Categories: Retreat07, five15 blog
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Here is the forecast for Harrisonburg:

Categories: Retreat07, five15 blog
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Last month I turned 30. Yes, I am now officially old.

This August marks 15 years since my family began attending what was then called Fairfax Covenant Church.

The math is not complicated: except for a year and a half at CLC for the Pastors College and an internship, I’ve been a part of this church for half my life.

I vividly remember my inaugural Sabbath. Having just moved from Kansas City, Kansas, the Whitacres headed for FCC based on the recommendation of an old friend. It was the first and only church we visited.

In those days, the youth group (known as Breakthrough!) met once a month during the Sunday meeting. During the break, I dutifully trudged the halls of West Springfield High, greeted at the door of a musty classroom by Jay and Melanie. I could not have predicted that a decade and a half later, Jay’s younger sister would be in my youth ministry, and I would work in the office next to Melanie.

A lot happens in 15 years. In addition to becoming a Christian, I am now a husband and father of two, and privileged to serve as a pastor to this church that I came to love. I’ve watched our church grow significantly, and not just numerically. We are not a perfect church, but we have a far better understanding of the grace of God than we used to, and we’ve been led into a deeper love for God’s Word and a more rigorous commitment to application.

All of this points to God’s faithfulness to accomplish His plans for His people. I think this is what Paul meant when he talks about the church being built and growing in Ephesians 2:19-22,

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

I have no idea what the next 15 years will hold. But we can trust that God is at work. It can be hard to see change and growth on a day-to-day basis, but I think we can be confident that God is getting stuff done for His glory and the good of His people, building us together into a dwelling place for Himself by the Spirit. What great news!

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Categories: Retreat07, five15 blog
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How cool are these stats:

• 5 hours
• More than 50 tables of yard sale stuff
• More than 400 guests
• More than 100 cars washed
• Dozens of bags of donated clothes given away
• Guests coming from as far as Prince William County, Loudon County, and Alexandria City
• Many repeat Yard Sale guests
• More than 200 of our church members faithfully serving! Well done!

Thanks to all of you who served, making possible this wonderful outreach!

Categories: Announcements, five15 blog
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Categories: Retreat07, five15 blog
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I got a little behind in my chapter summary posts for The Gospel For Real Life. I hope you kept reading! (Parents, if you would like discussion questions for later chapters, see the study guide in the back of the book!)

If you have finished or are close to finishing the Summer Reading Challenge, don’t forget that in order to claim your prize, you need to turn in to me a half page summary of what you learned. Give me your write-up by the retreat (or at the retreat) and I’ll give you a gift certificate to the bookstore. Read the bonus book, The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God, and I’ll give you another gift certificate when you give me a review of that. Got it?

Keep reading, it’s not too late…

Categories: Summer Reading '07, five15 blog
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Categories: Retreat07, five15 blog
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It occurs to me that I haven’t properly introduced you to our new retreat center. We’re headed to Massanetta Springs Conference Center, about four miles east of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Nestled in the wide basin of the Shenandoah Valley, Massanetta Springs is a Presbyterian retreat center that has been operating for about 100 years.

There is a map if you want to get a feel for what it will look like. All the ladies will be staying in a building called Richardson, which are little two-bed rooms, each connected to another room by a bathroom. Half the guys will be in Richardson and the other half will be in the Virginia Cottage and the Wilson Cottage.

We’ll be meeting in the Stewart Room, a huge improvement over the meeting room at Concord. Meals are in the Old Hotel, and fun and games will be all over the grounds.

I couldn’t help notice that there is a golf course just over a mile from Massanetta Springs, but I swear that isn’t why I chose this conference center.

Categories: Retreat07, five15 blog
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Don’t forget: the Car Wash and Yard Sale Outreach is tomorrow! (I keep wanting to say Car Sale and Yard Wash, but that’s not right.)We need your help. If you’re not selling stuff, please come help us wash cars, direct traffic, or serve in the hospitality tent. Last time, we had 400 visitors on our property. I bet we have even more this time.

It’s a great opportunity for Each One of us who has received grace to Reach One who needs grace. Plus, every one who serves gets to wear (but not keep) a cool “Event Staff” t-shirt. I’ll be there for the early shift, hope to see you there!

Categories: Announcements, five15 blog
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