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Life · Ministry · Faith

Month: April 2020

Praying at 7

April 14, 2020 /

The habits we practice give us strength in uncertain times.

Each morning we at Hope are meeting online via Facebook Live on Hope’s Facebook page to pray together for our day, community, nation, and world. All are welcome to join us.

Daily prayer guides are available for each day and may be downloaded from this page. Return here each morning to follow along as we pray.

Monday Morning Prayer (7/20)Download
Tuesday Morning Prayer (7/21)Download
Wednesday Morning Prayer (7/22)Download

Thursday Morning Prayer (7/23)

Friday Morning Prayer (7/24)Download
Sunday Morning Prayer (7/26)Download

Helping Each Other

April 14, 2020 /
In the next week, many of us are going to be receiving stimulus checks from the government. For some of us, this money could not come soon enough. For others of us, we, quite honestly, don’t need these extra resources. I want to talk with both groups and, I know, whenever a preacher starts talking about money, most of us check out and head for the hills. I wouldn’t blame you but stay with me for a bit.
 
First, if you part of the large group of people in our country that could really use this help at this time. Be grateful and use this money to support your family, meet your needs, and feel no guilt about doing so. Dave Ramsey frequently speaks of the need for all of us to maintain the four walls in our life: food, shelter, clothing, and transportation. I would add a fifth: your health. If right now because of reduction in hours, loss of work, or increased financial insecurity, these foundations in your life are threatened then please manage these extra resources well and keep your family safe. This is true both now and in the future. Maybe right now, your financial situation is looking okay, but you don’t know if this will still be true come May or even into the summer, then I would encourage you to take this money, put it into a bank account and hold it as an emergency fund. If come fall, the crisis never comes, then you can move onto the challenge I have below.
 
If you are part of another group in our country that doesn’t need this extra financial stimulus, then I want to challenge you to consider how you might bless your neighbor and our community at this time. I know it is tempting to want to use the money to buy a new flat screen T.V. or upgrade the lawnmower. Consider the possibility that you might have been blessed to bless others and think about how you might do that. Here are just a few ideas for you to consider:
 
  • There are many organizations in our community on the front lines helping. In Galesburg, the F.I.S.H. Food Pantry is not able to accept physical donations but are in need of financial gifts so they can buy food for those in need. The Salvation Army is still offering its food pantry. Safe Harbor is still serving families in the midst of domestic violence. The YMCA is serving in many ways. And I am sure you can probably think of many others.
  • What about your neighbor? Have they lost hours or lost their job entirely? Maybe you could help them out.
  • Do you know someone who is a first-responder or working in health care? Maybe you could buy them some gift cards to local restaurants, so they don’t have to cook a meal on top of the stress they are already feeling. Or call up a lawn care company and pay to have their yard mowed for them.
  • Are you still going to eat out? Consider giving that waitress or waiter an extra-large tip.
 
There are many different ways we can help. These are just a few. If you have other ideas, I would love to hear them.
 
Blessings,
Stephen

Three Questions to Help

April 9, 2020 /

Hello Friends,

I want to share with you three questions you may use in your own personal reflection as well as to discuss as a family to help process the experience we are all having at this time. 

(1) What has the coronavirus taken away from me today? 

This question acknowledges and gives us permission to grieve. The virus has taken some things away from all of us that we will not get back.

(2) What has the coronavirus not taken from me today? 

When it feels like the whole earth is shaking underneath us it is good to see and grab onto that which is not moving. This question raises our awareness of the things that remain. Much has changed. Much remains the same.

(3) What has the coronavirus given to me today?

This question reminds to live as persons of gratitude. Even in the midst of suffering, there is hope. 

I have found these helpful to recenter and refocus on that which is important. I hope you find them helpful too.

Blessings,
Stephen

SOURCE: These questions were originally part of a webinar hosted by Fresh Expressions, "Light in Dark Times: Healing Souls During the Pandemic and Beyond" and came from from Jared Mackey, senior pastor of The Sacred Grace (Denver, CO)

Can we re-imagine church?

April 7, 2020 /

This afternoon I stood alone in our church sanctuary. I looked around me at the musical instruments that have gone silent, the screens that are dark, and the empty chairs. I saw our communion table and anointing oil sitting, waiting, for our return to celebrate and feast together. I wondered what it will be like to come back. Then as I sat in our dark space set aside for worship I began to wonder.

What if we re-imagined church in light of COVID-19?

This virus which is currently raging around the globe is shaking and changing our paradigms for ministry. It is not the first pandemic to ravage our globe, however, it is the first to strike the U.S. with such intensity in our lifetimes. This is causing many of us to question and ponder our sense of what is normal.

What if this is our new reality for the church? Some have postulated the questions and theories that this could be the beginning of seasonal pandemics. What if long periods each year or every few years of being “closed” or unable to meet in our buildings becomes our new reality?

What would be different about the way we do and think about church?

I will go on the record to say that I think the predictions are a little draconian. I believe, however, the questions that come out of them are essential to our future.

What would the church do differently if we met face-to-face nine months out of the year and virtually for three?

What is it that keeps us from doing these things now?

Finally, even as we think about these things, I want to leave you with a message of hope. This comes from the pen of a friend whose wisdom I value greatly:

Corona Virus: Finding a Realistic Hope Amid Hopelessness

“…all of us can find a realistic hope amid hopelessness.”

Stephen

Praying Together

April 5, 2020 /

Dear Friends,

As we journey through Holy Week at Hope we are meeting online via Facebook Live on Hope’s Facebook page. To pray together for our day, community, nation, and world. All are welcome to join as we:

Pray Together on the Sevens

7:00 AM CDT
7:00 PM CDT

The recordings of these prayer times will also be posted for those who are not able to join us in person. If you have any specific prayer requests or celebrations please send them to me at stephen@galesburghope.org

Additionally, please download the daily prayer guides to participate together in this time of prayer.

Return to this page each day to download and use them in our times of morning and evening prayer.

Looking for the latest prayer guides?

They have been moved here.

Praying on the Sevens

April 3, 2020 /

Dear Friends,

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3-6, NIV)

In his workbook, Intercessory Life, Maxie Dunham says there are two overarching principles to our understanding of prayer. First, God is good. Second, communication with God is possible. I would add, not only is communication with God possible, he desires and invites us to pray and commune with him.

As we prepare to enter into the week we call Holy Week in the church. At Hope, we will be gathering together each day of the week to pray together. We will be praying together each morning at 7:00 am CDT and 7:00 pm CDT. 

I invite you to join us in prayer.

These prayer times will be broadcast live via Facebook live on our church’s page as well as the recordings made available for those who might have missed the prayer times.

Guides to these daily prayer times will be coming out so that we may participate together. You may also, in this time of prayer, submit your own prayer needs. Information on how to do that will be with the guides as well.

Let us come together to pray.

Stephen

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