My British Bent

I (Kendra) was born in Indiana and raised in Austin, TX (from 15 months old), but for some reason British literature (Dickens, Tolkien, Sayers, Austen), British films, and British culture fascinate me. I was once told I sounded like I was from London! Of the books that Mark and I have read aloud, about 75% have been British. When we watch a movie, the most interesting ones, those that we give four to five stars on Netflix are British, especially the BBC miniseries. I would love to visit Britain and if I could speak like a Brit, I would, it is one of my favorite accents to affect!

Now, here is where I diverge, I do not like hot teas very much. Even here in Pennsylvannia it is not uncommon to find families that take "tea time" and regular connoisseurs of tea. This reminds me that this state has been in existence at least one hundred years longer than Texas, and did indeed get settled originally by many Europeans. My husband, raised in Ohio, enjoys teas, especially in the fall and winter and when he has a cold. But today, at my MOPS group, no less, I learned that the very best tea is not purchased already processed and put into a tea bag. Oh no, the richest teas are loose, timed and tempered to perfection. I have my good friend and MOP mentor, Connie Strappello to thank for her delightful and informative presentation! I tasted white, organic green, black, acai berry black, and creme de raspberry. I think the teas got better as we went along. But I learned that all tea comes from the same plant and is named differently based on how long the leaf oxidizes. Fascinating stuff! To bring this full circle, Connie has learned much of her tea knowledge from her daughter who works at the Tea Embassy in the capital of TX--Austin, my hometown!

So, perhaps I do not have a British bent after all, I am merely a product of my environment in good all Austin, TX. I will say my Junior English teacher at James Bowie High School had a great impact on my love for British literature there, but as for all the rest, I am...odd. :)

A week in the life--toilet training and church planting (beware of graphic content)

This past week has been the initiation of potty training--I used the "Toilet Training In A Day" method (from the book Toilet Training in Less Than A Day, by Nathan Azrin and Richard Foxx)this time as recommended by my mom and a fellow pastor's wife. I must admit my mom recommended it with Anna, but I thought is sounded inhumane, or at least something to do with animals, not toddlers. Well, in May when I asked my friend about how she trained her three boys (her youngest is completely trained at 2 1/2), she told me this was the way to do it. I spent a good part of a year and a half before Anna was completely trained, so considering that people say boys take longer, I figured anything that would save time would be welcome the second time around!

I will admit upfront that Micah's first introduction to the potty was months ago having an older sister, but he has never used it for its intended purpose until last week. Well, Tuesday evening, I was doubtful and dreary after day one, with pee all over my kitchen floor, and in Micah's pants, and on me, but some trickles fell in the toilet on several occasions, so we continued. Micah was a mess, I was a mess, but I still mopped my kitchen floor the next day, because thinking about what it had seen made me not want to step on it, much less the prayer meeting crowd coming that night! No matter that it was pooped and peed on all of that day too!! I kept the mop out, the paper towels out, the wipes out, etc. Micah helped me clean up as much as possible and we actually had more stuff in the potty that day!

So, along came Sunday--I brought the potty to church. We have such a laidback, informal church that my dear elder's wife set up a little area at the back of our "sanctuary" where we placed Micah's potty. Just as service was beginning Micah declared "I need go potty." Well, he did the deed promptly right in his potty and then shouted out "I pee, I pee!" Everyone smiled and some cheered, as Mark commenced ever so suavely to share scripture. Only in church planting!! Thank goodness I had a helper with singing so I could attend to carrying the pee down the hall to flush it in the toilet :). I am humbled weekly by the combination of being a mother and church planting wife--have I mentioned that?? Micah happily went again during our children's corner, but this time I missed singing the last song completely as we traipsed down the hall. This week every morning has begun with Micah opening our bedroom door and announcing "I need go potty."

Today, exactly one week later, Micah had one accident, was dry through his 3 hour nap, and initiated his own pottying standing up before bath time! I don't think he learned this all in a day, but the skills were taught all in a day, I will say that. He is doing awesome, still likely to have accidents I am sure, but learning more quickly than I expected. I will certainly continue to take the potty with us when we go out--my stops at every public facility within a mile radius of my home in the suburbs with Anna would never yield as many or as adequate places here in this more rural area where we live in PA.

Mark and I enjoyed a splendid date night on Friday that was a nice reprieve from all this excitement. It was on Raystown Lake, so we went walking around, enjoyed the sunset and the warm summer evening, and just talked. So nice. We went to our favorite dairy for ice cream :). We also had a very relaxing Monday at Tatman Run, also part of Raystown Lake. The water was not too cold for a change and the warm breeze and sunshine were positively therapeutic. I love to be outside.

I still had the potty with me, and we had two extra stops as well as a delay going swimming with Micah (for #2 at our picnic pavilion), but we had a blast!! Just the fact that Micah told us he needed to go and went in his potty made me glad!! We had no need to rush, in fact, we stopped at a farm market to get fresh berries, plums and sweet corn to supplement lunch and supper at the lake! Anna was so impressed that we stayed for supper, but of course she was hoping we could hop back in the water afterwards. No chance, it was 6 pm, so we were off for home. The kids fell asleep on the way back, so I got to read a book in the car (a rarity these days). What gifts from God--that Micah is catching on quickly, that we have a loving and supportive church family, that I have another opportunity to learn humility in my perfectionism, that we took the time to relax and enjoy each other and our family in the sunshine. Just a week in the life, but it is all part of the journey.

Real Church 101

Crossroads church had their mini-retreat this past weekend called Real Church 101. We had a great weekend of fellowship and solid biblical teaching from Matt Mitchell, and spirit-directed worship from Jamie on Saturday and Joe on Sunday. I prayed the Lord would enlarge the hearts of His church for the gospel and expand their vision for Jesus' purpose for the local church and the Lord answered my prayers.

Below are some pictures of the church's retreat, Real Church 101:




Matt and Joe getting ready for the group to come.

Joe leading us in our time of corporate worship.

Matt, taught on some great truths of the church. On Saturday he opened up with the need for Crossroads to be cross-centered, 1 Cor.15:1-11. The Real church is purchased by Jesus' blood. The Real Church is Jesus' Worshiping (Holy Spirit empowered) Community Of Gospel-Centered Disciple-makers.

• God wants us to be Cross-centered in our proclamation of the Word.


• God wants us to buid a Cross-centered church by being Cross-centered in our celebration of the ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Then Matt asked the question How is Crossroads doing? Is Mark's preaching and teaching cross-centered? Some comments that were made: "Pastor Mark stresses the importance of the gospel every Sunday." "I believe Pastor Mark mentions the Gospel 21 times in one sentence (just a slight exaggeration)." I do not share these comments to brag but to encourage you that your prayers are being answered. The Gospel is of first-importance in our lives here at Crossroads, it has to be in order for Jesus to plant his church.

Below are some comments I collected from a survey I gave the church at the end of our time together. I asked them to share one truth they learned about the biblical church. Very encouraging!

"The Gospel is the power to sanctify as well as to save.

I also learned about the leadership model"

______________

"I like Matt's illustration of local outposts of the kingdom here on earth

and the "calling out" to people in Christ's name."

_____________

"The church is truly and wholly the creation of God

and His desire is to have it grow beyond all measure."

______________

"It was really the first time that I've experienced overt teaching about the

integration of th mission of spreading the gospel and church function...

I mean I "knew it," but I finally "got it."

______________

"It (the church) is the pillar and buttress of the truth (the Gospel)"

______________

"Membership is clearly a biblical construct"

Other topics that Matt focused on were the Joyfully-led church, Heb.13:17; the Search and Rescue church (the importance of church disicipline), Matt.18:12-35. And then he ended our time on Sunday with a call to commitment to the Local Church, 1 Tim.3:14-16 .

I found especially meaningful the message of the Joyfully-led church because Matt gave me an opportunity to express to each congregant my thanks and how my joy tank is filled by each of them. Especially my number one congregant, my wife, Kendra.

Thank you again for your prayers and support. Please be in prayer as we move forward in this awesome work of faith. We will have Jeff Powell our district superintendent come down and lead us through another time of equipping Jesus' church at the end of February. Looking forward to what the Lord will do next.

For His Gospel and His Glory,

Mark

Church Planting Progress

For those of you who are reading our blog with hopes to learn more about our church planting endeavors then here is one for you.

Below are some pictures that were taken a few months ago when the church moved out of the store front and into one of our congregant's homes for a time of rebuilding and refocusing. We currently have about 18 adults and 2 children (our own).

Here is a brief synopsis of what we have been doing since we made the move into the home.

In November we focused on understanding our mission, vision, and core-values.

In December we took some time preparing our hearts for the celebration of the incarnation, God became man. Our advent season was filled with great joy! We also had a short Christmas Eve service at a local assisted-living home.

In January we are asking the question "Who is Jesus?"

Jesus is Eternal: Deity of Jesus

Jesus is our Perfect Representative and Substitute: The Work of Jesus

Jesus is our Senior Pastor: The Authority of Jesus.

Then the first full weekend in February we are going to have a mini-retreat for the church called Real Church 101. The weekend will start us off in a month-long series on "What is the Church?" It will be a time of great teaching by Pastor Matt Mitchell of Lanse EV Free Church. And our worship time in song will be lead by a gifted worship leader, Troy Campbell from Sovereign Grace Church of Altoona.

At the end of February we will be having Jeff Powell the Superintendent of our EFCA District to lead us in another mini-retreat where we will end our series on the church. This will be another great time of teaching and equipping.

And in March we will be asking the missiology question, "How do we reach people with the love of Jesus?" Jim Culberston the district's Director of Church Planting will be joining us for another time of teaching and equipping.

We are praying for God to increase our core group and hope to get into another public facility by April or May. We are also praying for God to raise up the necessary funds for rent and/or utilities in order to make this transition. Our goal is to have our first preview service on Easter Sunday.

Thank you for your prayers and support. The Lord has been very kind to us as he has been faithful to provide for our personal financial needs and for the church's needs as well.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

We are still trying to figure out this blogging thing whether to blog personal things, or blog about our church planting journey, or just blog about our family. So since we can't decide we want to blog it all. Blog, blog, blog.


Here are some fun pics from our fun time in the snow today!








Gracefully done Kendra!

Watch out for the sign, Mark! Not so graceful more like scary!

Kendra's wipe out and Mark's wipe out, we are taking a poll. Who do you think has the best wipeout?

Micah likes the snow but not sledding.

Memorial to a Dear Friend

On Dec. 22, 2008 a good friend of mine, Randy Shafer went home to be with Jesus. He is now no longer in pain, suffering from the threat of melanoma cancer, and death has lost its sting. Thank God for His glorious gospel. Randy discipled me shortly after I became a believer. Randy did not just disciple me he taught me how to disciple. He taught me that discipleship is not a formula but is relationally alive.

As I was growing in my faith and my understanding of the word of God, I could call Randy up any time of the day and share with him whatever was on my heart. I remember one particular instance when I participated in my first singles bible study and I can recall a guy teaching on salvation. He had the view that one could lose their salvation. You can imagine as a new believer how I became greatly concerned. As soon as I arrived home, I immediately called Randy up and shared with him my concern about what I heard. He answered me in this most gentle way, (by the way it was 10pm on a weekday) and did not launch into what he believed but quickly took me to the scriptures, showing me passages concerning the grace of God. I would like to say I remember the passages but I don't but my hunch is they were some key texts like Eph. 2:8-9, and John 10: 28.

When I met my beloved wife, Kendra, I told her that I wanted Randy to marry us. He almost didn't make it to the wedding. On the day before our wedding a snow storm hit Dallas, TX of all places (they say it happens once every 2-4 years). We had sent someone to the airport to pick him up but because of the weather his plane was delayed and so he missed his ride. He ended up getting a taxi and by God's grace he made it to the church the night of our rehearsal.

Randy, like I said taught me how to disciple, to unveil my heart and be honest with the Lord in everything, and as a result the Lord through the Holy Spirit has truly transformed my life. Randy recognized in me the gifts of shepherding and my love for the Gospel. I believe that if I would never have met Randy, I probably would not be a pastor today.

His children, Jennifer, Ian, and Emma are rich in the Gospel because of Randy's love and grace that he bestowed upon them. And his wife, Beth, could not have been a more blessed wife to have him as her husband.

He will be missed, I know I miss him already. I will see you again one day in our Father's glorious presence.