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

It's Monday!

Good Monday Team!
It is a good Monday... even though I'm away from Coleen, I know she is with Capri and our soon coming grandson. There is comfort in knowing that those we love are sharing experiences together. Alexander James Hemsworth (arriving in 8 weeks) had a wonderful party last night with Capri's co-workers. The family shower is next weekend and I'm delighted that Co is able to share in these special times.

The cost, however, is she missed one of the best Sundays I can remember at Owego Naz. When God shows His love for us by correcting our lukewarm spirits, all we can do is fall on our face and repent and then seek Him more and more. I'm thankful that His message was received by so many yesterday. Now, our challenge on Monday is to seek Him more and more. Has my heart regained the passion? Yes :)

TONIGHT!
OWEGO NAZ WORSHIP CHOIR
REHEARSAL
6:30 - 8:30

Blessings,
Dave

It's Monday!

Hi Team,
Did you sense the joy yesterday as our kids shared their talents in both services. You know that our church is fulfilling the Lord's commission when we are loaded with children! Great job kids!! Speaking of kids, I found this video that is a great example of parents not realizing how much they will regret teaching their baby something new... http://video.yahoo.com/watch/6947489/18056395

We have an awesome 8 weeks ahead of us...
March 19 is our "A Night of Caring" concert:April 4 is Easter Sunday! We will sing "The Power of the Cross"
April 18 is our special Missions emphasis and Faith Promise. We will sing "A New Hallelujah" and "The Blessing"

Every Wednesday is important. Rehearsal at 6:15PM. Mark your calendar for Wed. March 17. This will be our full dress rehearsal.

As we prepare for what's ahead, be sure to enjoy the journey. Our rehearsal time is a wonderful opportunity to share together and have fun. The concerts and performances take care of themselves...enjoy the ride!

Blessings,
Dave

It's Monday!

Good Monday Team!
Woohoo!! Isn't it great to know the love of God in your life? I felt His presence so strong on Valentine's Day yesterday and it was an honor to lead His people in worship. Thanks Team!

Five (5)...yes, FIVE Wednesday's left before "A Night of Caring." Every week will be essential as we prepare for this special night of praise and sharing. Please make our choir rehearsals a priority in your weekly schedule. Your team members need you. WEDNESDAY @ 6:15PM!

A friend sent this video to me. Are you familiar with the poem "Pikes Peak?" No... enjoy!

http://www.citizenlink.org/videofeatures/A000010256.cfm

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

Blessings,
Dave

It's Monday!

Good Monday Team!
Today is a good Monday for all you Saints fans and for those who don't care, but like a good story. Congrats to Big Ten grad Drew Brees... Super Bowl MVP.

What energy you all showed in second service yesterday! I love it when our worship is electrified by your enthusiasm and your clapping was truly worship leading. Awesome! I hope I tell you all enough how special each of you are to our church. Your presence in the choir and the band and our tech people making it all come together helps everyone worship the Lord and speaks volumes to the visitors who are with us every week. Great job!

WE HAVE A SNOW STORM WATCH FOR WEDNESDAY SO WATCH THE WEBSITE FOR POSSIBLE CANCELLATION OF REHEARSAL.

We have started registration for the August 15 Brooklyn Tab trip. We are going to open the trip to worship team members and family first. We have 55 seats available and we will keep them open until Feb. 28. After that, friends and guests will be able to sign up. I am starting a waiting list for friends and guests so contact me if you want someone to be added. The cost will be $35 per person for the bus. You will be responsible for your own lunch. Dave Barton will be accepting your money when you register.

Have an awesome week everyone!
Dave

It's Monday!

Good Monday Team,
Do you see the smile on my face? If not you can check my facebook page :) It is a smile of joy and pride and thankfulness for your contribution to the first service yesterday. I KNOW it was difficult for some of you, but you did it...THANKS! You capped off a wonderful worship time and Anna was great on the solo. You clearly delivered the message:

The time is now, come Church arise
Love with His hands
See with His eyes
Bind it around you
Let it never leave you
And the will know us by our love!

I'm excited to start learning to sign our song, "Our God Saves." Amy will be teaching us starting on Wednesday. We will be doing this as a part of our Outreach Owego Concert. Speaking of Outreach Owego, I met with the Special Olympics directors last week and they are on board to be a part of this very special time (Friday, March 19 at 7PM)

SPECIAL OUTREACH OWEGO REHEARSAL
SATURDAY
FEB. 13
1-3 PM

Ron Hutchcraft had a great thought this morning...

I'm holding a $20 bill in my hand. I don't get to do that too often, so this is a really special moment. If you were sitting here with me and I offered this $20 to you, would you take it? I think you would. Now you're going to have to use your imagination to picture what I'm about to do, but here goes. I am now crumpling that nice $20 bill and I am crushing it into a little wad. You still want this bill? If you were right here, would you still take it? It's all wadded up. OK, now I'm beating on this wadded up bill, and I am actually stomping on it with my foot. Now, if I still... (Boy, I get some exercise on this program. That's unusual.) Now, if I still offered to give you this $20, would you still take it? I mean, it's been beat up, it's crushed, stomped on? Well, of course you would.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Stepped On But Still Precious."

And that's the point, isn't it? No matter how abused and beat up that $20 is, it's still worth just as much, and so are you.

I'll tell you, there's someone listening today who's been treated like I just treated this currency. You feel beat up, mishandled, treated badly, you've been crushed, and you've been trampled on. And when someone's been treated like that, they begin to believe a lie that they're not worth much. If they were, why would anyone treat them like that? When you think you're worthless, you start making choices based on that; throwing yourself away, settling for junk, doing anything for a little love. But the truth is, you're just like my beat-up $20 bill. No matter how you've been treated, you are still just as valuable. You're still precious because no one on earth gave you your worth - God did. So no one on earth can take it away.

We've got to go to God's Book to get the real truth about your value. And when we do, we find three worth-givers that can't be taken from you. First, your worth is based on your being made in God's image. In Genesis 1:27, the Bible says, "God created man in His own image." God made you as a reflection of Himself, so don't tell me you're not worth much!

Secondly, your worth is based on your being God's one-of-a-kind masterpiece. In Psalm 139:13, David says to God, "You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful." When you believe you're not worth much, you are insulting the One who designed you. From the moment that egg and sperm came together to start your life, you have been God's unique creation. If you don't believe it, look at your fingerprints. There's no one else on earth like you.

But most importantly, you are infinitely valuable because God paid for you with the life of His Son! Our word for today from the Word of God, Galatians 2:20 says, "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." I want to invite you to walk with me right now up a hill near Jerusalem called Skull Hill. At the top, imagine there's this blood-stained cross. That's where God's one and only Son thought you were so precious that He poured out His life for every wrong thing you have ever done. Why? Because that's the only way you could ever be forgiven of your sins; the only way you could ever have the love relationship with Him you were made for; the only way you could be with Him in heaven forever.

Have a great day!

Dave