Pastor Jim’s Place on the Web

Seems that the Blog has taken a back seat to many things.  The most pressing event right now is Cyndi’s knee surgery.  She underwent a complete knee replacement yesterday.  The surgery went well, with Cyndi spending the night in ICU (s.o.p.).  She was moved to a regular room this morning.  The next two weeks will be filled with rehab twice a day at the hospital.  If all goes according to plan, Cyndi will come home in two weeks.  With TJ at UT, looks like dad’s a bachelor for a couple of weeks.

Keep us in your prayers.  Cyndi and I are about half packed for the move.  Slow and steady wins the race.

I’m off in about a half hour to an Emmaus Gathering.  I’m bringing the 4th Day Talk and celebrating Holy Communion with the Community.  I suppose this will be my last Emmaus function in NW Ohio.  “All good things must come to an end.”  Decolres!

The word is out and the word is true.  The Condreys are moving.

The words of Blackaby in our “Experiencing God” series late last year spoke to my heart and spirit.  “You can’t stay where you are and go with God.”  Cyndi and I knew this day would come.  Our prayers were that TJ would finish high school at one high school.  That prayer was answered as Cyndi and I enjoyed being “Sr. Parents for the 2008-2009 School Year.  Remaining at Liberty Chapel this past year was a gift.  TJ has made the transition from high school senior to college freshman.  We are VERY proud of him!

Pray for us now as we prepare to leave a place that has been home for almost a decade.  My work at Liberty Chapel is drawing to a close.  The work at Rockland UMC in Belpre, Ohio will begin on June 27.  We’ll be moving the week before.  Pray for TJ as he makes the transition from being able to come home every weekend to maybe once or twice a month.  He’ll be needing a place to stay this summer if he does not come with us.  His plan is to continue his work at the University of Toledo.

God is good.  All the time.  We trust in the Lord and his provisions, knowing “You can’t stay where you are and go with God.”

One of my favorite verses in Scripture is where the demon possessed guy responds to Jesus, “Call us legion, for we are many” (Mark 5:9).  Perhaps favorite is the wrong adjective to use, but it is descriptive.  As the Lead Pastor of a large church, I have “many irons in the fire.”  Many directions in which I might go or be drawn.  I’ll start with one project or direction and, at an instant (usually a phone call), I’m headed some where else.  It’s too easy to be “Legion.” 

Cyndi and I just returned from Sager-Brown UMCOR in Louisiana.  Hopefully, I’ll have time to post a few pictures.  We took time out of our schedules to serve others.  Cyndi worked in the Depot preparing health kits.  I worked at a local home that needed repair and then one day in the depot.  A week of our lives flew past.  “Time flies when you’re having fun.”  It’s good to get back into familiar routines, but I live in the land of Legion.

Pray for us as the church enters this time of Lent.  Our Lenten Study will be the “Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.”  Read my Monthly news letter for details.  May God bless each of us as we take time to be with Christ and with one another.  Amen.

Hard to believe that we’ve already lived four days into this new year.

Time flies when you’re having fun or just preoccupied! 

I’m trying to find balance between this blog and Facebook.  FB is free!  Having a blog is cool.  I’ve paid through this year, so I guess that I’ll manage both.    Any comments?

Once again, I have technology issues.  My home computer has taken a mind of its own and does not want to go on-line!  I try to do my blog on my time, usually in the evenings.  I have also found that I have more interaction on Facebook than on my blog.  However, for the past two weeks, I have done neither.  I was able to publish my January Newsletter article under the “Monthly” tab.  December was good.  2009 was good.  2010 will be better, by the grace of God.

Regardless of technology, have a very Merry Christmas and a bright and opportunity filled New Year.  It’s the start of a new decade.  Let’s see what God holds out for us to take and run with! 

God bless us, every one.

pj

Today’s Worship Experience was awesome!  What a great way to end the DWC.  The Praise Team did an extra ordinary job at leading worship.  Bricca’s solo for the Offering was “right on the money!”  Speaking of money, to date we have $9,100 towards the Africa Well Project.  Two villages may have wells thanks to your generous support.  We had two photographers present, so I hope to post some good pictures of the day.

It’s not too late to help provide safe, clean drinking water.  We’re still counting the funds.  We will not send it in to Liquid Church until the end of November.  So, you have a week to dig deep for a well, or two!

More later, but I wanted to get this post out.   God bless you all!

pj

Last Sunday I challenged the church saying that one well for the Dirty Water Challenge was Child-sized.  If we put a minimum of $12 in each of the 250 bottles that Liquid Church sent to us, we could provide one well to the folk in Africa.  Without giving the dollar amount already raised (You’ll have to come to worship on november 22), we are close to funding a second well!!!  Woo hoo!  Praise the Lord!   Don’t miss out on the conclusion of the Dirty Water Challenge this Sunday.  Ben Hartford will be leading praise and worship with the UFC Praise Team.  We’ll gather again for the Community Thanksgiving Service at 7:00 p.m.  Again, Ben Hartford will be leading praise and worship with a  Praise Team with members from both Chapel and Shiloh.  WE are the Body of Christ.  What a great way to come before God in Thanksgiving!

pj

WOW!!!!  Most of you know that we are in the Dirty Water Challenge.  Liquid Church in New Jersey offered a challenge to those of us at the Innovate ‘09 Conference to fast from all beverages except water for three weeks.  The money that we would have spent on pop, coffee, tea, etc. was to be set aside to provide funding for wells in Africa.  I was so moved by their passion that I came home and challenged the church to step up to the plate (better to the cup). 

To my amazement, before the challenge officially began, we had $2,000 in hand.  At the end of the first week, we were only $100 short of funding a well ($5,000).  We are well on our way towards a second well!  Read my monthly article to get a better flavor of what we are doing.

God is good . . .

pj

After Pastor Koshy in India invited me to be his friend on Facebook, I decided that it was about time to step into the 21st Century.  Now, you can visit me in cyberspace at two locations.  I’ll still post my Newsletter here, but will have other fun stuff on Facebook.  Please feel free to make comments and ask questions! 

At Chapel, we’re doing “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby.   Awesome Study!!!!  Six people rededicated their lives to Christ a week ago.  Check back to see what God is doing!!!

Check out this past month’s Newsletter under the “Monthly” tab!

Things are coming together in my Office and Life.

A new PC is up and running.  It’s amazing how fast Summer can come and go. 

June found me at Lakeside, OH for Annual Conference and at Branson, MO for a wedding and vacation time.  We returned in time to get geared up for VBS - Crocodile Dock - What a hoot!   Then, in August the church was pumped to “feed the 5,000″ at the Henry Co. Fair.  During this time, TJ, my son, packed up and moved off to the University of Toledo.  Cyndi and I are now experiencing the Empty Nest Syndrome.  I was so depressed the first week end that I cleaned the house.

At church, we have hired a full time Youth Minister, Jimmy Bright.  He has already become a part of the church family.  I look forward with great anticipation to what he will accomplish among us with God’s help.

I’ll get this September’s Newsletter uploaded soon.  Sunday, September 6, we start our new Series “Experiencing God.”  You won’t want to miss out on this Journey!  Call, email, or stop by the church on Sundays 8:15 or 10:30 a.m.  Small Group discussion will be at 9:15 a.m.

See you there!

pj