Merry Christmas
December 28, 2007
It is my prayer that everyone realize how blessed we are as God’s children during this season. I had the joy of watching a beautiful snowfall the day after Christmas at my parent’s home in Oklahoma. The beauty of His Creation is more realized in experiences that are not common place to Texans. It had been a while for me and I was in awe. A truly magnificent reminder of Who is in charge!
Weekly Note From the Pastor
December 20, 2007
It is hard to believe that I am celebrating twenty years of marriage as I write this. It was a cold wintry day, with sleet falling and road hazards everywhere. It was between college semesters and many of our friends were present. In fact, I had more college peers than family who made the long trek to Kansas City (eight escorts and three ushers made up our bridal party). But I woke up that morning focused on one of the biggest landmarks of my life. This event would so impact me, that at least once a day for the next year or so, our wedding day would leap front and center in my mind. I would dream about it and daydream about it. Some said we were too young and needed to wait until we graduated. Some said we were just poor college kids who were ‘jumping the gun.’ Still others thought we were too immature and it would have a negative effect on our collegiate activities. Yet I know it was one of the greatest decisions of my life! And I am looking forward to the next twenty years with great anticipation. What adventure and romance it holds for us together!
“Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.” Proverbs 5:18 NLT
Weekly Note From the Pastor
December 12, 2007
“Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?” James 4:11, 12 NLT
We Christians like to sit as both judge and jury. At times, we become too sanctimonious to mind our place in the natural order of God’s authority. Thinking too much of oneself was a problem before Paul warned his fellow Romans… and has been ever since. There is a tendency to search out others of like contentious thought because condemnation is always more justifiable in companionship. No lynch mobs need worry about acting alone… And funny how we come out looking spic-and-span, with a little self-righteousness to boot. We are more concerned about our right to judge than the accused’s right to spiritual counsel and the provisions that have already been bestowed to each individual through the Cross. The short term memory of our penalty of sin being paid does not excuse our desire to punish another. Of all the power that has been afforded us through the Holy Spirit, we want to partake of what He has denied to us… judging others.
Site Errors
December 7, 2007
During a routine upgrade today, etcoc.org experienced a complete crash. After some frantic searching for the backup, lots of prayer, and some MacGyver like repairs the site is up and running again. We seem to have most data back, with a few minor exceptions. And everything seems to be running fine.
But If you experience any problems or see something that I may have missed, please leave me a comment on this post letting me know what it is.
Thanks for your assistance,
Robert Jordan
Weekly Note From the Pastor
December 6, 2007
One of the things that impressed me about Disney World was not only their professionalism and customer service, but also the spirit in which they conducted themselves. Every act and almost every employee I met seemed to treat each day as the most important or “the only/last/final/first day.” From the smallest production of street actors to the largest stage performance, it was all done with the goal of perfection, making each audience feel like they were the only recipients. I never sensed any weariness, drudgery, mundaneness, or humdrum attitudes. They seemed to not let history, past mistakes or experiences, or previous negative conflicts (and you know there are some) affect their present service. The extent of what was offered may have been the result of financial revenues, but the overall character was a discipline.
I felt that I could learn much from that experience, even in relation to TCOC as we do some of the same things over and over again… and minister to the same people over and over again. May we approach each day and each event as if it were that/our one moment in time. “If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:7, 8 CEV
