Now What?



This Sunday, June 3 we will celebrate and honor Light of Christ’s graduates in the 10:30 AM  worship service. Our young people have worked hard to get here. Eighteen years of blood, sweat, laughter, and tears have led to this monumental point in their lives. An urgent question looms on the horizon for the class of 2012: NOW WHAT? It’s a question that many of us far-removed from our own graduations are still asking! Join us on Sunday to explore what God has to say about it.

Special bonus: the Youth Praise Choir will make its debut!

Guard Your Marriage #7



Adultery does not just happen. It is the culminating act of many tiny steps of unfaithfulness. We are examining these in order to help safeguard marriages. We offer word-for-word quotes from real people who wrecked marriages (theirs and others). This information comes to us at great expense.

Flirting and Teasing
"I could tell from the way she looked at me.  She would gaze directly into my eyes, then furtively glance down my body and then back into my eyes again.  I knew then that she was interested in more than my friendship.  But I was so flattered by her interest that I couldn't escape."

"Then we started teasing each other, often with double-meaning kinds of things.  Sometimes we would tease each other even when were together as two couples.  It seemed innocent enough at first, but more and more we knew it really did mean something to us."

"We would laugh and talk about how it seemed like we were 'made for each other' so much.  Then we would tease each other about what kind of husband or wife the other one would have been if we had married each other."

"He had those killer eyes.  When he would look at me in that 'special way' I would just melt.  It was hopeless fighting my urges.  He had me."

Source: Money, Sex and Spiritual Power by Keith Drury.

Cookout

Join us on Memorial Day Saturday (May 26) from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM for a cookout in the Parkview community of west Charlotte.  The purpose is to share the love of Jesus with the community through fun, food, and fellowship.  Light of Christ has enjoyed developing strong relationships in the neighborhood.  We look forward to another opportunity to see our friends and to make new ones.  I am excited that the congregation of First United Methodist Church, Charlotte will be joining us to partner in the cookout!

The address is 1105 Pryor Street in Charlotte.  Bring a lawn chair and park on the street.  See you then!

Guard Your Marriage #6



Adultery does not just happen. It is the culminating act of many tiny steps of unfaithfulness. We are examining these in order to help safeguard marriages. We offer word-for-word quotes from real people who wrecked marriages (theirs and others). This information comes to us at great expense.

Tinges of Dishonesty with My Mate
"When my wife would ask if she was with the group I'd pretend I couldn't remember.  Right there I started building a wall between us."

"I would act like I was going to practice with our ensemble, but actually I was practicing a duet with him."

"Once my wife asked about her, but I denied everything.  After all, we hadn't done anything wrong yet.  Now I see that this was one of those exit points where I could have come clean and got off the road I was speeding down."

"Whenever we got together as couples I would act like I didn't care about him, and afterward I would even criticize him to my husband.  I guess I was trying to hide my real feelings from my husband."

Source: Money, Sex and Spiritual Power by Keith Drury.

Air Jesus

Today, Christians around the world are celebrating the ascension of Jesus into Heaven. (And no, it didn’t look like the picture above. Jesus can jump much higher and wears royal blue.) Luke writes about it in the book of Acts:

Jesus said to [the disciples]...“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into Heaven.” Acts 1:7-11

A few points jump out at me in this passage:

- Jesus is alive, after being crucified and resurrected. Eat it, Satan!

- Jesus is exalted in Heaven. Praise Him!

- The disciples would still be looking up at the sky if the two angels had not shown up. Come on, guys!  Heads out of the clouds.

- Jesus is coming back to usher in the full Kingdom of God. It will be a time of great joy. We need to be ready by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior now. Are you ready?

- We have work to do.  The Church represents Jesus in the world. We are to be His witnesses in our actions and words to all types of people in our community, city, state, nation, and world. How are we doing?

- We are not alone. God sent the Holy Spirit (the presence of God) to empower, to guide, and to be present with us. Come, Holy Spirit!

Guard Your Marriage #5

Adultery does not just happen. It is the culminating act of many tiny steps of unfaithfulness. We are examining these in order to help safeguard marriages. We offer word-for-word quotes from real people who wrecked marriages (theirs and others).  This information comes to us at great expense.

Looking Forward to Being Together
"I used to dread going to work, but after we started our friendship I would wake up thinking of how I would see him later that day.  It seemed to make getting up easier."

"I would think of being with her the whole time I was driving to work."

"I found myself thinking of him as I got dressed each morning, wondering how he would like a certain outfit or perfume."

"Every time I drove by her house I would think of her and how we'd see each other soon."

Source: Money, Sex and Spiritual Power by Keith Drury.

Guard Your Marriage #4

Adultery does not just happen. It is the culminating act of many tiny steps of unfaithfulness. We are examining these in order to help safeguard marriages. We offer word-for-word quotes from real people who wrecked marriages (theirs and others).  This information comes to us at great expense.

Meeting Emotional Needs
"He understood how I was feeling and offered me the empathy I was hungering for."

"She was there when I needed her."

"My ego was so starved for affirmation that I would have taken it from anyone.  I guess that's what started the whole thing."

"No one had ever really believed in me until he came along.  He encouraged me, inspired me, and believed so deeply in what I could become."

"My wife was busy with the kids and not at all involved with my work.  This girl admired me and treated me like I was really somebody.  It felt so good."

Source: Money, Sex and Spiritual Power by Keith Drury.

May the 4th be with You!

Happy Star Wars Day!  Yes, I am a geek.

Guard Your Marriage #3

Adultery does not just happen. It is the culminating act of many tiny steps of unfaithfulness. We are examining these in order to help safeguard marriages. We offer word-for-word quotes from real people who wrecked marriages (theirs and others).  This information comes to us at great expense.

Mentally Comparing with My Mate
"My husband wasn't interested much in spiritual things, but this man knew so much about the Bible."

"She was slim, attractive, and dressed sharp - quite a difference from my wife who didn't take care of herself much at that time."

"My husband just would never communicate.  He'd come home from work and just sit there watching TV.  I finally gave up on him.  Then this man came along who was worlds apart from my husband.  He was gentle, loved to talk, and would just share little things about his life with me."


Source: Money, Sex and Spiritual Power by Keith Drury.