All Is Well

Here is the video for All Is Well

It's Monday!

Good Monday Team,
I trust your Mother's Day was special. Mother's Day for our family was celebrated in Columbus, OH. Coleen and I have a tradition for my mom on Mother's Day. We get her a hanging basket for her front porch. Here's this year's edition:
But this year was extra special and "we" got her another present this year:
Alexander James Hemsworth is her first great grandchild. Cool!!

I didn't forget Coleen and first time mom, Capri, however...

Sweet!

Mother's Day at Owego Naz was special as well. Thanks to moms Cindy Belokur, Karen Manwaring, Bev Manzer, Joy Hill and Polly Carman for participating in our services. Natalie Thomas delivered an encouraging message that you can hear on our website... OwegoNaz.com

I loved our new song, "Healing Is In Your Hands." Thanks Sue and Suzanna for sharing the solos with us.

We have only 2 more Wednesday rehearsals. NEW!! Starting time for rehearsal is 6:30pm.

Have an awesome week!

Dave

It's Monday!

Happy Monday Team,

Well, what a week!! Last Monday morning, our daughter, Capri, called us and said that she was heading to the hospital to have our first grandson. Coleen and I were working at the church, so we wrapped up, quickly, and ran (actually, drove quickly) home to pick up our already packed suitcases and Cagney (our Yorkie) and at noon we were on the road to Columbus, Ohio. The 7 1/2 hour trip seemed amazing slow this time. Along the way, Coleen was kept updated by Capri's husband, Adam, through text messages. Coleen then relayed them to a long list of family and friends through text messages. It was so fun to listen to her phone explode with responses after each update.

Now, I heard that the first baby labor was supposed to be a long process. We are thinking 12- 18 hours. Not this time. We had just gotten into Ohio at around 5PM when Coleen got the text: "Capri is 9cm dilated!" Uh oh! We still had more than two hours to go before we would arrive at the hospital...

At 5:45 pm on Monday, April 26, we got this picture:

Alexander James Hemsworth was 5 minutes old when this pic was taken. My heart leaped when I saw it. What a wonderful creation and gift from the Lord!

And this Sunday was our annual Baby Parade with 21 babies and 6 children were dedicated to the Lord. Awesome!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

CHOIR REHEARSAL

THIS WED. NIGHT

6:15 PM

This is a change, but since we canceled last week, we need to rehearse!

We are singing "Revelation Song" this Mother's Day Sunday.

Here's a new song to start your week off right. We will be singing this song in church very soon...maybe this week :)

Blessings,

Dave

It's Monday!

Good Monday Team,
The sun is shining...love it!

What a wonderful World Changers Day we had yesterday. Beginning with the Missions Ministry Fair and then our combined worship celebration highlighted a day of world mission awareness and our challenge to be involved in the kingdom beyond our walls and direct influence. A few shout outs:

To the Owego Naz Worship Choir... I told you how I get goosebumps when the Spirit takes hold of a song and yesterday, I had goosebumps. Fantastic job you all!! It is such a blessing to minister with you and you are being used to encourage and uplift God's people.

To Miss Cheryl and the Naz Kidz... The parade of nations was inspiring and everyone added so much to the world view of the service...Great job!!

To the Owego Naz Worship Band... Karen, Mark, Andy, Neil and Janet, you are a delight and a joy in my life. One of my greatest pleasures is playing and worshiping the Lord with you. Thank you for allowing the Lord to take your talents and use it to inspire His people...Woohoo!!

To the Owego Naz Tech Team... Ben, Breanna and Bob, you take our worship to higher heights with your control over the sound, lights, projection and video. While you are behind the scenes, you are a vital part of our team...Thanks!!

Finally, To Pastor Dennis... You inspire and are the glue that ties all the parts together. Your words are from God and everyone knows it. Your love for God's people overflows and spills out on all those around you...Thanks!!

CHOIR REHEARSAL THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT 6:15PM... only 5 more weeks until summer break.

Blessings,
Dave

It's Monday!

Good Monday Team,
Just some thoughts about the weekend...

Saturday's memorial service for Harry Espe was an amazing healing time as we gathered in the Lord's presence and lifted the family through supporting presence, words and praise to God. I think it was the first time I've ever had the band and sang "Blessed Be Your Name" at a funeral and it was so powerful!

Easter Sunday's traditional service was fantastic as we sang Easter hymns, shared scripture responsively and celebrated the resurrection. Thanks to Sherry on the organ; Sue on the piano; Sue, Kathy, Joy, and Linda in the praise team; Coleen at the sound booth; Breanna on projection and lighting; Don and Jean Schmidt greeting; Dick Stocum our head usher; Donna Striley coordinating our nursery; all our Welcome Center and Gathering Place workers... WOW! It's amazing how many people in our church are actively ministering for our first service.

Pastor Dennis showed us why Easter Sunday is his favorite Sunday...passionately delivering God's words of hope and new life!

Our discipleship classes involve many others ministering as teachers and helpers in our Sunday School. Our second service band and praise team meet during this time to rehearse. Thanks to Denise, Scott, Karen, Coleen and Anna in the praise team; Stephen, Phil and Neil in the band; Amy signing; Marie on sound; Breanna doing double duty on projection and lights; Bob on video; Ken Stuart our head usher; and our greeters, welcome center and Gathering Place workers, nursery and childrens workers!!!

How about our dramatic readers yesterday? Lisa Belokur made Mary come alive with her reading written by Janet Goodrich; Skip Hornick brought us face to face with the dilemma that Peter faced; Tim Lounsbury prepared the way as John. And then Gianna Quattrini cast a spell on everyone with her singing "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know." And then...

The Owego Naz Worship Choir! I love you guys! Thanks for your special spirit and yesterday you stepped it up. While many of our members were unable to join us, you delivered the Jesus story in a powerful and effective way yesterday and you thrilled my soul. One of my indicators that we are delivering what God wants is goosebumps. Yesterday, I had goosebumps. I experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit in your singing and in your faces. Well done!

WE ARE REHEARSING THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. We have only 6 more Sunday's until our summer break. Lets finish the year strong. All of you are important!

Blessings,
Dave

It's Monday!

Good Monday Team,
What a weekend! I have been in many worship celebrations over the years, but last Friday night was the best I can remember. Choir, you lead the way with joy and enthusiasm that honored God and showed all our visitors that Jesus is Lord in your life. We worked hard and you delivered. Awesome!

Another descriptive word for the night would be "freedom." With our Special Olympian guests leading the way, the sanctuary was filled with uninhibited expressions of love and praise. The clapping during our singing was not totally rhythmic, but it didn't matter because it was authentic, honest and from the heart. The signing took on special meaning as Talking Hands shared "You Raise Me Up" with passion and commitment. Amy taught the choir to sign "Our God Saves" and I watched the Special Olympians watching her as she signed our worship songs. And what was more special than when a couple of them spontaneously came forward and signed "How Great Thou Art" with her.

Your generosity was also overwhelming! We were able to restock our Food Bank with your "admission tickets" and our offering for Special Olympics was $1100! The cookie reception after the concert was such a blessing and I could see the joy on everyone's faces.

Well done team! Our prayer was that we would be the aroma of Jesus to everyone who was at the concert...Amen!

And then came Sunday! There is nothing that thrills my heart more than seeing new believers baptized. We were able to share this special time with both services yesterday and it was memorable. Congratulations to the newly baptized!

So... what's ahead?

March 28

Palm Sunday and "Hallelujah! We Will Sing!"
REHEARSAL THIS WEDNESDAY AT 6:15pm

April 4

Easter Sunday and "Jesus Saves" This will be particularly special because Gianna Quatrini will be singing "Jesus Loves Me" as the introduction.

April 11

We will take a break!

April 18

Faith Promise Celebration and a unity service at 10:30am. We will sing "A New Hallelujah/Send the Light" and "The Blessing"

REHEARSAL WILL BE EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT 6:15PM :)

Have an awesome week...if you want to!

Dave

It's Monday!

Good Monday Team,
Yep...a blessing yesterday as you shared "Revelation Song" with the congregation. It allowed our people to be in tune with Pastor Dennis and prepared them for the word from the Lord. Awesome!

Our plans for "A Night of Caring" are going well and we are on schedule with our preparations. Here's the schedule for the next 11 days:

Wednesday, March 10 - 6:15pm choir rehearsal

Saturday, March 13 - 1-3PM Bonus rehearsal
We will start at 1PM with the children
and work on our opening "Prepare Ye the Way"
Then we will do a full run through

Tuesday, March 16 - 6:30 PM - Band rehearsal

Wednesday, March 17, 6:15Pm - Full dress rehearsal

Friday, March 19 - 6PM - Band and Praise Team sound check
Praise team for the concert will be
Denise, Scott, Jennifer, Coleen, Suzanna, Tiffany

Friday, March 19 - 6:15PM - Choir sound check

Friday, March 19 - 7PM - "A Night of Caring!"

I have been meeting regularly with John and Gae Crosby, the directors of Special Olympics and I can't tell you how excited they are to see a church take and interest in them the way that we have. We will touch the lives of many unchurched people at the concert and I want to thank you now for all you have invested. Is there anyone you have forgotten to invite? Use all of the resources you have (email, facebook, text, phone, talking) to encourage your family and friends to attend this event!

I heard Joel Osteen last night talking about Mondays! Whether we have a bad Monday or a good Monday is not dependent on our circumstances, but our attitude. We get to choose. I choose happy and sunshine helps! Have an awesome day...if you want to!

Blessings,

Dave