A Season of Giving - by Diane Lantzy

The other morning, as I was filling up my car with gas and grousing about not only the need to do so (even with lower gas prices) but that biting wind that I had to endure for…well, oh, maybe five minutes, I had the sudden realization that instead of complaining…I needed to thankful.  Thankful for the ability to fill up my car with gas without taking food off the table.  Thankful that I only had to endure the biting wind for five minutes before hopping back into a warm car.  Thankful that I had a home to go back to where I was safe.  Thankful to be part of a generous congregation that helps to fill these types of needs for so many in our community.

At this time of year, Redeemer in DeWitt strives to provide children with back to school needs, help families to celebrate Thanksgiving with sufficient food and bring Christmas joy to people who can’t afford to celebrate Christmas and heat their house at the same time. This results in a lot of requests in a short period of time but this generous church family always provides all that is needed.

But what is even more incredible is that this generosity is not limited to the holiday season. The Season of Giving at Redeemer Church is the entire year. We support the Food Pantry continually, provide dressers to young mothers, visit shut-ins, donate books, give bottled water to the homeless, and prepare meals for a day shelter. This is only a portion of what our church family does and doesn’t even account for what we are all doing individually to help others.

I am so blessed to be part of a church family that doesn’t limit their generosity to a certain time of year but demonstrates that all seasons are the Season of Giving.

God Hears Us - by Ben Barnes

I’m five months into this parenting situation and there are days that, when I wake up in the morning, I forget that I’m a father.  But I’m 100% sure that’s only because of the lack of sleep.  Believe it or not, babies don’t always sleep well.  And my baby is no exception.  We spend a lot of time getting up to give the baby a bottle or to replace a pacifier or, more often than not,  because the baby just decides to cry.  There have been a few times that we’ve gone more than just a few minutes before running into the nursery to settle her down.  I know babies cry.  Mine does.  A lot.  Sometimes her cries are telling Jeannette & I that she has a need that she can’t take care of on her own.  Other times her cries are just for mom or dad to come sit and watch her sleep.  Ultimately, my hope is as we take a few extra minutes to attend to her (after her immediate needs are met), that she’ll learn that she doesn’t need us to be there at every waking (and sleeping) moment.  Because we (and she) need sleep.

The Psalms are full of a very similar situation.  “God, hear my cry from the depths.”  “Attend to my needs, O God.”  “How long must I wait for you, O Lord?”  David was in a dark place and was crying out to God for help.  And it seemed to David that God was the only one able to take care of his problem at times.  Some of David’s cries are desperate, as if he thought God might not be listening.  But God was hearing.  Just like Jeannette and I hear when little Emaline cries at night, God was hearing David’s cries from the depths.  Though God may not have immediately swooped in to solve all of David’s problems, He was listening.  Though God may not have answered David’s cries immediately, God was teaching David.  He was helping David much more than just the initial and immediate problems David found himself in.

We’ve all been there.  We’ve all found ourselves wanting God’s help in the immediate.  “God, please help me finish this report.”  “God, I can’t deal with a speeding ticket right now.”  “God, this blog was due a week ago.”  God hears our cries.  In some instances, God is quick to help.  And at other times, God allows us to suffer briefly, knowing that it’s for our long term good.

Random Acts of Kindness - by Pastor Rod

Last week Jan and I were in Holland/Zeeland visiting our grandson (and his parents).  It was Evan’s 4^th birthday – and we were helping with preparations for the party.  On Friday morning I went to the local Starbucks to get my morning coffee…and ordered my usual.  As I drove up to the window, the person inside said:  “Your coffee was paid for by the person two cars in front of you.  Have a nice day!”

I have been the recipient of such random acts of kindness before – just recently someone paid for Jan and my meal at a local restaurant.  I have also done such a kindness before – “paying it forward”, as it were - at a toll booth or at the grocery store.  And when I’m able to do that I’m always reminded how good giving without expecting something in return feels.  I’m equally amazed at how shocked some people are that someone would be generous and I’ve actually had people try to refuse the offer as if their acceptance will obligate them in some way.

Giving of our resources is a serious matter; but it’s also a practice that brings inexpressible joy and blessing when done in the right spirit.  As Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  And, as the Apostle Paul wrote in a letter to the Corinthians, “God loves a cheerful giver.”

Giving is at the heart of the Christian life, at the heart of the Gospel, and at the heart of God.  “For God so loved the world that He GAVE His one and only Son…”  God is the infinite and perfect Giver:  giving is integral to who He is.  And because giving is inherent in God’s character, when we give we identify with Him and we reflect His likeness.

I like being around people who are generous. I watched a friend, one Sunday at a restaurant, quietly pay the server for the meal of a World War 2 veteran and his wife seated nearby – not because he knew them – but because he wanted to honor this veteran for his service to our nation.

Years ago I came to the conclusion that giving is a great paradox:  I have the privilege of giving, and I get the benefit and blessing of giving; but what I am giving is not actually mine – it belongs to God.  Accepting the paradox gives me freedom to be a faithful and generous giver.

We are sent into our world in the same way that Jesus sent His disciples out to declare the Gospel message, reminding them “Freely you have received, freely give.”

Have you tried giving extravagantly?  Have you tried giving without expecting something in return?  I’d like to hear your stories of “paying it forward.”

Beating the Winter Blues - by Jack Hanneman

With fall coming to a close and winter inching closer, for some of us this is the start of Seasonal Affective Disorder or Winter Depression as it may also be known as. Winter Depression is estimated to affect 10 million Americans. On Wikipedia.org they talk about signs and symptoms are lack of energy, craving carbohydrates, difficulty concentrating on or completing tasks, and withdrawal from friends, family and social activities – which all lead to depression. I personally tend to embrace the winter and the more snow the better is great for me . . . breaking out the snow mobiles, ice fishing, and heading North is something I love about living in Michigan. But, on those weeks when getting out is not possible, some things I do to curb the winter blues, is taking a walk with my wife and girls through the well-lit mall, taking on projects that keep me focused on the task - not the weather, using the winter months to plan summer vacations, and when possible we’ll try and take a family trip south. If cold is not your thing and if your philosophy is staying inside is better than getting out, I encourage you to look forward, keep your widows open during daylight hours, and invite friends or family over for coffee, games or dinner.

Middle School Memories - by Justin & Tammy Bowman

 
This picture was taken at a Jr. High (5^th-8^th grade) 5^th Quarter and it has been on our minds and hearts ever since. 5^th Quarters take place during the fall after home football games at Redeemer UMC in DeWitt, MI. They allow for a great time of food, fun and lots of friends! There is a time of prayer (after the long list of rules and expectations) but there is no Bible lesson or reading….just a bunch of crazy, energetic and sometimes smelly middle school  kids with limited self-control having a blast! This picture captures a pretty cool moment for us; the first time we’ve been surrounded by over 200 5^th-8^th graders at Redeemer church!

We must admit, it is rather amazing to think about that number, but it has been so much more than just a number. These are preteens and teens. These are students. These are both Christians and non-Christians. These are people who have a heavenly Father ready to have a relationship with them. As with all people, not just teens, developing a trusting relationship with someone who loves Jesus is what often opens them up to learning about Jesus. And that’s exactly what we want….for students who do not know Jesus to get connected with someone who does love Jesus, somehow and somewhere.

We later learned that there were close to 25% of the Herbison Woods and Junior High student population at Redeemer that Friday night. That just blows our minds!  Seriously, if you think about what that means and the potential influence that can have in the schools and community, it is astounding. That also means that 25% of the parents of 5^th-8^th grade students were ok with their child attending a church event. And this is just one of the many opportunities available to them. 

So far this school year students have:  Prayed for their schools, friends, sports, teachers and families at their schools’ flag pole for See You At The Pole. Attended Christian Education on Sunday Mornings and Tuesday Night Youth Group to learn and grow in their faith, while bringing numerous friends with them.  Received new Bibles and started to read them on their own. They are serving in the nursery, on the Puppet Team and at the Halloween Party. They have attended the Halloween Party and Fright Night on the Farm while also inviting and bringing new friends with them.

We sometimes get glimpses of the Holy Spirit working through the students and events….like when a child doesn’t quite fit in at school and can come and fit in at church, or when things are rough at home and they can escape for a little while and take a break from thinking about it. When a student is angry or depressed and can come enjoy themselves for a bit and gain a little bit of hope. When parents are feeling overwhelmed and they bring their child to Christian Education so they are able to attend worship and focus on God. For us, when we are having a bad day, the students seem to somehow reenergize and refresh us just by being themselves.

It’s not the events or opportunities that stretch, challenge, and grow these students though. It’s the Holy Sprit moving in their lives that brings forth the change and growth and leads them to inspire others. Each time a parent brings their child to an event, they are delivering the message that church is important and God is important, even if it means missing a practice/game or maybe choosing not to play on the team at all. Each time an adult agrees to serve at an event or lead a class, they are delivering the message that the students are important enough for their time, even when it’s sometimes outside of their comfort zone. Each time someone opens their home for students they are saying I trust you and that you are more valuable than my things. Each time we spend money on events and offer opportunities for the students, it’s the congregation that is supporting them and delivering the message that they are worth every penny.

We can all remember the time we spent as middle school students.  Each of us have good and bad memories from that period of our lives. What we are aiming to create are positive memories for these particular students involved in this ministry.  Several times throughout the year we hear stories of how students have felt welcome at Redeemer.  We often hear that students feel at home and how they can just let their guard down, have fun and be themselves while at a Redeemer event.  Having these types of memories attached to a church such as Redeemer is a very important goal of ours.  We pray that later in the life of these students, as they perhaps drive past Redeemer or another church as they are searching for a church home, they will remember the times when they were welcomed and encouraged and supported by the people of Redeemer.  It is our hope that these memories will make them comfortable as opposed to intimidated by entering a church building as they get older, and that these memories will be a key step in them continuing to build a relationship with the love and life of Jesus Christ. 

We are so thankful for the Redeemer family and the many ways they continuously support the Middle School and Jr. High ministry!  And we are forever grateful for the blessing it has been in our lives.