Change is a' Coming!! by Theresa Zuber

There’s something about the beauty of the changing seasons that brings hope and excitement: the leaves changing, the first snow, those bursts of spring color as the flowers begin to bloom, and those warm summer days when the sun warms your soul and everything is green and lush. The rain that falls after a dry spell, the sun that shines after a week of cloudy days. A first job after completing a college degree, a marriage filled with love and commitment to a long life together, a new baby with all its promise and possibility and unconditional love, and the ability to retire and enjoy some free time!

On October 18th we will begin an exciting time of change here at Scott Avenue when we offer two services each Sunday. Two opportunities to praise and worship God, each with its own “flavor”, blended and contemporary. Two new time slots for more flexibility, 8:00 & 10:30. Empty seats – each waiting for a lost soul! Let us look to this change with the hope and excitement and promise of what God can do when His people put their faith in HIS plan and HIS purpose! Change isn’t always negative…. Look to the positives!

Matt 18: 12"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”

Me First by Susan Shull

Climate change.
Spare change.
Time for a change.
We are the change we’ve been waiting for.

Change is a word that is constantly bandied about in our society. And one thing is for sure-change happens. We often act like that is a bad thing, but some things shouldn’t stay the same.

Since I enjoy reading quotes, I googled quotes about change and found tons of them. I especially liked this one:

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Tolstoy

This one really challenged me because as I was thinking this week about what to write about our topic, I was really tempted to get on my soapbox and do some preaching. I was going to share my opinions about abortion, education, same sex marriage, and politics. I had some ideas about changes others should make and I wanted them done ASAP.

Isn’t it funny how God works? Tolstoy’s quote brought me up short and totally changed my perspective from the great big picture to a very small one-me. What changes do I need to make?

I am going to do some soul-searching today and concentrate on what I could do differently to show the love of Christ to a world that needs to know the only thing in life that never changes is the only thing in life that really matters:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”John 3:16

Tears of Change by Donna (Ensign) Woods

Much of life is seen through a Mother's tears,
Flowing from the heart, over the years.

Tears of change streak her face,
In every sad and happy place.

Beginning with tears of joy at her baby's birth,
The most precious delight found on earth !

Followed by prayer-filled fatigue,
As she struggles to meet each child's need.

...As the bus drives away on the first day of school,
Mom stands waving good-bye, in a tear-fed pool

Her tears console may little heart-breaks
Through the twisting turns each life takes.

When her child is hurting, tears fall as she prays,
Asking God to heal them, as He blesses their days.

Flowing over disappointment, pain, and fears...
Is a Mother's love, reflecting through tears.

When teenagers forget all they've learned,
A Mother cries tears, that frustration has earned.

Prayer filled tears combat the evil they fight.
As she paces the floor late at night.

As children grow up and leave her home,
A Mother's tears fall, when she is all alone.

Her tears remember each wonderful child
And each little face that lovingly smiled.

Mother's tears are often very hard to explain...
They are wrapped in joy, desperation and pain.

But a Mother's tears always mean love...
Another gift from God above !!!

Guest Column by Mary Lou Dill

(Mary Lou has often told this story. I encouraged her to put it down in writing because it is so precious to me! I praise God for the older generation that has supported our worship team and has joined in worshipping in a new way! Thankyou Mary Lou! - Theresa)

Change. A word many of the older generation do not like to hear. So, here I am, a seventy-something widow entering the sanctuary and ready for one of the week’s highlights—the worship service. I have always loved the beautiful sounds of the organ and the piano as the prelude envelopes me. So I sit in my chair, speak to the others around me, and wait. And then I see it—or rather, I don’t see it. There is no organ. There is no piano. The choir chairs have disappeared. The choir members stand, the minister will use a music stand, and keyboards have appeared. Guitars and drums are added. Then the song leader — oops, worship leader— bounds onto the platform and worship begins. LOUD worship begins.

After I catch my breath at all the changes, I look around. The young people—those teenage kids who are too cool to enjoy any kind of church service—are actually singing. Some are even smiling and clapping. As I watch, I see the tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm between all the younger people and the worship leader. And the worship leader? A sweet, sweet young man from a wonderful Christian family. His excitement and obvious love for the One he worships, and the ones he worships with, is contagious, even to a resisting little old lady.

Well, that was the beginning of our new worship service. Did we “old fogies” blow it out of the water? Absolutely not. We missed the old hymns and the gentleness of yesterday’s worship. But seeing the interest of the younger people was reason enough to keep quiet and start adjusting. After all, there weren’t too many words to learn for those new songs—mostly just the same phrases over and over.

And then time passed, as it always does. And our worship team used that time wisely. They toned down some of the volume. They built the order of worship around the central theme from the minister’s sermon. They brought back some of the old hymns. They read scripture. They spoke with heartfelt love and sorrow about mistakes they had made and the congregation thought, “I did that, too; maybe I can be a witnessing Christian after all.” And the words of the new songs? I discovered many of them were direct quotes from the Psalms and other scripture.

It is a new day at Scott Avenue Christian Church. This seventy-something grandmother can hardly wait for Sunday morning to come and once again be enveloped in a powerful, focused worship service.

Change? If the end result is half that of our worship service, I say, “Bring it on!”

We will be Changed by Theresa Zuber

Some people embrace change but most seem to be resistant to big changes. Especially changes that they are unsure of: new software at work, a new boss, a new low-cholesterol, low-fat, high fiber – (read “low taste”) diet, Wal-Mart redesign—you know when they move stuff around and you can’t find anything!!!

Have you ever noticed that our never-changing God is all about change? Seasons, the weather, the orbit of the planets are always changing. Puppies mature into dogs, tiny babies grow up – sometimes taller than their parents, and seeds sprout and grow into something completely different! Clouds in the sky are constantly shifting and moving into various formations and sometimes, they disappear altogether.

Jesus ministry brought about HUGE changes. Some people accepted the truth, others resisted and held onto what was familiar. Even today, those who recognize him as the Messiah- the Savior-the Christ and accept him are eternally changed.

1 Cor 15:51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

If you don’t like change – look out! Heaven is bound to be different than your life on earth. Don’t worry. You’re going to love it!!! Start practicing now and embrace the changes in your life. Who knows what God has in store for you?!

Seasons of Life by Joyce Schafer

Our word this week is “change” and what an appropriate word this is for this time of year.

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the trees. We have a tree in our front yard that turns the most beautiful golden color. When I am coming home from work and see this tree I am just amazed at the beauty God creates.

Out in the country the crops are maturing and the combines will soon be busy. This is the time of year a farmer is rewarded for all his hard work. I have many fond memories of helping in the field. Some of my best prayer times were in the cab of a tractor. To me, being close to nature is being close to God.

The schools are once again open and filled with teachers and students. The classrooms that were silent over summer are filled with giggles and noise. Some students look forward to the beginning of the school year while others would like for summer to go on forever. Parents have mixed emotions too. Some who have a child going to school for the first time may shed a few tears. Others with older kids may cry, too—for an entirely different reason.

I am reminded just like the seasons of the calendar year our lives go through seasons of change. In the Spring of our Life everything is fresh and new and we are pretty green when it comes to life experiences.

Then we enter the Summer of our lives. For most of us this time is filled with getting married, raising children and having careers. There simply are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. This stage, like summer, passes way too quickly leaving only memories behind.

I am now in the autumn of my life. This is the time for a lot of physical changes: hair color, age spots, wrinkles and a brain that goes on vacation once in awhile. The good news is— I really don't care. This really is the best years of your life. I have more time to do what I want to do instead of what I need to do. I have never felt closer to God because I have the time to study his word, journal and pray. I am more content and try to live in the moment enjoying all the beautiful blessings our Lord has given us.

The final season is winter. This is a season filled with celebration-Christmas and the beauty of a snow-covered winter wonderland. It can also be a dark season filled with depression and sadness. The choice is ours and with God's help Winter can be a time of celebration of a life well lived and finally a home in eternity.

Change by Julie Short

Listen
Sh
Listen

Do you hear Him? Are you open? Are you willing?

Are you still and listening?

Or are you busy being; Angry, shooting hurtful venomous words at others
Trying to change others, Make them…..

The only person we can change is us.

I stepped out of my anger for just a moment and I listened
I heard…Is it worth your relationship with me?

Listen, and God will lead, listen and forgive
Listen,
And allow God to change you into someone you won’t even recognize.
And out of the broken/shattered pieces of my life
God is making something beautiful.
Listen, do you hear the pencil drawing on the paper,
amazing I didn’t know I could do that
Listen, do you hear the sound of the keys typing out the words I never knew
Listen, do you hear the sound of my speaking in front of people,
I never could have
Listen, do you hear the sound of scissors cutting and hammers hitting nails,
Listen, do you hear God picking up each shattered/broken piece
and carefully putting it together, molding and hammering.

The most important change
is allowing God to change us, our hearts, our minds,
Allowing God to make something beautiful out of the mess of our lives.
Change does not come without being open to God,
with out pain, without patience.
God makes all things beautiful in His time.
Are you Listening?
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.” John 10:27