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Written by Joann Melton from the Village Church.

When I was searching for a place to worship, I went to many churches.  One Sunday morning, I walked into the open doors of the Village Church.  I may have been about five steps inside before I was warmly and genuinely welcomed with a handshake and a “Welcome!”  That was a great start. When I stepped into the sanctuary I couldn’t move.  My eyes were drawn to the Trinity Window.  I have no words to describe the feeling I had at that moment, but I can tell you that it was a very special experience for me. I found my place in a pew.  Someone turned and said “Good Morning!”, and we chatted a bit.  At that moment I knew I was “Home”. It didn’t take long before I was invited to join Women’s Bible Study, but this one is special, because it is led by the pastors.  Over the years this activity has enriched my life in so many ways and I am forever grateful for the guidance and knowledge they share. There is such joy in this church!  Each year the women gather at Christmas and Spring for fellowship and comradery.  It is so beautifully done, and each one is better than the last one. Every year our children and grandchildren of the church and the community gather with their families and friends for breakfast.  Pastor Jack reads the Christmas Story, and teenagers in the church dress as Mary and Joseph, shepherds and Wise Men to bring the story of the birth of the Christ Child to life.  At Easter, the story of the Crucifixion of Christ is read, and the children learn and see Jesus on the cross and are told how this came to be.  In the summer, the children are invited to learn more about Jesus at Vacation Bible School.  The church campus becomes a joy-filled place for all.  Our Middle and High Schoolers are taught about the life of Jesus.  They share in helping our community by serving meals and gathering canned goods and other items for those who need these things.   They gather during the summers to travel to other countries, or places in our area, to serve communities that need their help desperately.  Many of our members also make journeys to other countries, not only to bring much needed help, such as building homes, constructing ways to bring clean water to their towns, providing medical care and supplies, but much more.  In doing these things, our members show their selfless willingness to provide help to others, shine a light on their lives, and bring the word of Jesus to them. When you walk up to the open doors of the Village Church on Sunday Morning, you will be greeted with a smile and a sincere “Good Morning!  Welcome!”  You will find your place in a pew.  Your neighbors will also share a good morning greeting.  The organ will begin to play, and it begins!  Our Pastor Jack welcomes us, and we greet him back.  There are smiles all around.  And, soon, we hear the organ once again, but this time there are voices, like angels, filling every space in this sanctuary!   It is exhilarating.  We then greet each other with the words “Peace be with you” and as a response, “And also with you”, one of my favorite things.  We hear the words that Pastor Jack brings to us.  We sing together and we pray together. I look up at the beautiful Trinity Window and I know that Jesus is with me and with all of us.  Not only in this sanctuary, but he walks with me as I go about my life. Our church, the Village Church, isn’t just the beautiful building where we worship together.  It’s the beginning of our journey with Jesus.  We are a congregation that shares our talents, our resources, our friendship, and our compassion. The doors to the Village Church are open.  All you have to do is come in.  You will be welcomed.  And, you will be in good hands, because Jesus is here waiting for you.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. [Matthew 18:20]

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Written by Foster Smith, a contemporary writer.

I spent a year in El Paso, Texas, as a missionary in 1975 and 1976. A great place to witness was the Red Dog Saloon. To my surprise the entire place formed a large circle and began to dance. The Texas two-step was the call, and off we went. If you only did one step the circle swallowed you, but if you did two steps together the night was a success.  Our Christian journey is outlined by Paul as “two step: “ Step one: seek those things which are above and set your mind on the things above. Step two: put to death your old ways: sexual immorality, uncleanness, out-of-control passions, evil desires and covetousness, which is idolatry. Our journey is not putting a Christian veneer over our old fleshly ways. Put those ways to death by the internal power of his Holy Spirit, and you will become a new creation. Join the dance and be sure to make it “a two step.“

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. [Colossians 3:1-5]

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Written by Paul David Tripp, a contemporary pastor, speaker,  and author. This is an excerpt from his book “Journey to the Cross: A 40-Day Lenten Devotional,”

The cross teaches us that God offers us the one thing that no other person or thing can. He offers us the grace of forgiveness. He offers us the grace of welcome into relationship with him. He offers us the grace of personal transformation. He offers us the grace of a new identity and new potential. He offers us the grace of a glorious and fully secured destiny. Yes, it is true, he offers us grace upon grace!

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. [Galatians 2:20]

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Written by Ben Chong, a contemporary Christian leadership coach.

I came to faith as a justice warrior. And I probably loved justice far more than I loved Jesus. I wanted all of those great parts of the kingdom, but I wasn’t really sure if I was okay with the king. I poured so much of my life out in the name of peace and justice, unity and compassion. But I was also seeming to grow in anger and despair and frustration and cynicism and bitterness; I was still dividing people into kind or cruel, or good or bad, or right or wrong. I was still drawing lines and labelling people based on my perception of their political, theological beliefs, economic status, whatever. There was this real self-righteousness; I was deciding I could play God’s role, the Judge. A mentor of mine once reflected on their own journey through this stuff. He said, ‘I realized that I could never truly be part of God’s restoration of all things if the primary way I’m operating is to tear things and people down.’ I think that’s a real challenge as we pursue restoration. Because without the hope of Jesus, we can get so fixated on what’s wrong, on all of creation groaning.And then it’s also really easy to attribute those wrongs to specific people, to blame and label, and we can forget that our own restoration too needs to be part of the restoration of all things. We’re called to love incarnationally, to embody love…If Christians have planted themselves so deeply in Christ, that the fruit that they bear is joy amidst lament – they can do both! – and hope amidst despair.They can forgive amidst hurt and they can have peace amidst fear and embody love amidst hate. How beautiful!

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. [John 1:14 The Message]

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Written by Kathy Loftman of the Village Church

A long time ago and in a place far away, I had the opportunity to be a volunteer youth counselor at my church for the 8^th and 9^th graders. When I was in 8^th and 9^th grade, we had a very small, struggling youth group. Our 8^th and 9^th grade group 8 years later had about 100 persons that attended each week. We had an exciting and meaningful journey learning about and growing in God’s love. Although we all went our different ways after high school, this group has stayed together over the years. This is a very special group that shares a sense of common purpose of following Jesus, accepting differences of opinions and expressions, providing a safe space for conversation, providing honesty and loving support where deep conversations can be shared no matter how long we have been apart. Once a month on Sunday evenings many of us who can get together on Zoom and chat. In November, we learned that one of our “flock” has been diagnosed with stage four cancer and underwent surgery. Unfortunately, Stacy is now in hospice facing the last days of her life on this earth and is saying goodbye to her friends for now. We have been showering her with love through visits, emails, chats, cards, and many, many prayers. We look forward to that day when we will all be reunited.  I will always treasure the special relationships that we share. I am so blessed to be a part of “us.”

So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [Romans 12:5]

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Written by Linda Bailey, a contemporary pastor.

In the lead up to Easter we are reminded of this incredible sacrifice that Jesus made for each one of us. And if we truly let that message sink into our souls, we cannot help but see that there is nothing on this earth that could ever offer us the love, acceptance, grace and mercy that God extends to each of us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That, while all the messages of our culture sound appealing on the surface, Jesus sacrificed everything so that our lives could have true meaning – being in an intimate relationship with God. When our relationship with God is restored through His mercy and grace, we can’t help but respond by replicating Jesus’ actions. We too can “take the very nature of a servant” and work alongside God to help all of creation restore their relationship with their Creator. Any time we show God’s love, mercy and grace we are opening a window for people to see His face.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. [Hebrews 4:15-16]

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Written by Joshua Steward, a contemporary student. This is an excerpt from Baylor University’s 2020 Lenten Devotional Guide.

Lord Jesus. Guide me to be your disciple and serve you. Remind me daily of the love you showed for me on the cross. Remind me that you called me to share this wonderful love with others. Use me. All of me. My trials. My circumstances. My abilities. Every part of me. To bring others closer to you. So that they can share in this amazing love. In your most precious name, Amen!

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. [Matthew 4:21-22]

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Written by Terrance Gattis, a contemporary pastor and the chaplain for Habitat for Humanity.

While speaking about love, Mother Teresa offered these words: “Love cannot remain by itself — it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.” Mother Teresa’s words remind us that love is not a noun, but rather a verb. Love is not measured by what we say. It’s measured by the actions we take and the service we render… The practice of putting God’s love into action is what Habitat [for Humanity]’s mission is all about. When we bring people together to build homes, communities and hope, not only are we helping God’s people by providing decent places to live, but we are also responding to the love that God has shown us by putting His love into action.  I was recently in Hendersonville, North Carolina, to speak at a prayer breakfast that was hosted by our Henderson County affiliate. I was blessed to see the new community that the affiliate has constructed, a community of 114 families and 400 children that includes parks, playgrounds and walking trails. When reflecting upon all the great work that this affiliate has accomplished, one can easily hear the words as recorded in the book of Hebrews: “God will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.”

God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. [Hebrews 6:10]

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Written by Julian Linnell, a contemporary pastor.

Throughout history, the traditions of Lent have been based in community. For the first Christians, Lent was an occasion to ready themselves for Holy Week and Easter through repentance and fasting. New believers were prepared and instructed for baptism. Believers who had been separated from their community due to notorious sins were offered the opportunity to be reconciled. The entire fellowship of the church was impacted as the gospel was preached and lived out through repentance, forgiveness, faith and pardon. It would have been unthinkable to do this alone. Likewise, there are contemporary reasons for why our journey through Lent is most impactful when undertaken as a community. It can be easy for many Christians today to focus exclusively on celebration and success. While Jesus’ victory over sin, death and Satan should always be central to believers, lament, suffering and injustice also mark our spiritual journey. Through the Holy Spirit, believers in one place can learn, identify and empathize with believers in many other parts of the world, sharing in their suffering. Observed in local and global community, Lent can provide a corrective to a thin Christianity that isolates believers from complexities that are inherent to life on earth, as well as from the meaning of the cross. 

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ… If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. [1 Corinthians 12:12, 26]

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Written by Ruth Grendell of the Village Church.

Upon arriving on the church campus, I see and feel the Spirit of Jesus in the beauty of the plants and flowers lovingly cared for. I see His work on the church patio as we greet each other and learning about the outreach projects. I see Jesus at work in my world when I visit the children’s study room as they share their projects, tell me what they have learned about Jesus, and when they are chosen to light the candles in the sanctuary that morning. I see Jesus in the custodians as they work hard behind the scenes, always with smiles & joyful hearts (and big hugs!). As I enter the sanctuary I’m reminded and amazed by the technical expertise the Media Ministry provides which enhances the services and programs throughout the campus. As the ushers greet me His Spirit is felt there too, and as I walk through the aisles to my favorite pew. He works through Susie and others who play the organ or the piano, through the beauty of the music the choir sings, and through the joyful performances of The Bell Ringers. His Spirit is present as the speaker reads the scriptures, and as we observe & participate in baptisms, and in taking communion. His Spirit speaks to the congregation through the Pastor’s sermon. His Spirit is felt throughout the week in the fellowship of Bible Study and Academy Class, and as I look forward to returning to church the next Sunday.

The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer. [2 Samuel 22:4]

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