The Transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas

I want to tell you today about sometning I saw take place that does this old Pastor's heart good. An image of our Church, that when I look back on it, it causes a grin to garner my face!
It was Thanksgiving Sunday. I had a project lined up for the High School class to hopefully make it easier for you, to minister to the children in need in our area that need your help this Christmas Season. I laid before them an empty piece of paper, some gift tags and a bunch of markers and crayons. What they created that day exceeded my expectations! And they had fun doing it! They knew why they were doing it. For a few brief moments they knew how how blessed they were, and that they wanted to help. When they had finished and we came downstairs, I was overcome once again with a transformation I saw taking place. While the Church Board and many others were busy getting Thanksgiving diner ready for us all the Worship Center Ladies began to take down the Thanksgiving decorations and then put up the Christmas ones. But the thing that I found especially pleasing was that a whole host of others were taking part, including many children. It was a bee hive of activity. But not just any activity. It was a transformation of making our sanctuary into a Christmas scene, where many hands were welcome, the conversations were warm, the laughter was loud and the end product was a thing of great beauty. Between the activity going on in the kitchen and fellowship hall and that taking place in the santcuary, I got a picture of what it means once again to "Be the Church". Thank you all for that precious memory!
Your Brother in Christ, Pastor Rick

Hangin'-out

I don't know what your Thanksgiving Day traditions are. In the Koch household we have a few. One that quickly comes to mind is that the guys hunker down around one of the T.V.'s and watch all 8 of the Illinois High School state Championship games. Yes, it is a lot of football! But,it's a tradition. Whatever your traditions may be this Thanksgiving Day or weekend, make sure of this one thing, maybe two things! Take time out to be thankful to and for our Lord Jesus for the ways He has blessed your lives. We can never thank Christ enough And secondly, enjoy the company of those around you. DO NOT fret over who is not there, as many do. Instead enjoy the company of those friends and family that are "Hangin' Out" with you. For it is in those moments that you will be creating brand new traditions. It is in those moments that you will grow closer together. It is in those moments that laughter becomes contagious, tears may flow freely, conversations grow deeper and even the food tastes better because of the company that you are keeping! So here's to our Friend Jesus, Football, Friends & Family and of course to Feasting!
Blessings upon you all, Pastor Rick

Thanksgiving

I enjoy, even look forward to most every holiday that graces the pages of my day-timer. But there is one that just seems to get overlooked each year and that is Thanksgiving. We approach the month of October and Halloween is on our minds. A day in which only comes in second to the amount of money we Americans spend. It is up in the tens of millions of dollars that we spend on candy and costumes. And then before the Halloween decorations are put away, our stores shelves are stocked with Christmas items. Toy commercials take over the air ways, along with other big ticket items that we are enticed to purchase. Now once again I love Christmas and all of the joy in it. But believe it or not November has a special day of it's own and that is Thanksgiving! A time set aside for we Americans to give thanks to God for His blessing and care for us in this life. But then it's no wonder we have a tendency to bypass Thanksgiving seeing as many Americans have bypassed God as well. We sort of figure that we earned the money, why do we need to be thankful to anyone else. It is sad when we forget to be thankful and forget about the goodness of our Lord Jesus. This year I understand that most our our retail stores have lost their respect for this sacred day. They cannot wait for that Friday following to open, now they will be open on Thanksgiving day itself. A sad picture of just how far we have fallen from God as a nation. I call upon you as Christ's Church to not look past this sacred time and to hold in awe and wonder your Lord Jesus and thank Him for all the blessings that have come your way. May you be blessed this Thanksgiving Season and may you bless your Lord as well. Have a Blessed Thanksgiving! Pastor Rick

Memories of Grandma

In recent weeks many of you out there have lost a relative. Be it an Aunt or Uncle, Mom or Dad, Sister or Brother, or those precious Grandparents that have graced our lives. Each time it happens it hurts. And for you who have had to endure the loss of a Spouse or child, I cannot comprehend the depth of loss that you feel! I ache for as does your Church and Community. I remember vividly when my last Grandparent passed away. It seemed as if an entire chapter of my life had been blotted out. As a Pastor I have blessed to have been asked to take part in Funerals of loved now gone. In some I held up well, in others I sobbed openly! Today I find myself sobbing and hurting for you as you miss dearly your loved ones. Or as you ache for those you love who are grieving. Today, I call upon us to "Be the Church" unto this group of folks by simply "Being" with them. Often times words are not needed, nor is another plate of ham sandwiches. These friends simply need us to be with them. Go today and into your tomorrows and "Be With" those who grieve. Christ's blessing upon you all. Pastor Rick

Something Bigger then ourselves

Why be apart of a Church? Why work together as a District of Churches? Or in this day and age, why be part of a Denomination? This past weekend Beckie and I attended and took part in various ways, in our District Conference held at Lake Williamson Illinois. A conference of 37 Churches in the state of Illinois and 1 in Wisconsin. Why be a part of such a group? Couldn't the energy that I and others give to this entity be better spent right here at home? Some may think so. Sometimes I even do! But when we come together as a Body of Christ, from different places geographically, theologically and in size and shape, there are things we can do as a combined Body of Christ that we cannot do alone! With our combined manpower, wisdom and knowledge we can go places and do mighty things in the name of our Lord Jesus that we cannot do on our own! And so I choose to be a part of something bigger then myself! We here at Dutchtown are apart of something bigger then our own little white church that sits atop on a hill in Northwest Illinois! For a few brief days this past weekend we came together and with God's help laid aside our differences and I believe we made an impact for Christ's Kingdom. May you and I continue to put our own selfish needs aside and see the possibilities that we can accomplish as a Church in northwest Illinois and beyond! For those of you reading this that are Dutchtowners I will be sharing with you on Sunday, a few of those ministries that we can only do together as God's great Church! Pastor Rick

Worship is Vital

Like most other Pastors the worship service on a Sunday morning often times does not meet the Spiritual needs I have for my mind is racing about to everything else that I am in charge of on those mornings that are in the bulletin. Yes, I do have snip-its of time when I encounter God's blessing and where I find myself able to fully give myself to Christ and praise Him. So throughout my week I try and find times where I can be in worship of of Lord and Savior. In the last two weeks those times have come easy as I have attended two different Funerals. Times of grief I know, but also times of worship where I had NO responsibilities. I just was allowed to be with God. The prelude was soothing, the special music a blessing and to hear and the Word read and proclaimed was comforting, but with a challenge given each time.
So what about you? On Sunday morning do you arrive at Church with too many irons in the fire to give yourself wholly unto our Lord? Or maybe you are one who finds a different reason each weekend not to go to worship. I'm too tired or have to much to do. Or maybe you are allowing a few frayed feelings to keep you from worship. This time has been aside by God for you to worship and praise Him and to be a blessing unto you. A time of Sabbath, to find healing amidst your brokenness, to bring calm amidst your chaos. So, don't just go to Church this Sunday, go to worship and be blessed! Love You all Pastor Rick

My Halloween Perspective

You ask anyone about how they think Christians should view Halloween and you will get a broad spectrum of views. Allow me to offer up one to you. It's not a time my wife decorates for. We don't attend Halloween parties. But, I enjoy this evening that only takes place once a year. Up where we live, the Stover Additon as it is called , we get a whole bunch of children and their families walking around the neighborhood. And this year was no exception. Actually it was the largest Halloween I can remember. I can say this because I keep track of our Trick or Treater's and what Dutchtown kids stopped by. Well over 180 kids this year and almost 30 little Dutchtowners! I enjoy sitting outside, weather permitting as it did this year. I enjoy visiting with each and every family, not just our Dutchtowners. I always offer a candy bar to the parents and many accept. For me it has become a great time of fellowship with my community and Church Family. I am blessed through it and I hope that others are blessed who stop by. And one other great blessing that came our way this year was that we had a couch to get rid of, as we are getting a new one. earlier that afternoon I had some high school boys help me get it outside and then placed a sign on it, "Free Couch! You haul it away!" Not only did it get taken, but I was able to visit with a new family in our community that does not go to Church and guess where they live, Betty Diehl's old house! At the end of the evening, Beckie had a sigh of joy and said, "My couch is in Betty's old house"! So say what you want about Halloween, but this old Pastor will continue to hang-out each year with his community, pass out a little candy and be blessed in the midst of it all.
Love you all! Next Holiday up, my favorite, Thanksgiving!