numbers with the leadership of Ralph Hogan. These events have helped bring many of our congregation members together.
In the coming month, I am offering suggestions that could help your own individual spiritual life and the spiritual life of the church. Firstly, I would like to ask that you pray every single day that our ministry might grow in spirit, numbers and giving.
Secondly, I invite you to become the answer to your own prayer by being present in worship,contributing something extra to the ministry of the church and inviting someone to worship with you or possibly study and serve alongside you in one of the ministries of the church Through this you will grow in your spiritual life and the church will thrive! You will be blessed as you seek to be a blessing to others.
I hope everyone has enjoyed a wonderful summer as a time of refreshing and renewal.
May the good Lord fill our lives with strength
and grace to continue our daily lives.
Pastor Finau
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Rick Warren (author: “THE
PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE”)
Interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick
Warren.
Rick said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life?
And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body– but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn’t going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you’re just coming out of one, or you’re getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that’s not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer. I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth.. I don’t believe that anymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it’s kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for. You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. If you focus on your problems, you’re going into self-centeredness, ‘which is my problem, my issues, my pain.’
But, one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don’t think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do,
II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases. Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church. Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation. Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God’s purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don’tget anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn’t put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do-list. He’s more interested in what I am than what I do.
That’s why we’re called human beings, not human doings.
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Greetings!
Things are really moving along at a full speed for our church and its ministries! On Palm Sunday, the children ministry together with the youth marked the beginning of Holy Week by leading the service. The sanctuary opened its doors to the Palm Sunday procession led by the joyful voices of the children singing, “We Have a King!” while waving their palm branches, a moving testimony by Johnathan highlighted Palm Sunday from a ‘tween’s’ perspective, songs and memory verses by the kid’s church, Palm Sunday skit by the tweens, and liturgists were the youth. Sincere thanks Martha Bayne and Michele Mitchell and all our children for their superb performance. Maundy Thursday was highlighted by the devotion and organization of the worship team led by Ruth and Sandy. The fellowship of the night was composed of the Sedar meal with the Eucharist, a short reflection and stripping of the church. Many who attended this moving service left with deep appreciation of God’s love.
Early on Easter morning, though it was cool and overcast with a brief mist, devoted members gathered outside by the cross to celebrate resurrection. Many thanks to the Praise Team, the women who performed the Easter skit and of course the burrows joined us in praising the Son of God’s resurrection! Of course, the men’s delicious breakfast served was truly appreciated.
The 11:00 a.m. church service was highlighted by the great performance of the chorale on an Easter cantata titled, “I have seen Jesus” directed by Sissy. Many thanks to our casts and choir members. Surely we are witnessing God’s work in our midst!
In the coming month, we will celebrate Mother’s Day with thankful hearts. The women and mothers of our church will lead the service and the children will rise and honor them. I wish to conclude this passage with a prayer of thanksgiving to all mothers.
“We only have One Mom, One Mommy,
One Mother in this World, One life.
Don’t wait for the Tomorrow’s
to tell Mom, you love her”
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