They have been recieving biblical teaching alongside Pastor Joshua's lessons. Recently, we have been going through the various fruits of the Spirit. The best part? They GET IT. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfullness, gentleness, and self-control are not simply good worldly attributes. They are a reflection of who God is. This last week I used a mirror to represent this fact. If God is love, we ought to aspire to that same love. If God is peace, we should want to have peace as well. In short, the study through Galatians has opened their minds to who God actually is, rather than what they hear from the world.

I encourage you all to communicate these truths to them "when you sit in your house, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 6:7) It should be a consistent process, not simply a Sunday morning activity. My primary purpose as the River's new Youth Director is to help you all do this. This is also the purpose of the Discussion Questions. These questions act as a springboard into biblical discussions with your kids; awkward or not. The fact is, I am not a parent quite yet, and I don't know everything there is to know. However, I am here for you all. I am always free to provide guidance and encouragement as you raise your kids. 

Please understand that I am just a phone call away. I am praying for you all through this difficult task. Though difficult at times, it is through the power of Christ that makes it all possible. 

Have an amazing week everyone!

Tyler Mollenkamp
Associate Director of Student Ministries
(319) 354-3118 ext. 103 

Other Sermons

God and Race (6/7/15)
Easter is Better Than Christmas (4/5/15)
Super God in a Land of Superstition (3/15/15)
Putting on Jesus Like a Garment (1/4/15)
What Jesus' Birth Can Teach Us About God (12/21/14)
Our Founding Fathers (11/30/14)
What We Can Learn From the Zombie Apocalypse (11/2/14)
Happy Father's Day (6/15/14)
Mother's Day (5/11/2014)
Resurrection Sunday (4/20/2014)

Summer in the Psalms Series

Galatians Series

Gather, Grow, Go Series   

Go Sermons 

Grow Sermons

Gather Sermons

They have been recieving biblical teaching alongside Pastor Joshua's lessons. Recently, we have been going through the various fruits of the Spirit. The best part? They GET IT. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfullness, gentleness, and self-control are not simply good worldly attributes. They are a reflection of who God is. This last week I used a mirror to represent this fact. If God is love, we ought to aspire to that same love. If God is peace, we should want to have peace as well. In short, the study through Galatians has opened their minds to who God actually is, rather than what they hear from the world.

I encourage you all to communicate these truths to them "when you sit in your house, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 6:7) It should be a consistent process, not simply a Sunday morning activity. My primary purpose as the River's new Youth Director is to help you all do this. This is also the purpose of the Discussion Questions. These questions act as a springboard into biblical discussions with your kids; awkward or not. The fact is, I am not a parent quite yet, and I don't know everything there is to know. However, I am here for you all. I am always free to provide guidance and encouragement as you raise your kids. 

Please understand that I am just a phone call away. I am praying for you all through this difficult task. Though difficult at times, it is through the power of Christ that makes it all possible. 

Have an amazing week everyone!

Tyler Mollenkamp
Associate Director of Student Ministries
(319) 354-3118 ext. 103 

John 14:6 (HCSB)
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

There is an event that I like to use as evidence for Jesus being the only way.  Just before Jesus was arrested, He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane.  His prayer is recorded in Mathew 26:39, Mark 14:36, and Luke 22:42.

Mark 14:36 (HCSB)
And He said, “Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

Jesus was facing a torturous and painful death.  The cup refers not only to this but also to the suffering Jesus would endure when he took the sins of all people upon himself.  A holy, sinless person was going to experience having the sins of the world laid upon him.  This was too much.  Jesus didn’t want to go through with it.  According to Luke 22:44, Jesus was in such anguish, He prayed more fervently, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.  He is basically saying, “Daddy, please, I don’t want to go through with this!  Let’s find another way, let’s go to Plan B.”  Had there been another way, I’m sure the Father would have chosen it out of His love for His Son.  But He didn’t.  My conclusion is that there is no Plan B, there is no other way.  Salvation is only through the precious blood of Jesus.  Sin is serious business.  It cost Jesus His life.  Blessed be the Rock of our Salvation.

This greeting was much exchanged last Sunday as we again celebrated the resurrection of our risen Savior. Our faces seemed a bit brighter, spirits were elevated, joy was evident among us. Just to center our thoughts and actions around the realization that He lives, today! And is operating powerfully in and among us, that we are His people, His servants. Easter reminds us of this and more.

This exhilaration should lift us each time we come together because He LIVES! And He is in control as we allow Him to lead us and express Himself among us and through us. Having placed our faith in Christ, we know that He has placed His Holy Spirit within His own.

Oh, and did you notice last Sunday how much more full our seating was? So many more coming to share, to celebrate together. Do you wonder, with me, why should not each Sunday be this same 'lifed and emowered' experience? Going forward through this year, each Sunday can be even greater. Invite your special friend, family, co-worker (some of you did just that) as I met some who were invited by some of you and they seemed to enjoy the celebration. 

How very blessed we are to have such a Savior who loves us and forgives us and holds us close to Himself and allows us to be a part of His great eternal family! So much we want that sameness for others we know and hold as close to ourselves.

Please continue to pray for those for whom God has given you special concern, that they may be open to Him, and to hearing and even receiving "The Good News" of salvation. It seems that Pastor Joshua has been faithful in declaring the claims of Christ, this laying for you a foundation for 'follow-up' spiritual inquiry with your friend.

As we pray for these things we will see more lives changed through Christ, families held stronger,  longer! Remember singing,"We serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today". Hold onto that thought! We are so very thankful for your faithfulness to our savior, Jesus!

God Bless,

Mark

What a productive morning the women had working on liners for the Days for Girls kits this month! Don't miss our next opportunity to continue making items for the kits at the Women's PMS (Pizza, Meals and Sewing) Night on Saturday, March 28! Sewers and non-sewers alike are needed. Why not join us?

This reminds me of the contrast between God’s holiness and our sin.  The more we walk in the light of God’s holiness, the more our sins become apparent to us.  When we are not walking close to God, when His light is not illuminating our way, our sins tend to be hidden and less noticeable.  That’s a danger signal.  That’s when we need to draw closer to God and step back into His light.  How do we do this?  By spending time in prayer and Bible reading, and this should be a daily activity.   

What was Isaiah’s response when he found himself in God’s presence?

Isaiah 6:5 (NLT)
5  Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”

Isaiah saw his sin in contrast to God’s holiness.  After remorsefully confessing his sin, he was cleansed:

Isaiah 6:6-7 (NLT)
6  Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.
7  He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

Thanks be to God that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins so that we can be forgiven.

1 John 1:7-9 (HCSB)
7  But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8  If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

In the 1846 era a blight destroyed almost every potato crop in Ireland, leaving just enough of the crop to feed people for one month! To survive, people began to eat anything edible they found in the forests or seas such as roots, worms, shellfish and even plain grass from the yards! About one million Irish people died during that six-year famine. And about 2.1 million chose to leave Ireland for hopes of a future in another country, some 70% of those settling in the US.

The overseas voyage to the great unknown (America) was long and very difficult, and when the people arrived they did not know if they would be then allowed into this new strange country. Most of those coming did not know anyone here, they had little or nothing, did not know the local language and the customs of this 'strange' place. Just imagine what that must have been like when they landed in this new country and did not have anyone to help them through the immigration process and know where to live, they were determined to survive and even thrive.

Jesus too came into a strange new place, suffered persecution and death, but knew that He would be in the hands of Hi Father on the other side. It makes all the difference. Jesus says to me, "when you face death, "Look Up" for me on the other side! Now that's someone I would want to get to know!

Jesus offers true hope and real joy. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life", and again, "Come unto me, all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest". Many of our friends  while living here in the land of plenty struggle through a famine of knowing and enjoying our Lord and His goodness. As believers, we have God's truth to apply to the famine our friends face daily. Feed the spiritually hungry, our mission.

Alongside my passion for youth ministry, I also love hiking, camping, and generally anything outdoors. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me in order for me to get a better grasp of the church and the area. 
Email: tyler@rivercommunitychurch.org
Phone: (319) 354-3118 (ext. 103)

It feels great to be in the great state of Iowa! I look forward to see how God can work through his church by using families to glorify Jesus Christ.

Sincerely,
Tyler Mollenkamp 

This week I celebrate my 45^th Birthday.  I like birthdays and do not mind getting older.  One of my goals in retirement has been to get in better shape.  So far, I have failed miserably in that area, but just this week I finally got my act together and joined a pickleball class.  Don’t laugh.  It is a serious sport and after all, I needed to start somewhere.  The ironic part is that I signed up for the class through the Senior Center (it was free!).  I am the youngest person there and they all took me to town on the court during the first lesson.  Now you can laugh.

This week’s blog snuck up on me, so sorry that it was not very insightful about what is going on at church.  I do want to end though by welcoming Tyler Mollenkamp, our new Associate Director of Student Ministries.  I am very excited to have him at The River and leading our kids to Gather, Grow, Go.  Please take time to welcome him, get to know him and find ways to support him as he takes on this important ministry.  Have a blessed week and see you on Sunday!

God Bless,

Mark

Are you growing?  Is your knowledge and understanding of God’s Word increasing?  Are you building deeper relationships with people in our church?  How does this growth happen?  By participating in Sunday school, a home group, reading and studying the Bible, and prayer.  How is your growth? 

Are you going, that is, are you serving Jesus Christ?  Are you involved in a ministry in the church?  How about outside the church?  Are you helping the needy, widows, or orphans?  Are you spreading the Gospel?

 If you are having trouble answering positively to these questions, perhaps it is time to take stock and adjust your course.  My impression is that witnessing for Christ; explaining God’s plan for Salvation to lost people is where a lot of us fall down.

 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV) ¹⁵  But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

We are all called to be ready to explain the hope that we have.  Why is this hard?  Fear.  We fear confrontation and not being able to answer questions. 

Confrontation does not need to happen.  If you are speaking with a friend, you can ask them to tell you about their spiritual beliefs.  Listen to what they say, and try to find topics to discuss.  For example, life after death, is salvation by works or grace, or fulfilled prophecy.  This will allow you to explain your beliefs.   As the Bible verse says, do this with gentleness and respect.  This is not confrontational.

What about not being able to answer questions?  No one has all the answers.  No matter how much we study, no matter how many Bible studies we do, we will never know it all.  However, you can prepare to answer questions.  I read a book last summer that I recommend: The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask, by Mark Mittelberg.  There are other books of this nature, but I thought this one was particularly good.  Actually, the men will begin studying this book in Sunday school in a few weeks.

I encourage all of us to grow by participating in our current church program for growth.  How do we do that? By attending Sunday school.  All are welcome, and there is room for you in these classes.

Last Sunday, Feb 8 was very well attended, a good number of guests and first timers, very good exposition of God's Word, joyful music and an exceptional baptism service. We will long remember the very powerful and moving testimony shared by Mason Tilley, Wow. Keep praying for all of our children and young people as they grow and mature in Christ (trying not to jump too far ahead) but I have to wonder if our Lord is soon to put His hand upon Mason and set him on a very special path of service. Perhaps Mason exemplifies many of our children and young people as we are energized to pray for each and all as they do represent the future (and present) 'body of Christ' in our very present-day world. We, as the church, bear a tremendous responsibility for these most precious ones. Clearly, God has 'blessed' our parents and families with these children presenting them as a 'trust' to us; and how deeply thankful we are for each one and for all no exception. Praise God.

For a very long time I have held the thought that God is preparing this body of believers to do a very good work in our neighborhood and vicinity. I am greatly encouraged by the recent infusions of new and renewed people attending and desiring to be used of the Lord, asking for baptism and to be a part of what God is doing here.

I spoke above of praying for our young ones which leads me to wonder why it is that, as a church, we seem to have laid aside the work of coming together regularly and praying for our needs and the needs of many others. Looking back over some years, we can see the vitality and strength of our fellowship seemingly rise and decline reflecting the high or low place we seem to give to collectively and corporately and intentionally and humbly coming together to present our open hearts and empty hands to our Lord, asking Him to hear us, to consider us, to answer us, to bless us together! Jeremiah 33:2,3 "This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it, the Lord is His name:'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'"

The Lord is waiting for our hearts to open, He will pour out His blessing.

Last month I mentioned that I was working on reading through the entire Bible this year and that to help keep me accountable, I would tell you how I was doing each month.  As of today, I am actually two days ahead of schedule.  I have attempted this before, but for some reason it feels different this time.  I am truly enjoying being in God’s word and look forward to what God wants to teach me each day.  We are so blessed to have the Word of God so easily accessible to us. 

I want to thank you for all the great questions that were written down at the Family Matters meeting last month.  Pastor Joshua took the lead and drafted up responses which have been printed out for your convenience.  If you have not done so yet, please pick up a copy (last time I looked they were on a table in the foyer).  If you are unable to find one, contact the office and they will be happy to get you one.

We are very excited to have Tyler Mollenkamp join the church staff as our Associate Director of Student Ministries.  He starts on March 1^st.  Although the number and ages of children at The River has fluctuated over the years, this church has a long history of ministering to children and we look forward to continuing to teaching them solid Biblical truths.

Finally, it was awesome seeing so many men from The River attend the Wingmen event on January 28^th.  I am always amazed at how much better you can get to know someone at an event like that.  One man even shared some very exciting news for his family with the rest of the guys there. I love it when God’s people get together to share life.  Sunday school and the women’s and men’s ministries are a great way to do that.  There is always room for more, so if you have not done so already, check them out!     

See you Sunday (unless Pastor Joshua cancels again;-)

- Mark

People always ask me, “What translation of the Bible do you use?”

I do have a strong preference, so I thought that this would be a great opportunity to explain why I have chosen the HCSB, The Holman Christian Standard Bible.

As a pastor and student, my personal Bible has to serve several purposes, but the two most important are readability and accuracy. This is where, in my opinion, the HCSB stands alone.

I want a translation that is both written in the modern vernacular, while refusing to compromise the literal interpretation of God's word from the original language. It is also important to me that the text pulls from the oldest manuscripts, rather than the newest (this is a problem with the KJV, which draws from the most recent manuscripts rather than the most ancient of texts). 

The HCSB translators call this “Optimal Equivalence.”

The website reads,

“The HCSB employs a translation philosophy known as Optimal Equivalence, which seeks to achieve an optimal balance of linguistic precision with contemporary clarity. In the many places throughout Scripture where a word-for-word rendering is clearly understandable, a literal translation is used. In places where a word-for-word rendering might obscure the meaning for a modern audience, a more dynamic translation is favored. This process assures that both the words and thoughts contained in the original are conveyed as accurately as possible.“

With this standard of excellence comes an uncompromising decision to maintain the gender distinctions, translate the literal name of God (Yahweh), not to mention a conscious decision to consider the thoughts of scholars across denominations and throughout history. This is just a few examples of why the HCSB stands out as a great translation.

As many of you know, I have a BA in Philosophy, an MA in the Philosophy of Religion, and am currently pursuing my doctoral work; I need a translation of scripture that demands the respect of scholars, while simultaneously maintaining a clear declaration of God's word for the rest of us. The HCSB offers me both. Of course, I often reference the original Koine Greek, but I always do so alongside the HCSB's English translation.

Of course, I will admit that it is not perfect, no English translation ever really can be, but if you are looking for a new bible I would highly recommend the HCSB as the best on the market.

To be more specific, I would recommend the HCSB Apologetics Bible.

It is the HCSB translation with over 130 extra articles, maps, and a plethora of commentary. Because it is an apologetics bible, it attempts to answer many of the hardest biblical questions, not to mention it frequently references examples of how cults misuse different sections of scripture within the very same text.

There are references to the problem of evil, homosexuality, Mormons, Islam, and even the Jehovah's Witnesses. It also has commentary from varying authors throughout Christian history ranging from Justin Martyr (1^st century) to CS Lewis (author of the Chronicles of Narnia). I can't recommend this enough for those who seriously want to study the Scriptures.

This Bible can be purchased at any Christian bookstore (around $40) or online through multiple websites including Barnes and Noble ($27.30) and Amazon ($26.60).

Feel free to check it out on your own at http://www.hcsb.org/

But you don't have to take my word for it...

“The Holman Christian Standard Bible delivers what it promises: a clear, faithful translation of God's Word. I trust it because it is true to the original languages of the Bible, without compromise. But there's more: I can preach it because it is clear and understandable—to those in the church and to those we have yet to win for Christ.”

—DR. TONY EVANS
Senior Pastor, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Founder and President of The Urban Alternative

“I would recommend the Holman Christian Standard Bible to new believers and seasoned scholars alike. The translation is easy to read and thoroughly researched.”

—DR. CHARLES STANLEY
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church Atlanta, and Founder, In Touch Ministries

God bless and happy studying!

Joshua Tilley

The support of our Christian brothers and sisters is an important element in the sanctification process (i.e., becoming more like Christ).  We study and learn together, hold each other accountable, share our struggles, failures, and successes, and encourage each other. 

Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)  As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

The men have also been meeting for breakfast at 7:00 am on Thursday mornings, and for Sunday class at 9:30 am in the conference room.  For the women, Julie Jessop is doing a super job of teaching Sunday class in the Fellowship Hall.  Once the men’s and women’s groups are going strong, our plan is to have co-ed adult Sunday classes.  I encourage all of you (men and women) to make these events a part of your growing experience.

Jim Broffitt

Sitting here days later, I can't really recall a single item of 'business' we may have discussed--But what I can clearly recall is what I observed and felt and understood as a very warm and "Blessed" spirit among people sitting there together. The 'joy of the Lord's Presence' was very warming and re-assuring to most all of us. The majority of inputs/comments were affirming and were such that-for the most part-"build-up" our body..!

We have so very much work to do to move forward in further marking our neighborhood for Christ--in better knowing Him--and making Him known. In 'making Him known' to ourselves, to our families and to others.

GATHER  GROW  GO  is the commitment of our River Church...

1. Gather --is a continuous action, a priority action.

2. Grow--is a multiplying action, a critical action.

3. Go--is the implied result of a success in the first two.

As I remember that last Sunday, all three of these elements were fully functiong. WE 'gathered' together as God's people, and in that we are 'growing' in Him--and in numbers. And we are(I was) greatly invigorated and spiritually led to GO-in Christ's name and His just causes to our "world".

OH YES, I do recall one business item--I was very encouraged by the words of "TylerII"--as he presented his views of children's ministries-which is a huge area of emphasis for our families-and our field...

Please pray for God's continued leading in our days ahead..(this is critical..)

Hebrews 13:20-21 "May the God of Peace equip you with everything good for doing His Will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, thru Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, forever and ever."

(think of that--when you may doubt, or question, or even fear...)

HE IS WORKING IN US-WHAT IS PLEASING---TO HIM...!!! Amen?-AMEN..! 

Claude Williams

Praise God, we now have a space that is large enough to house our growing children's ministry.

Continue to pray for our progress as we consider other ways to better use our facilities.

Thanks for all your support and hard work!

Joshua

Although I do not officially do New Years’ resolutions – I do love the start of a new year.  There is something so refreshing thinking about starting the year with a clean slate.  When you think about it, the greatest gift ever given was a clean slate – only that slate then stays clean – forever.  Of course I am talking about the forgiveness of our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ.  In fact, right this minute I am eating some red velvet cake and looking out the window which reminds me that our scarlet sins will be made white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).  I liked the red cake – could easily have done without the white snow reminder ;-). 

So although I do not do New Years’ resolutions – I wanted to share one personal plan for 2015 and another for the River Leadership team.  For me, personally – I plan on reading the Bible in “a year”.  I got one of those special Bibles a few years ago (segmented daily readings of the Old & New Testament, along with some Psalms and Proverbs) – but never really followed it.  I think this is the year.  One reason I am telling you is that you can help hold me accountable.  I plan on giving you an update each month when I write my blog.  So far I am doing OK (but will admit that I had to do more than “one day” a couple times already)!

The Leadership Team plan for the year is increased communication in the form of regularly scheduled Family Matters meetings like the one we have planned for this Sunday.  2014 was very much a transition year for our church with a new senior pastor and various individuals joining/leaving the Leadership team, and I will be honest in that it has taken some time to get the leadership team aligned in order to better communicate.  But we are excited about what God has planned for this church and look forward to providing some updates on Sunday - so please stay for the potluck, fellowship and church update.

Wishing you all a very Blessed New Year!

- Mark   

This is Christmas week, the busiest time of year.

This is the time when we avoid shopping malls (unless you procrastinated), travel for all sorts of holiday events, and go back home to visit family.

My only words of wisdom this week are, clique as it sounds, remember the reason for the season.

At the Tilley household we have a tradition of having a birthday cake on Christmas night. No matter where we go, we come bearing a gift of jello cake (Ask my wife for the recipe, it is excellent).

Why a birthday cake? Because it is Jesus birthday.

Why jello cake? Because it's my favorite (Jesus doesn't seem to mind).

What are your Christmas traditions?

Do you open a present the night before?

Do you have a special dinner?

The next question should be, what do you do to remember Jesus on Christmas day?

Do you read the Christmas story as a family?

Do you sing carols?

Do you pray as a family?

This is the one time of year when Christians can get away with dropping Jesus name, praying out loud, and singing Christian songs without getting grumpy looks.

Embrace this time of year, enjoy the snow (hopefully), and glorify Jesus!

See you Sunday,

Joshua

Our “angel tree” was modeled after the Angel Tree Ministry founded by Mary Kay Beard.  She had an abusive, alcoholic father but a Christian mother who took her to church.  Mary Kay’s second husband was a bank robber and together they were involved in several armed robberies.  At age 27 she was on the FBI’s ten most wanted list. There was also a mafia contract on her life. She was captured and sentenced to 21 years.  One day she picked up a Gideon Bible in her cell and was thumbing through it when her eyes were drawn to two verses that changed her life:

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NIV)
²⁶  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
²⁷  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

On her knees in her prison cell, Mary Kay surrendered her life to Jesus.  She was released after serving 5.5 years, and in 1982 she started Angel Tree.  Mary Kay subsequently married Don Beard who was a convicted felon and went from being a homeless alcoholic derelict to an ordained minister. (I believe this was the third marriage for both.)  Theirs is an amazing story of the transforming power of God’s mercy and grace. 

Wishing you a merry Christmas as we worship and serve together!

Jim Broffitt
 

Pastor Joshua Tilley, the leadership and the church family of The River Community Church want to thank all of the people in the community who volunteered on Thanksgiving Day for our annual Thanksgiving Day meal. 

We fed over 500 meals in the dining area, delivered over 100 meals to the VA hospital visiting families and staff workers on duty and also several to shut-ins in town. Our volunteers "taxied" quite a few people to and from dinner also.

Volunteer helpers this year were magnificent and effective. 

We can't thank you enough for your time, support, donations and prayers. You made it a very special day for those who were served. We look forward to serving along side of you next year!

I tend to not get very political, but I must admit that it really bugs me when people avoid saying “Merry Christmas” this time of year so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings or religious beliefs.  As a nation, we celebrate many historical people with holidays:  Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. to name a few.  You do not have to like or agree with any of these people – but that does not stop the fact that they existed and impacted history.  Unfortunately not everyone believes that Jesus Christ is the son of God, but even secular history books and other religions acknowledge that he was born and influenced the world (more than other person).  If that was all Jesus was/did – it would be more than worth celebrating and saying “Merry Christmas” to all those we meet, but for those of us who call Jesus our Lord and Savior – we know the whole beautiful redemptive story that began even before the human birth of Jesus.  This Christmas season, I pray that we can individually and as a church body truly celebrate all the wonders of Christmas, especially the miraculous birth of the son of the one true God.  Let us boldly say “MERRY CHRISTMAS” this year as we celebrate the joyous advent season.    

Mark Jessop  

December

Week 1: Pride
Week 2: Pride
Week 3: Pride
Week 4: Pride

November

Week 1: Brotherly Love
Week 2: Brotherly Love 
Week 3: Brotherly Love 
Week 4: Brotherly Love 
Week 5: Brotherly Love 

October

Week 1: Armor
Week 2: Armor 
Week 3: Armor 
Week 4: Armor 

September
 

Week 1: Hope
Week 2: Hope
Week 3: Hope 
Week 4: Hope 

August

Week 1: Stewardship
Week 2: Stewardship 
Week 3: Stewardship 
Week 4: Stewardship 
Week 5: Stewardship 

Week 1: Temptation
Week 2: Temptation
Week 3: Temptation
Week 4: Temptation

June

Week 1: Contentment
Week 2: Contentment
Week 3: Contentment
Week 4: Contentment 
Week 5: Contentment 

May

Week 1: Sacrifice
Week 2: Sacrifice
Week 3: Sacrifice
Week 4: Sacrifice 

March 

week 1: The Word 
week 2: The Word 
week 3: The Word
week 4: The Word
week 5: The Word

February

Week 1: Submission 1
Week 2: Submission 2 
Week 3: Submission 3 
Week 4: Submission 4 

January

Week 1:  Reconciliation 1
Week 2:  Reconciliation 2
Week 3:  Reconciliation 3
Week 4:  Reconciliation 4 

It was actually first inaugurated by George Washington shortly after the American Revolution and later eternalized by Abraham Lincoln for very different reasons.

Surprised?

Here are some questions we will answer on Sunday.

Why did Washington call for the first Day of Thanksgiving?

What was the purpose of making this one of our first national holidays?

What can we learn from two of the greatest Presidents in US history?

Finally,

What does any of this have to do with Jesus?

The short answer: EVERTHING!

For the full story:

Invite your friends and family to learn about the origins of this great American holiday and the God who inspired it!

see you then,

Joshua

There were a few adult Sunday school classes, and I started attending.  The sermons were inspiring, but there wasn’t any discussion in church.  That happens in Sunday school and Bible studies.  I joined in and learned from the wisdom of long-time Christians, got to know them, and made friendships.  That’s where connections happened. 

There were other opportunities to get plugged in.  The church was involved in some construction or remodeling projects.  I like working with my hands, so I got involved.  Whether you’re remodeling a restroom, raking leaves, filling cracks in the parking lot, or washing dishes, working side by side with someone is a great way to bond and build a friendship.  And that kind of work is fun when you are doing it with others and doing it for the Lord. 

Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT) ²³  Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ²⁴  Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

Do you want to get connected?  It will not happen unless you take some initiative, and there are ample opportunities.  Here are three:

1.  Currently we have two adult Sunday school classes.  Feel free to join in at 9:30 am.
2. Thanksgiving is next week, and we will feed a few hundred people.  The church will be abuzz with activity on Wednesday – cutting up fruit, celery, onions, turkeys, etc., and setting up tables and decorating. (Alert: no pie tasting until Thursday!)  On Thursday we will be serving guests and interacting with them from noon to 5:00 pm, giving rides, and delivering meals to shut-ins.  It takes a lot of people to pull this off; it is a church-wide activity, and we get several volunteers from outside of our church.  There are jobs for everyone. 
3. In January we plan to remove a wall between two classrooms in the west wing.  This will provide a larger room for Kids’ Church and other large-group activities. 

If you want to get connected and build friendships, look for opportunities and then step up and get involved.  It is rewarding.  

Outreach, growth, reaching people for Christ, impacting our neighborhood and our City is a vision often expressed in The River family. we do truly care about our families and friends and pray for their spiritual health.

Recently, we shared Trunk or Treat Halloween with our neighborhood and beyond. As a first-time event is was a blazing success. Thanks to Pastor for his leading and to the very many who jumped in and shared time and effort and just being the 'hands of Chrsit" reaching out to our neighbors. During this Trunk or Treat some parents and many attending children expressed "thanks" to The River family for "caring enough" for their family and for their children to reach out thru this event.

Very soon, we share yet another "reach-out" event on 27 Nov., Thanksgiving Day free meal event. Many of our River family and many friends beyond this church join together to again reach out with the "hands of Christ' to share both physical food and Spiritual food to hungry souls.. To share the love of Chrsit with those coming here.

This is another wonderful opportunity for you to use your spiritual gift in serving, sharing, working and inter-acting conversationally with the many who come to The River that day for a Thanksgiving meal. It is our designed purpose that those who come will sense the Love of Christ in our caring for their needs. The meal lasts only a few hours - but the impact endures..The physical food and the spiritual food you share nourishes body and soul..You could truly say this meal - is- "soul-food".

Matthew 4:4 "Man does not live by bread alone, but on every Word that comes from the mouth of God."

Would you please pray for each worker who works, each one who provides, and for each child, woman and man who attend - that they experience the true love of Christ - that hearts (ours and theirs) be open to receive His blessing... 

I love the church unconditionally.  It is a decision, not a feeling.  It is based on God's perfect love, not on how I feel or what I am receiving.  Some days I am emotionally on fire for what we are doing in the church, other times it seems like a chore.  But you know what?  That is OK ... and I am guessing that I am not alone.  God created the church, just as he created family.  There will be mountain peaks and there will be valleys on our journey together, but no mater what the circumstances, we can praise, love and serve our risen Lord.  And that is why I love the church - unconditionally.

As I mentioned in the annual report, our church is once again in a transition year, but then I quickly added that we always have been and always will be transitioning in one form or another.  God wants our church to grow and thrive, never to be stagnant.  That of course does not mean we will not have some bumps along the way as we change.  Right now we are transitioning how we do music and children's ministry.  Both are very important to the life of church body and we (the Leadership Team) take that seriously....but it will take some time to solidify changes.  We ask for and appreciate your prayers as we seek God's direction.

I have recently become the elder for youth ministry and am working closely with the youth ministry deacon, Jen Kruse (or as I called her the other day "Superwoman").  Youth ministry at the River currently includes: Nursery, Sunday School and Kids' Church.  Our current curriculum for Kids' Church (when the kids leave during the worship service) will be used through the end of December.  We just finished a unit on the Armor of God and this next month we will be talking about Brotherly Love.  Starting in January, we are looking to make some adjustments to the Kids' Church format.  We will keep you updated on those changes.  We continue to offer two Sunday School classes for Pre-K - through 6th grade and will add more classes based on need and availability of volunteers.  We have had to recently suspend our weekly program that was offered to students at Lucas, but are looking for other ways to continue that partnership (Sara Steele did a great job leading a cookout for them them in September).  As with most ministries, we are always in need of additional volunteers to assist in leading our children to a saving and loving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Please prayerfully consider how you may be able to help out with our various children's ministries.

On a final quick note, I want to plug a few one-time events and ongoing ministries.   Trunk or Treat is HERE.  Even if you did not sign up to host a vehicle or volunteer, please stop by and support this new outreach event.  We want to show the love of Christ to our neighborhood through this event.  The new women's and men's Sunday school classes and ministries are up and running - and going strong.  Join in for fellowship and spiritual growth with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  Lastly, please continue to pray for our church and all its ministries.   We are all here to serve Jesus Christ - and we need to continue to do that together - in his mighty and powerful name.

God Bless,

Mark

I am excited to tell you that we are going to have our elders, Mark, Jim and Claude stepping in and helping with our weekly blog.

This will be a great opportunity to hear from our leaders and find out what God has been speaking into their lives. They will be writing on their personal passions, ministries, and what they are studying in their quiet time.

I, for one, am very excited to get to know our elders better and I am looking forward to gleaning from their lives.

See you Sunday,

Joshua

We have been studying the deeper points of the book of Galatians for several weeks now and part of this study is understanding the modern day equivalents to the issues Paul was dealing with.

As we learned, Paul's main opponents were the Judaizers. These people would be equivalent to our modern day legalists. Such people depend, not on Jesus, but on their actions and works to save them.

This is what many of Paul's and Peter's converts were coming out of, but most of us were not rescued out of legalism...what have most of us been saved out of? 

We need to consider where we have come from to protect ourselves from becoming enslaved to our old ways. Just like Paul we will identify and reject our old ways.

Together we will never give up, never surrender, and never give in!

See you soon,

Joshua

We are continuing on through Galatians, but we also have a surprise for Sunday...we will be hearing an update from our missionaries the Conner family!

The Conners..

Lynn and Barbara Conner serve in Guadalajara, Mexico. There are three major facets of their ministry: providing counseling for couples and families, providing seminars and workshops for couples and families, and training pastors and laypersons in counseling. It has been a time of fruitfulness for them as their investment in language, cultural understanding, and relationships has opened doors for ministry as never before. The Conners are currently home raising support and making connections. Please pray for lasting fruit from the ministry God has them serving in for his praise and glory.

Come join us this Sunday for deeper look at the context of Galatians!

See you then,

Joshua

We are starting a new series on the Letter to the Galatians.

Be sure to read at least chapter 1 by Sunday as we are going to do a short overview and then dive into the text.

I don't want to say too much, because that would spoil the message, but be assured that we will be encouraged and challenged as we apply Paul's words to our lives.

God bless,

We have now come to the end of our Gather, Grow, Go series, but this is not a sad day, this is a new beginning of ministry, service, and study!

We will be starting our next series on the book of Galatians and doing some expository study and verse-by-verse study For those who want to dig deeper; read Chapter 1 for next week.

Be sure to be here Sunday as we recap our series, enjoy some fellowship, and discover all the great opportunities to serve God's people at the River.

See you there,

Joshua

We looked at how to witness on Sunday.

We need to:

Enter the Story of people's lives.

This means we are to intentionally be a real friend to those we know and become a part of their lives.

Next, we are to Retell the Story.

This means that we are to show our friends that we have been listening, using their own language and experience to help them see that they are missing something in their lives.

Finally, we Capture the Story.

This is when we show our friends that Jesus is the missing piece in their lives and the answer to many of their big questions. 

Remember, Jesus is the answer to the existential question of, "Is there meaning to life?"

Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger and we have the opportunity to show them.

With all that said, when arguments fail we Share our Story.

Your testimony is an intimate part of God's story as you are his child. Don't ever underestimate the power of what God has done in your life. Tell people about the peace you have and how to attain it themselves. 

If you want to study this some more, Paul in Acts 22 gives his testimony to the crowd who eventually sees him imprisoned for 5 years. Consider Paul's heart for the lost as he lovingly calls his accusers "brothers and fathers" and he justifies their zeal.  

We have a lot to learn from the life of Jesus and Paul, so dig in this week and read Acts!

God bless,

Joshua

We discussed apologetics last week and why it is not just important for the believer to know about, but a command from God to always be ready to give a defense for the hope that we have.

We went through a few basic arguments and discussed how to answer these questions, but this week is even more important as I will explain how to actually apply this information in your own daily life. 

One of the questions I get on a regular basis is "How do I tell people about Jesus?"

We will discuss how to give the gospel to friends and family in a biblical and applicable way this coming Sunday, so don't miss out!

Invite your friends and continue to pray for your church and our city!

Joshua

PS

I wanted to give you a list of resources for those who would like to go a bit deeper.

Some great books on apologetics include....

Mere Christianity   by CS Lewis

"That's just your Interpretation"   by Copan

Reasons of the Heart    by Edgar

The End of Religion?!    by Joshua James

The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask    by Mittelberg

We talked about tithing this previous Sunday and walked through some of the harder texts on the topic. I know that we could do an entire series on money (and some day I will), but if you have any questions in the mean time, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Many of our church family contacted me to ask great questions about how taxes work at the end of the year, about giving online, and so on. We are happy to help. Please continue to email or call us in the office for assistance. This is a very important topic as the church cannot function without your financial support.

As we know, money is a sacred thing to us. Jesus talked more about money than most other topics, yet we see people regularily hold their finances back from God. Money often times is the last stronghold to total commitment and dependence on God, so if you missed the sermon on tithing, I encourage you to ask for a copy or watch it on our Facebook page.

This coming Sunday we are getting away from money and talking about Apologetics, so don't miss it!

God bless,

Joshua

We discussed sanctification last week, as well as the role we play in our growth and maturity. It was not by coincidence that sanctification followed on the heels of studying our spiritual gifts. 

We serve God by using the gifts he has given us and one of the ways we grow is by practicing these gifts. This includes our time, spiritual gifts, and finances (as we will learn on Sunday). We must come to realize that everything we have is a gift from God and that we do not truly own anything. It is by God's grace alone that we can even breath, let alone pray, eat, and serve. 

This is why I want to encourage you to do the spiritual gift analysis we sent out last week. When you finish, please send us a copy so that we can more effectively pray for you and help you find where you can serve. 

Everyone that calls The River home should be actively seeking God's will for their lives as well as praying for some way to serve His people through the ministries of The River. 

We are a family of believers, let's start serving together!

See you Sunday,

Joshua

PS

For those of you who missed the link...

https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1

enjoy!

Last week we talked about spiritual gifts. We all have them. 

What are your gifts?

More importantly, what are you doing to use your God-given gifts for Christ's glory? 

Below is a link to a free test. Take the test and send us the first page, so that we can see what how God has gifted you.

http://gifts.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1

This is not just for your information. We are in the process of organizing a much needed ministry fair wherein everyone who calls the River "home" will be able to get a taste for the ministries we offer. Once you see where you can serve you will be encouraged to try some of our ministries out so that you can fulfill God's design for your life!

I strongly encourage you to delve deeper into the glory of God and learn more about yourself in the process!

See you Sunday!

Joshua

We are moving from world evangelism to reaching our city this Sunday.

This will be an exciting time as we discuss why we are commanded to work to further our city and reach its inhabitants. The good news of Christ Jesus should not be just in word, but also in deed and we will learn more about the importance of our local community.

Also, we have begun to cut short "Highlight" clips from each sermon to give our friends and family small doses of what they might experience at The River. Each video is 1-5 min in length and is designed to be easily accessible and short enough for us to either post to our Facebook pages, tweet to our followers, or email to family and friends. 

I understand that posting an entire sermon can be tedious for those we are trying to reach, but giving someone a short introduction with your favorite clip might be exactly what someone you love needs to hear to get them to consider God's call on their life.

I will see you Sunday!

God bless and keep on telling your friends,

Joshua

We had a great lesson and time discussing evangelism last week.

All of the feedback I received was positive and encouraging. We are all truly blessed to be a part of a church that wants to reach the lost, so I trust you will make a point of being here this Sunday when we follow up Evangelism with Missions.

We are going to look at our responsibility as a church to reach the lost around the world, as well as how we as a church are going to do our part to bring the Kingdom of God to communities all around the globe. 

It is going to be a great series, so invite your friends to be a part of what God is doing at the River!

God bless,

Joshua

We are moving on in our series to look at "Go."

We have come a long way over the past few months and I am excited to start putting feet to what we have learned. These lessons are going to be challenging and encouraging as we discuss how we are going to reach our community and serve our own congregation.

This Sunday we are going to look at Evangelism. 

Invite your friends to be a part of what God is doing at the River!

see you soon,

Joshua

We are discussing how to study our bibles. Below is a list of resources for you.

First of all here is a link to a video about an "Apologetics Bible."

This bible has hundreds of extra answers to hard questions. 

The video is specific to the Student edition, but I am also posting a link to the adult version through Amazon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK6iKQQX5nM

http://www.amazon.com/Apologetics-Study-Bible-Hardcover-Holman/dp/1433602857/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403795543&sr=1-1&keywords=apologetics+study+bible

You may also be interested in an free online concordance. 

Check out www.biblegateway.com.

For a free website, which will walk you through the Greek of the New Testament,

check out www.greattreasures.org

Feel free to post other resources you found helpful on our Facebook page.

See you Sunday!

Joshua

We have finally come to the end of the "Grow" portion of our series.

We will finish this Sunday looking at "How to Study the Bible."

We will be taking all of what we have learned from the last few months and bring it together as we really look at how to read, study, and understand the Word of God. 

This will be a great time as we are challenged to apply the very lessons we have been enjoying since earlier this year. Make sure you are here and keep inviting your friends to come be a part of what God is doing at The River Community Church!

God bless,

Joshua

As we come up on Father's Day, I can't stress enough the importance of godly men.

This is a day that we not only honor dads, but the men they are and the example they set. 

Fatherhood, when done right, involves humility, love, and sacrifice. We need to recognize these qualities and discuss the consequences for ignoring God's plan for our lives.

Please invite the men in your life to visit The River this coming Sunday as we study God's design, not just for fathers, but for all men. I trust the men in your lives will find the message not just uplifting, but challenging and thought-provoking.

So men, MAN UP and be to church this Sunday as we celebrate God's will for our lives!

God bless,

Joshua  

Last week we looked at our culture and how it affects our interpretation of the bible.

This coming Sunday we will look at how we can see past ourselves and to find the original intention of the author. We need to learn to do this so that we can really understand God's purpose for each bible verse as we study. It is very easy for us to come up with quick self influenced interpretations of God's word, but our "thoughts are not His thoughts." By being aware of how our culture can affect how we see the world, we can take precautions to remove ourselves from the text.

We bring ourselves everywhere we go, so removing ourselves is not easy, but we must remember that it takes practice. Just like everything else in life, we just need some time to learn and grow. As we work together we will slowly be able to better understand God's word and our place in His Story!

See you Sunday.

God bless,

Joshua

We have been discussing our attitudes toward scripture and I wanted to remind us of some of the details as well as encourage you to read ahead for Sunday.

1. Be an authority on You.

Study yourself. Doctors spend several years perfecting surgery, yet most of us have spent our entire lives in our own skin and yet we know our spouse and/or friends better than ourselves.

2. Know your weakness and work to improve on them.

After having some personal study time, take note of places in your life to improve on then find activities that will challenge you in that way. I used the example of golf teaching me patience.

3. Keep Learning.

I love the quote from Einstein, "Once you stop learning, you start dying."

Educating and challenging yourself keeps us humble. When we learn we realize very quickly that there is much we don't know.

Start applying these items to your life and let us know what you are doing to grow a habit of humility (if you are into facebook post updates for others to see). We are all learning together, so let's celebrate each others victories. 

But for this coming Sunday I want you to read the story of the prodigal son, Luke 15:11-32. I have a few questions to ask you on Sunday so be ready.....

God bless and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Joshua

Last week we discussed our attitude and how it affects our interpretation of God's word. It is both scary and exciting to think that we have so much control over our view of God and His word, but because of this we need to be diligent in making sure that not just our bible study is God-honoring, but also our attitudes on a daily basis. This is a big responsibility, beacuse you represent Christ to a lot of people.

We need to understand that we are God's ambassadors on earth and specifically in Iowa City and our neighboring communities. You represent Christ at work, school, and even at the grocery store. The attitude we approach the bible with is the exact same persona we bring to our daily lives and we need to strive for humiilty and excellence in all that we do.

So what does that even mean?

Glad you asked..stay tuned as we discuss this very topic on Sunday!

Invite your friends and family as we learn to serve God with our attitude and by extention, our lives!

God bless you and your week,

Joshua

We had a great Mother's Day service this past Sunday and I don't want us to think that this is a one time a year event.

The women in our lives, young and old, are precious and need to be told so and shown on a daily basis. This is both biblical and practical.

There is a great book called, "His Needs, Her Needs" and in it author, Willard Harley Jr., explains a different way for us to view love. He states that everyone has a "love bank," but rather than gaining interest, the human love bank depletes at a constant rate. Due to this constant depletion we need to make daily "deposits" into other people's love banks if we want our mutual love to stay strong.

This book is designed to "Affair Proof your Marriage," but the same principle applies to our relationships with our children, friends, and family. Marriages crumble and relationships fall apart, more often than not, because we are not intentionally make deposits into one another's love banks on a regular basis. 

With that said, maybe you need to make a phone call, stop in for a visit, or write someone a letter, because, just like your own bank account, every deposit helps.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

Joshua

ps

We had a very fun and successful Easter this past Sunday.

We had several baptisms, new members, and children participating in our celebration!

You will also be excited to know that several more people contacted your leadership about becoming members and being baptized! Praise God!

God is blessing our efforts and we will continue to serve and learn as we move further into studying the "Grow" of our motto. This week we will be studying the canon of scripture. This is a fancy way of talking about how we ended up with the bible as we have it today. Be prepared to better understand and trust the word of God as we continue learning more and more.

If you haven't already, I would encourage you to consider purchasing a nice notebook for Services, Sunday School, and in your small groups. Splurge on yourself and get a nice leather bound book to write your notes, thoughts, or random scribbles as we continue to study. I have often gone back into my notebooks from almost a decade ago just to see how my understanding has developed (and to figure out why my penmanship has gotten worse...I blame my doctorate program). 

Continue telling your friends and family all that God is doing here at The River!

Consider offering them a DVD on a topic you found inspirational or maybe something that is interesting to them. Also, don't hesitate to give the office a call to plan a sit down with those who may have hard questions (I find that coffee, philosophy, and theology are a great combination).

God bless,

Joshua

Happy Easter!

We are gathering this Sunday to Celebrate the life and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus!

This is THE Christian holiday. This event in history is the first-fruits of our future hope of eternal life. Through the Resurrection we can ask the question, "Death where is your sting?" Why can we ask this? Because of the Resurrection, we know that death has lost its strength. For against God's people, death is powerless!

I will leave you with the words from a hymn sung by Johnny Cash. 

He sings,

"Ain't no grave, gonna hold my body down.

When I hear the trumpet sound,

I am going to rise right out of the ground.

Ain't no grave, gonna hold my body down."

Nothing can stop us from seeing our Jesus face to face!

Come and hear about God's gift of grace and our future hope!

God bless,

Joshua

Continue to pray for our church and tell your friends about what is going on at the River!

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Joshua

Even if we did not have this current and ongoing financial need, the Bible clearly gives us direction on how we are to handle our finances.  I found the following article on www.billygraham.org that I found simple, yet very insightful.  Here is part of that article:

“A New Testament teaching on giving which may be helpful to you is found in 1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.” This passage brings out four points: we should give individually, regularly, methodically, and proportionately.

The matter of your giving is between you and God, and He always takes into account our circumstances. He knows when they are beyond our power to direct and control. The important thing is that we see giving as a privilege and not a burden. It should not be out of a sense of duty, but rather out of love for the Lord and a desire to see His kingdom advanced.

Second Corinthians 9:6-7 says: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

The deeper question, you see, is this: What has priority in our lives? Is Christ really first—or do we put ourselves and our own desires first? Make sure Christ is first in your life, and then ask Him to guide you.”

All of use that call the River Community Church our church home have a responsibility to be aware of the financial condition of the church and to support its ministries through our individual financial giving.  Giving is a beautiful act of worship and as with all forms of worship, should be done out of love as the article above notes.  On behalf of the Elders and Deacons, we ask that you be in prayer about the church’s financial needs and study God’s word for His direction on how to best honor God with your financial giving.  Thank you and God Bless.

As you know, having a disagreement or conflict is inevitable and as we discussed, there are four steps that can be taken to discern whether we need to confront our brother or sister. 

These steps are...

1. Before you do anything, do a self-check.

2. Ask yourself, "Was the offense intentional or could you have misunderstood?"

3. Get wise counsel.

4. Confront the sin.

If you paid close attention to the sermon you would have come to realize that these first four steps are actually a conversation (maybe even a confrontation) between your spirit and soul as you really consider the events in question. God wants us to have His heart for His people and our spirit yearns for that same passion, yet our souls (or what makes us who we are) still struggle with trying to balance the selfishness of our flesh and the selflessness of our spirit. Really thinking about and meditating on God's Word helps us to correct our own blindness, which saves God from having to correct it for us. 

2 Cor 13:5 tells us, "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test." 

These four questions are important, because we often blow things out of proportion, especially when our feelings are hurt. We need to remember that we are all human and prone to fall from time to time. 

Examining ourselves helps us to make God-honoring decisions and such actions and thoughts are truly founded in love. 

As we are taught in Proverbs 19:11, 

"A person’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense."

But in case you are thinking that I am asking you to be a jellyfish or a door mat...we will discuss how we are commanded to confront sin this coming Sunday!

I look forward to exploring God's Word again with you very soon!

Pastor Joshua 

Last week we talked about "Bridging the Age Gap" and I asked for you to help us brainstorm real tangible ways to bring this church together and your responses were great. 

Some of those suggestions included..
 

Promoting our small groups or creating more.

Possibly breaking Sunday School for a time into separate Women and Men's groups.

Organizing a Men's retreat.

Organizing a Women's retreat.

Having a game night.

Watching sports events in our gym.

Having a church family camping weekend.

and many others.

Keep your suggestions coming. As I corral all of your suggestions, we will begin to see overlapping themes, which will help us to discern real needs and genuine interest. 

What a great time it is to be at the River!

I look forward to seeing you Sunday. 

God bless,

Joshua

PS

Don't forget about "liking" our new facebook page. This is a great place to brainstorm ideas as we move forward. thanks, again.

What a blessing it is to be here in Iowa City.

We talked about Gather, Grow, and Go this past Sunday and I want to encourage you to continue thinking about what we discussed as we move on.

Gathering in Fellowship
Grow in God’s Word
Going into the world and serving in the name of Jesus
and all of this in the Faith that only God can inspire.

 What a blessing it is to be God’s ambassadors!

I also hope to persuade you to study your bibles over the next few weeks and look for verses that talk about the three G’s and especially words that deal with “faith.”

Did the message help you to see some of these verses differently?
What verses “popped” out to you as you read your bible?
Did the definition of “applied belief” help you to understand God’s call on your life a little better? 

As the Holy Spirit speaks to you, mention it on our new fb page and let the rest of us know what God is doing in your life! 

https://www.facebook.com/therivercommunitychurchiowacity

Thanks,

Pastor Joshua

Update:

My family and I are closing on our home this coming Monday and Shanna is anxious for life to get back to normal. We are trying to get back into homeschooling, while I am writing sermons, and we are all living like gypsies. It will be nice to be settled in. Please continue praying for us.

With the addition of the Tilley family, we have just under 40 children on our roster for babies - 6th graders. Our classroom for Kids Church is getting smaller and smaller with this growth. The need is fast approaching to make changes to our current classroom set up. One of the options is to knock down some walls to make bigger rooms. The buildings and grounds team has talked a little about this option, nothing has moved forward but it is still a possibility. In short, the church is growing and we are going to need to make some big decisions when it comes to how we can adequately and excellently minister to our children.

The leadership team also wants us to “stuff the cupboards” for the Tilley’s.  We are working on a list of staples that will help them get established.  We hope to have it available for you to sign up on Sunday.  We will bring the stuff on Sunday March 16 (after they move into their house on the 10^th and 11^th). Ann says they call this a “Pounding”, for a pound of this and a pound of that.  Whatever you call it, sign up in the foyer and bring your items for the 16^th.

We are excited about the future of this church.  The power which will make it all happen is from God and comes through prayer.  We are (all of us) the prayer team.  

Pastor Gail

Next Sunday we will hand the reigns over to Pastor Joshua Tilley.  Pastor Joshua has invited Marge and I to remain in the congregation during the transition and while I look for another church where I can preach.  I am grateful for that.  It is difficult to walk away after so many years.  I do need to emphasize that I will no longer be the pastor.  I will no longer be an elder.  I might be a sound man or help with some maintenance issues.  If you have something to say to the pastor, that will be pastor Joshua, not me.  It is my job to step aside and let him become the leader and preacher God intends him to be.  Please pray for the Tilleys in their move and in establishing their new lives.  Please support pastor Joshua as he gets settle in and starts learning names and faces.  God has clearly called him. 

I told pastor Joshua that we have called him to a united and healthy church.  We are not a large church, nor a rich church.  But we are a church with a good spirit, and with a rather large footprint in our east side neighborhood.  Let’s work hard together to strength who we are and what we are able to do to reach people for Christ.  

Monday afternoon I got a call.  They had bought a house.  It is in the area of Hollywood and Sycamore, within 5 minute drive from the church.  (and maybe a 20 minute walk?).  Thanks for all your prayers. They will be coming to Iowa City within the next week or 10 days, Pastor Joshua will preach on the first Sunday in March and have a closing on the new house around March 10. 

We are excited for them and for the ministry here at the River.  Our prayers shift to what God is going to do throughout the community in the next few years.

On a completely different subject:  when we came in to the office Tuesday it was quite cold.  I don’t mean outside, I mean inside.  The furnace which used to heat the fellowship hall and the pastor’s offices does so no longer.  We called the heating company and they were able to replace the 30 year old furnace with a high efficiency model by Thursday.  It may be my imagination, but the office feels a bit warmer today, and the gas bill should be a bit lower in the months to come.   

            A.  With our time. A healthy church involves people using their gifts to serve God by serving each other, the church, and the community.  Let’s join together with Pastor Joshua and Shanna and become a healthy church with a strong commitment to seeing our church grow.

            B.  With our prayers.  As we prayed for God to bring us the right person, so we must pray that God will bring us all together and use this opportunity to Glorify God in this community.  Prayer is conversation with God, seeking to find a way to serve Him, and to rely on His presence and power to accomplish His task. 

            C.  With our finances.  We need to come up with the money to move the Tilley’s, to pay them regularly, and to support their ministry.  Let’s commit together to be generous and consistent in giving to make this a really good church.  

Many thanks to a great search team.  We appreciated all the very hard work.  We must continue to pray for the future of this congregation.

Marge and I have appreciated all the great support over many years.  We trust that you will support Pastor Joshua and his family as well as you supported us.

I told the Leadership team last night that there were several projects that I wanted to finish in the next 6 weeks,  so that we don’t leave loose ends.    

If you are a parent of a student who attends Kids' Church, take some time to listen to the audio podcast that compliments the lessons taught from this week. You can find the podcast on the church website, both the homepage currently and the children's ministry page. Also, the children are bringing home discussion starters for you to look over with them throughout the week along with this month's memory verse. At the end of the month we will give prizes to children who can recite the verse.

The after-school program came back together Thursday from two weeks off for the holidays. We are beginning a new series called "Can You See It." In this series we are focusing on helping the students realize there is something wrong with the world the way that it is and we need to find the solution, and that solution is in Jesus alone. 

Marge and I do admit to a sadness about leaving after so many years.  I will ask the MIBC if they have a place within a few hours drive where I can preach regularly.  I want to emphasize that I will no longer be the pastor.  I need to give the new pastor the freedom that he needs to get to know people and develop his own plan of action for the future. 

We (Converge Worldwide) have a code of conduct for ministers which includes the following statements:

“I will, upon my departure, sever my pastoral relations with the congregation, recognizing that all pastoral functions should henceforth rightfully be conducted by my successor.  I will not agree to perform any pastoral services in a church I have previously served until I have first obtained permission from the current pastor.”

“I will, upon retirement or withdrawal from the ministry, refrain from engaging in pastoral functions within our church fellowship unless requested by the pastor.”

I take these very seriously.  Support the new pastor; pray for him.  Catch the vision for growth and outreach.  Stand together in the unity of the Holy Spirit. I believe that the future is bright.   

Throughout the childrens' ministry we will have new procedures for checking your child in for nursery and kids' church. When checking in your child to the nursery you will be given a bracelet with your child’s assigned number(s), your child will be given a corresponding tag that will pinned to the back of their clothing so that when you come to pick up your child you will hand the bracelet to the nursery worker to pick up your child. The nursery worker will remove the name tag from your child and then release them to your supervision. Children will only be released to the person who has their corresponding bracelet, if you are having another person “pick up” your child, please, let the nursery staff know when you check in your child.

The procedure for checking in your child for Kids' Church is simple, you can pick up the child's name tag in the kids' wing and sign them in at the table. The child can wear the name tag to the church service and keep it on when they come back to the Kids' Church worship time. When you come get your child, they will give their name tag back to the teacher before they are released to the supervision of their parents.

There will, naturally, be some time to get this ingrained in our church's culture, but this will help increase our security procedures for our children's safety.

If you have questions about these changes, please, contact me and we can clarify the issue. 

First, we want everyone to be safe.  If the weather is marginal, we don’t want anyone to risk their health or safety.  If in doubt, stay home and enjoy the fireplace, the Christmas tree, and some hot chocolate.  We will evaluate the weather and the road conditions and let you know. 

Here is how we will notify you. 

            1.  We will call channel 9 and they will put it on their list, which will probably be a line crawling across the screen.

            2.  We will put a note on our facebook page.

            3.  We will send an e-mail to our news-letter list. 

If you still have questions, call someone who might be in the know. 

The weather is supposed to be cold but clear for Christmas Eve.  We have a great service planned for then.  Good singing of Christmas Carols and readings involving our families, including the kids.  We hope to see you on Sunday, and will plan on it for sure on Tuesday.   

During this transition we will provide opportunities for the older children in the ministry to take part in teaching or acting in the skits. This will allow the children to learn how to serve one another and develop confidence in sharing their faith with others.

The email resource for parents is called SPLINK, and I have looked it over and found it to be one of the funnest, practically formatted email devotionals for family spiritual growth and fellowship. You can sign up for the email by going to elementskidsworship.com/splink.

Along with SPLINK we will have an audio podcast that parents can listen to each week which goes over what the children will be learning in kids church. To access the podcast we will provide a link weekly in this newsletter and Pastor Steve's blog. It will also be available each week on The River's website.

More information is coming in the very near future. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please, let Pastor Steve know.

It is remarkable, how I think about Christmas coming, and we are making plans, but at the same time it seems to sneak up on me.  Is it just 2 weeks until Christmas?  Less than that?  The kids won’t be coming home this year, maybe we don’t need a tree? 

Our customs sometimes help us to remember that Christmas is about God, entering our world with a message of salvation for all who believe.  It is God’s love.  But sometimes our customs get us so involved with decorations and presents and parties that we miss the point altogether.  Let’s see if we can make the main point the main point.  Immanuel!  God with us!  

We start our Christmas services on Sunday. We will take several Christmas Journeys this month. The tree is decorated, the candles are ready for the Advent Wreath, and the Christmas music is being rehearsed. We are reminded that Christmas is about the incarnation of Christ, God has entered into human history to bring us abundant life: "Joy to the World, the Lord is Come, let earth receive her king."

Martin Kolczyk will represent SEND in an adult Sunday School Class and in the worship time.  Martin was instrumental in training and sending Claude and Carol Williams to the Ukraine and Far East Russia.  I joined that parade in 1999 for a two week trip to Odessa, Ukraine.  I count Martin as a good friend and an important influence in my life.  Martin now recruits college students who are interested in missions.  So he remains very influential in sending missionaries to Eastern Europe and Russia. 

We have introduced you to our elders and our deacons.  We have passed out our brochure, inviting you to get plugged in.  This process is intended for you to be able to see our ministries, to explore your areas of interest and get connected with the person who can tell you more about specific ministries and help you to get involved.  We have had some good responses and we have gotten some people plugged in.  I hope you are considering the possibilities of how you might serve.  Church involves all of us in some way.  This is not a spectator sport.  Look it over.  Think about what interests you and then let us connect you with someone who can answer your questions and get you plugged in.

Next week:  we start the advent season.  Would you like to help decorate the church? Talk with Steve or Sharon today.      

While we wait on God to reveal the future, we have been privileged to introduce you to our elders and deacons.  We have had some people respond to this introductions by getting more involved in ministries.  We have also re-introduced you to several of our missionaries—those who represent us in ministries from the University of Iowa to the ends of the earth.  This week we will meet Teresa Stecker from IC Compassion and the Nelson’s who are working in the middle east. 

God has richly blessed this church over the years, and we believe that the future is very bright.  Remember: prayer is the key. 

Lindsay will lead a Bible Study at 9:30 in the fellowship hall for all adults and will speak about the importance of Scripture in the discipleship process at the morning worship (10:30). 

Next week we will feature Lindsay Olesberg, a local resident who is the “scripture engagement director” for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Lindsay has taught people all over the world how to study the Bible.

November 17 we will have two presentations. IC Compassion is our partner in the Food Bank. Teresa Stecker will tell us all the other ministries that they are involved in. We will also have a video presentation from Cody and Vanessa Nelson, the Genesis couple who are ministering to refugees in the Middle East.

November 24 we will have Martin Kolczyk from SEND International. Martin has led many groups, including Claude and Carol Williams, and Pastor Gail, on short term mission trips to Russia and Ukraine. He is now a college recruiter, seeking out and preparing future missionaries.

On November 10 and 24 our missionaries will lead an adult Class at 9:30 am for as many as are interested in learning more. Put this all on your calendar, this is going to be a great month.