Reaching Out Newsletter – January 2010 – Christ Church United in Lowell

January 26, 2010

Reaching Out Newsletter- Christ Church United in Lowell – January 2010

PASTOR’S MESSAGE

When they (the magi) saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.  Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”  Matthew 2:10

A legend tells how there were way more than three wise persons who began searching for the Messiah.  From their villages, drawn by the brilliance of the star, the hope of Salvation, they began their trek through the desert.  People of all ages — women, men and children — embarked on a divinely inspired journey.  Day after day, night after dark night, they proceeded until, exhausted, the seekers gave into their fatigue and returned to the familiar comfort and safety of home.  In the end, just the three magi arrived in Bethlehem.  Encountering the baby Jesus, they rejoiced and worshiped and offered gifts — symbolic in meaning — to the Christ Child.  (Ask me and I’ll explain the symbolism of each gift.)

Our December (Advent) journey to Christmas has been a time for trekking, following the bright and promising light, engaging in acts of prayer and study, gifting and decorating, making room in our hearts for God’s arrival.  Christmas Eve, especially the innocent children’s re-telling the story of Jesus’ birth, was a “perfect” portrayal of a timeless and sacred story.  This Christmastide, we have, quite literally, hundreds of reasons to celebrate all that God has accomplished through us.  (Ask me, and I’ll tell you my one hundred!)

However, as the credit card statements arrive in the mailbox, winter snows and dark nights chill us, and headline news of a still-dangerous world streams across radio waves and newspaper headlines you might be tempted, unlike the three intrepid Magi, to retreat to the comfort and safety of your old habits and assumption habits.  Why change?  Why follow the star to the completion of a journey?

Friends, this season of Epiphany reminds all wise people of faith that…things have changed.  Jesus lives!  With rejoicing like the wise ones, believers are called to live now, each of us with new resolve, bold hopes, all enfolded and emboldened by this really good news of Emmanuel (meaning God with us)!

The story of their journey concludes thus, “And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod (a mean and oppressive pawn of Roman rule), the wise men departed to their own country by another route.” The question for us all is, are we going to let our hopes or our fears influence our decisions?  The answer:  Our Hopes!  Friends, claim the love that God has for you, and harness this love to change, and participate in transforming the world into that peaceable kingdom brought about in Jesus Christ.

And, in this edition of Reaching Out, you will read of ample opportunities to journey together, grow your faith, and light up Lowell this winter!

Pastor Peter

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Money is neither inherently good nor evil

December 29, 2009

Christ Church United in Lowell’s Stewardship Message for Dec. 2009

Money is a neutral commodity, a means of exchange. It is neither inherently good nor evil. But a wrong view of money can become a problem to us.

In 1 Timothy 6:9-10, Scripture warns about the dangers of a determination to get rich: “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

When we have a consuming desire to get rich, when we are obsessed with money so that it becomes the focus of our time and attention, then we have made it the number one priority in our lives. In that spot, it replaces everything, including God. We begin to find our security in money, not in God and in God alone.

However, when our view of God is right and our view of money is right, we will realize that money cannot buy security; money cannot purchase happiness; money cannot guarantee peace or joy or contentment. God alone can provide these essentials as we “ . . . seek first God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness.”

In his book, The Gift of Giving, Wayne Watts said this: “God always lovingly instructs us in the path that is in our best interest and which will bring us the greatest happiness in life. Therefore, for our good, God instructs us to put God first in all things, and this includes how we use our money.”

How do you view money? Is it at the center of your life, thereby perhaps replacing God’s rightful role? And equally important, are you using the money God has given to you to advance God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness?

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Christmastide, 2009

December 26, 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS CHRIST CHURCH UNITED FAMILY
I’m in NH with my dad, and extended family, enjoying winter weather, ample goodies, and relishing the “CCU-WeWelcomeAll good vibes” from Christmas Eve.

Thanks so much to everyone for pitching in to make our Advent preparations and Christmas Eve Pageant such a lovely backdrop to Christmas, 2009. I pray that, for each of us, there is a deeper appreciation for the intimate ways God comes to us – supportive church family/community, the giving and receiving parts of the holiday season, hearts opened and receptive to the movement of God’s mystery and spirit!

What a pagaent! Thanks Jenn, Steph, Rob, the cast!
What an outpouring of love… Thanks to all Santa’s elves!
What a nice feeling to be worshipping with our Laotian Christian friends…yet again.
What a welcoming church…to be visited on Christmas eve by seekers, friends-to-be?

CALENDAR
12/27 The Marvelous Story of our Christmas Hymns, 10:00am
- Come to celebrate and sing! Pick up a poinsettia to deliver to a shut in.
- Budget Committee Meeting, after worship

12/29 NO CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP REHEARSAL (Contemporary Worship Service will be 1/10)

1/2/03 Confirmation Retreat. All day @ CCU

1/3/10 Traditional Worship

1/5/10 Contemporary Worship Rehearsal, 7:00

1/10/10 Contemporary Worship Service, 10:00
- BEGINNINGS (introduction to ChristCare Groups) starts, 8:45am

ATTENTION PLEASE
January is the month to celebrate our small group ministry at CCU, as CCG’s will begin in February. BEGINNINGS is the opportunity for you to learn more about ChristCare Groups.
Small Group ministry is the leavening agent that keeps the Holy Spirit alive at CCU, and which deepens your journey of faith. We’re hoping to add a third group this winter, on Saturday morning. NEEDED: If you would like to offer a “story of faith” in support of our groups (hint, hint Forkin, Macy, Moore, Spicer, Garcia, Kabagambe, Newcome, etc…) please speak with me.

HUMOR
On Christmas night, how many angels appeared to the shepherds and what were their names?
There were two angels and their names were “Lo” and “Behold”.
Doesn’t the Bible say, “Lo and Behold, the angels, appeared to the shepherds?”
OK, kinda bad, but did it make you smile?

Blessings for a peace-filled and joyous Christmastide

Pastor Peter

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Christmas Pageant 2009

December 25, 2009

Christ Church United in Lowell’s Christian Education Program, “The Sunbeams”, run by Christian Ed. Director, Jenna Macy, put on a fantastic Christmas Pageant at CCU’s Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on 12/24/09.  The Sunbeams helped us all to remember the real meaning of Christmas.  View more photos from this memorable night.

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All Souls House for homeless families

December 20, 2009

In the midst of a severe crisis of homelessness, All Souls House is a project conceived by Christ Church United in Lowell to provide permanent housing to five homeless families.  This effort comes in the context of expanding the church’s mission to respond to those most in need and as a direct outgrowth of the church’s 1.5 year visioning process.  The overriding goal of the All Souls House project is to make a contribution to ending the crisis of homelessness in Lowell.  The specific objective is to provide safe, comfortable and affordable housing for five homeless families with the support services they need to thrive.

The project will involve converting a portion of the church’s administration building (1 Bartlett Street) to 5 two-bedroom apartments.  These apartments will each include a kitchen, dining area, living room, bathroom, and two bedrooms.  Common laundry facilities will also be provided.  Reserved parking spaces will be created.  Where cost-effective and possible, energy efficient elements will be incorporated into the building.  Architect Jay Mason produced these architectural schematic drawings (pdf format, 3.47 MB).

A collaboration has been initiated with Cascap, Inc., a non-profit Cambridge agency with considerable experience developing affordable housing, to develop the project.  Support services such as case management, job training, and others will be provided to the families by Community Teamwork, Inc., the local Community Action Agency.

In addition to the five apartments for homeless families, a studio apartment with kitchenette, dining area, living room/sleeping area, and bath will be included for an on-site Resident Manager—possibly someone with professional social services training.

In addition, for church use, the project will include rehabilitation of existing space as classrooms (5), offices (3), and a new kitchen.  A new lobby and entrance to the administration building, plus two handicapped-accessible bathrooms, will be created.

Jay Mason, architect and Principal of Architectural Consulting Services, has been retained and has completed schematic design.  Several discussions have been held with the City of Lowell regarding zoning, parking, and building use issues.

Terry Anderson, Principal of Anderson Development, is providing development consulting services and acting as project manager.

Members and friends of Christ Church United in Lowell are excited and enthusiastic about the prospects of this adaptive re-use of its administrative building to expand its missional emphasis to those most in need.  More friends and supporters are necessary for this project to come to fruition.

For more information or to help with Christ Church United’s efforts, please contact Terry Anderson at celloanderson@verizon.net .

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At Lowell church, bells to toll on climate change

December 15, 2009

By Debbie Hovanasian, Lowell Sun Correspondent

Updated: 12/07/2009 06:36:00 AM EST

LOWELL — ‘Tis the season for bells to be ringing, lights to shine brightly, people to gather together, and green to dominate. Yet, next weekend, around the globe, these December traditions will, in some cases, mean more than holiday cheer.As President Barack Obama and other world leaders convene in Copenhagen for the United Nations Climate Change Summit, environmental activists and other concerned citizens around the planet will take part in vigils to demand a binding climate agreement that will reduce what scientists have declared to be unacceptable levels of carbon-dioxide emissions in the atmosphere.

Taking part in the international campaign, called “350,” is Lowell’s Christ Church United. On Dec. 13, at noon (following the 10 a.m. Sunday service), the two trees in the front yard will be illuminated by 1,600 “energy-efficient” lights, the church bells will ring out 350 times, and parishioners and friends will gather, according to the Rev. Peter Lovett, the church’s pastor.

The number 350 represents, in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Organizers of the 350 Campaign say the treaty currently on the table doesn’t meet the severity of the climate crisis and does not pass the 350 test.

Lovett, who is involved in several initiatives to bring geothermal energy and other “green” projects to Lowell, says that with enough lights shining, voices speaking out and church bells ringing, “it seems like we could get a Christmas miracle.”

Lovett invites anyone from Greater Lowell concerned about carbon-dioxide emissions to log onto www.350.org to register as a vigil site or for more information on the campaign.

“We want to light up Lowell and hear church bells ringing all over the city,” he said. “We’ll do what we can from our faith community perspective.”

People, no matter their faith, are invited to attend. Christ Church United is located at 180 East Merrimack St., Lowell. Call Lovett at 978-459-9631 for more info.

Full Story: Lowell Sun

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Help! I don’t know how to pray…

December 11, 2009

Many people, myself included, have difficulty with prayer.  How do I do it?  How do I get myself spiritually centered?  Is it really helping?  I recently came across this prayer resource that seems to make some sense to me.  Please read below the ideas presented to help you to begin strengthening your prayer life.  Consider this a challenge to those of us at Christ Church United to give this a try for fifteen minutes daily for 14 consecutive days.

Ten Steps to God
Many people feel they should pray, but few know how. The following steps, if used fifteen minutes daily
for fourteen consecutive days, enable you to experience God’s peace, joy, and power in a way you have
never known before.

1. In preparation, set aside fifteen minutes in a location where you can be physically relaxed and
uninterrupted. Read one or two chapters from the Bible, listening for what God says to you. This helps to
erase distracting thoughts from the blackboard of your mind. The following passages are especially helpful
in preparing for prayer: John 14, Psalm 23, Matthew 5:1-12, Romans 8:35-39, 1 Corinthians 13, Psalm 46,
Romans 12, John 15, Psalm 27, Psalm 103, Psalm 121, Isaiah 55, Luke 15, Psalm 84, John 1:1-18, Psalm
90, Psalm 19, 1 John 4:7-21, Psalm 139, Luke 24, Psalm 130, and Luke 18:1-17.

2. Close your eyes and give thanks for three personal blessings of which you are especially conscious
today. This helps you move toward God by moving away from a sense of your own self-sufficiency.

3. Ask God to help three other people you feel need God’s help today. This helps you move toward God
by moving away from self-centeredness.

4. Ask God to forgive specific mistakes and sins from the last 24 hours and give you the strength to
forgive others.

5. Ask God to help one person whom you find it hard to like. Ask God to give that person insights into
his or her personal problems and ask for the power to let God’s love flow through you to him or her.

6. Ask God to give you sensitivity to the needs of one person today with whom you can share God’s love
in word or deed.

7. Ask for insights into your personal problems.

8. Ask for help in achieving your personal goals.

9. Ask God to tell you the most important thing you need to do today to “seek first his kingdom”
(Matthew 6:33).

10. Conclude by listening intently for three minutes to what God may say to you.

© Copyright by Herb Miller 1993, 1996, 2002 – All Rights Reserved.

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60 Minutes and the D.R. Congo

November 29, 2009

Sunday night (11/29/09) at 7pm on CBS, 60 Minutes will be airing a segment on the violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  As you may know, Roger and his family, Christ Church United attendees for the past couple months, escaped the violence of the Congo by immigrating to Uganda until they were able to come to the U.S. just recently.  I encourage you all to watch this 60 Minutes segment to educate ourselves a bit about the country of origin of one of our newest CCU families.

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Empowered by God – Responding by Grace: CCU Stewardship Message #2

November 20, 2009

Over the past three weeks, we at Christ Church United have considered various aspects of our annual stewardship emphasis, “Empowered by God — Responding by Grace.”  Please ask God to give you specific direction concerning what you should give.  Then, please complete the Pledge Card you should have already received and bring it with you to the 10am worship service on “Harvest Celebration Sunday,” this Sunday, November 22, 2009.

Thank you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for your faithful financial support in the past.  Thank you as well for being “Empowered by God” and for “Responding by Grace” here at Christ Church United.

P.S. If you’re interested in taking advantage of CCU’s automated giving program called StillSpeaking Money, where your gift is automatically deducted from your checking or savings account on one or more dates each month, please click here to download the Authorization Form.

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CCU Stewardship Message #2

“ . . . just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us — see that you also excel in this grace of giving” (2 Cor. 8:7).

In our last article as part of this year’s stewardship emphasis, we saw how God is our Source, how all that we have comes from God, how God empowers and enables us, and how we respond by grace through faith. We also saw that like the Macedonian Christians, we are to first give ourselves to the Lord as good stewards of the grace of God.

Sometimes, when stewardship is mentioned, people wrongly conclude that giving money is all that is involved. Not so. Giving does include our financial resources, but it goes far beyond money and actually encompasses three primary resources. These are what might be called “building blocks” in God’s “school of faith” which constitute “lifestyle stewardship” or “total stewardship.”

First, there is the matter of our time. Time is one resource that is given to everyone equally. All of us have twenty-four hours in every day. No more, no less. How we use our time reflects accurately what is a priority in our lives. Some people have made the TV a priority in their lives. They might not admit it, but by totaling the amount of time they spend in front of the set, it would be hard to draw any other conclusion. Others have made sports a priority. How can we tell that’s true? Again, by the amount of time they spend pursuing sports. The key question is this: How much of the 168 hours available to each of us every week is spent in pursuit of God or in service to God’s kingdom, especially here in this ministry?

Then there is the matter of our talents, an area in which all of us have not been gifted equally. Some have been gifted by God to work with their hands, with machines, or with computers. Others excel in their ability to communicate orally or via the printed page. The effective outreach of the Gospel here at Christ Church United is made possible only when God’s people who are part of this fellowship use their combined talents for God’s glory and for the good of this ministry.

Finally, there is the matter of our treasure. Don’t be confused. Money cannot buy salvation. Money cannot buy eternal life. Money can’t even buy security which God alone provides. But how we use money is an indication of our priorities. Think about the process: God owns everything. According to Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s.” God has never relinquished the title deed to the world, but God enables us to earn that which rightfully belongs to God. God then seeks to have us return a portion of what God has entrusted to us through our giving.

Giving is not to help poor God pay bills. Giving is not because God needs anything from us. Giving is God’s way of growing Christians. Every time we give for God’s glory from hearts that have been redeemed by God’s love and grace, we give away a little of our selfishness. Every time we give of our resources, we grow in grace and in our walk with Christ.

As you consider your life during this time of stewardship emphasis, will you — like the Macedonian Christians — excel in the “grace of giving” by first giving yourself to the Lord? Will you then respond by grace through giving your time, your talents and your treasure to be used by God in this ministry?

As you consider your response to these questions, and as you seek the Lord’s direction concerning your giving in the next few months, please remember these simple yet profound words:

Only one life, ‘twill soon be past;

only what’s done for Christ will last.

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Thanksgiving help for families in need

November 13, 2009

As has been tradition at Christ Church United in Lowell, we are again looking to fill Thanksgiving dinner baskets for families in need this holiday season.  This year, we are hoping to fill 40 baskets for Thanksgiving.  You are invited to donate food to help fill these baskets up until November 22nd, at which time they will be delivered to families.  All donations may be brought to Christ Church United through the back door at 1 Bartlett Street in Lowell, MA (978-459-9631).

The donated food items needed to fill the baskets are listed below.  Your generosity of food or money for CCU to purchase the food is much appreciated.

Each Thanksgiving Dinner Food Bag will contain:

10-12 pound Turkey

1 box instant mashed potatoes

1 box stuffing

1 can corn

1 can peas

1 can string beans

1 jar pickles

1 jar olives (black or green)

1 can or jar of turkey gravy (for turkey dinner)

1 can cranberry sauce

1 pumpkin pie or apple pie

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