From Ashes to Beauty - Ash Wendnesday

Ash Wednesday may have begun as early as the 8th Century. It was started by the saints as a season of repentance, during these 40 days they would throw ashes on themselves and wear sackcloth. Today the first day of Lent occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter.
Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are made from Palm Braches that were used in previous year's Palm Sunday.

The pastor marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes in the shape of a cross, which the worshipper traditionally keeps until washing it off after sundown.

The pastor says one of the following when applying the ashes:

Remember, O man that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.
Latin: Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.
—Genesis 3:19

Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.
—Mark 1:15

Repent, and hear the good news.
—Mark 1:15

So, should we or shouldn't we keep this tradition alive? I think the answer all lies in the heart.

Traditions or rituals at their very conception were designed to bring us back into focus on God and what He has for our lives. Far too often the busyness and worries of this life can drown out the voice of God and leave us feeling distant from His presence.

Lent, Ash Wednesday, Christmas, Easter, Passover... these are all opportunities for us to refocus on what is important; Him! The ritual itself is not the focus, God is.

Lent is meant to be a tool to help us regain focus on the Lord. This season, let us re-focus our love and passion on the Lord.

Are there things in your life that you need to repent of, things that have been holding you back? Maybe this would be a great time for you to participate in a fast or in another spiritual disciple, Scripture reading (journaling), Prayer, Fasting...

Whatever it is you choose to do remember WHY you are doing it and then I know that your love for God will increase.

Focus!

Pastor Willy

P.S. As we approach Easter I want to challenge you to be thinking about our commission. Who is it that God keeps bringing to your mind that He wants you to reach? My challenge is that this Easter we all invite 3 new people to attend church with us. I have already decided who I am going to invite. Let’s all start praying for the ones that God would have us bring!

Living in Community

Almost a week ago to the day, I met together with a house full of leaders to talk about "it".

"IT" started several months ago when I read a book by that title, written by Craig Groeschel, founding pastor of lifechurch.tv. I was deeply challenged by the main thrust of the book, to be a person who is captivated by the ONE thing God has called you to do and as a result to be a part of a ministry that is captivated by the one thing God has called us to do together. The book challenges us to personally examine our own lives and to make sure that we first have "it" before we try to be a church that has "it".

So, how do we get "it"?

The author pointed out that "it" comes from God and from Him alone. Basically it is born out of a vibrant relationship with the Father.

So the question I had to ask myself, do I have it? When I examined myself I had to answer honestly, no.

I have not had that kind of passion in my life for several years now.

At this point don't get me wrong, I love God and have, for the most part served Him faithfully. But I did not have "it".

I have purposed in my heart to seek the Lord and "Return again to my first love", sharing the Gospel in an intentional way. This summer I am going to be starting a community group that will study evangelism and then go out and do what we have learned. For me, that is returning to my first love.

What things in your life are you passionate about but have hidden on the shelves of your life? Don't let another moment pass you by. Right now, stop. Pick up a piece of paper and purpose in your heart what you are going to start doing again, then write it down and do it. Make a plan and follow through. Your relationship with God depends on it. This is an emergency. Don't let one more minute go by without making a plan with God for what you are going to change in your life... DO IT NOW!!!

Now that you are back, I want to share with you one thing that we learned as a group when we studied this book together. We are in full agreement that God is calling Southside to be a group of believers who Live in Community.

This is one of the main reasons we are starting community groups. These groups are going to be another place for us to live, serve, share, evangelize, make friends, get healing, grow, talk, listen, and Live in Community together.

I am thrilled to see the direction that God is leading Southside and to see “it“ cropping up in different areas of the ministry!

I am fired up about the growth that God wants to have happen in you and in me as we live in community together.

Consumed with Him,

Pastor Willy

P.S. Thank you to everyone who shared in the online poll to help us in planning Community Groups for the summer. I highly value your input! As you probably know over 40% of you voted for "something else" and after much thought and council we are considering offering a group on how to handle your money. In these tough economic times we know that folks are hurting and this may be just what people need at the moment to help them make their dollars stretch. If you are interested in this kind of group, would you let us know by voting on the poll at the top, right of this page? Onward!

While I'm Waiting

John Waller's song, "While I'm Waiting" has been really speaking to my heart. I want it to be my attitude at all times.

I find that as we (myself and the Leadership Team) go through this journey of waiting on and listening to the Lord for what He has for Southside it is easy to get worn out and frustrated.

The book of Proverbs puts it this way:

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12

The Message By Eugene Peterson states it this way:

Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.

As we seek Him and begin to implement the things that we hear Him speaking to us it can feel at first like a lot of work without a lot of reward.

We all want to see the same thing, we have the same "hope" in our heart; to see the kingdom of God built in Newberg, to see lives changed... we want to see the lost coming to the cross. I know we all desire to see Southside grow and flourish, we all desire to see many, many new believers come into the kingdom.

In this time of putting into practice the things that God speaks to us, it can feel like we aren't moving forward very fast, like we aren’t seeing all the throngs of new believers that we hoped to see. But, be encouraged church! God is at work in our midst, we are at a place where we are laying a foundation that will be the “tool in our hand” to do the work that God is calling us to.

As I look back over the last five months of my time here I can see the tremendous distance we have come.

God has made it clear to His church what our mission is:

Matthew 28:18-20

..."God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."

We know EXACTLY what we are to do, the question that we have to seek the Lord for the answer to is, HOW we carry out this mission. In other words, what is it that God has uniquely called and designed Southside to be and do... what is His VISION for us?

At this time I can confidently say that we are honing in with a laser like focus on what God has in mind for us. Chiefly, that we are to be a church of true community. Hence we are structuring Southside to be a ministry made up of Community Groups (small groups). We believe that it is through these groups that the mission of the church will be carried out.

So... as we continue to do the hard work of listening, obeying and planning, would you be in prayer for your leadership? Many exciting things are beginning to happen but I believe this is going to pale in comparison to what God has in mind for us.

As we honor those who sacrificed to plant Southside let us always remember that our best days are ahead if we are willing to be obedient to follow the leadership of Christ in His church!

Pastor Willy

A friend is a friend!

Angel and I want to get to know you!!

 

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