Homecoming: Imagine the Possibilities

The greatest challenge we face in building deep, meaningful relationships and community with others is our own independence. We love to live life on our own terms. However, God has put us into a world where lasting happiness and fulfillment can only be realized in context to interdependence. Consider Romans 12:5 -

“Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.”

The Bible often refers to our spiritual life as a walk when it says:

Just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. (Colossians 2:6-7)

It’s not good to walk alone. Thankfully, we don’t have to. We have the ability to reject independence and embrace interdependence. God had interdependence in mind when He put no less than 30 “one another” scriptures in the New Testament. He knew we needed help on our spiritual journey.

As we allow God to position us within community, we have others to walk with us so we don’t live in loneliness. We have others to work with us so we don’t live in fatigue, as well as others to watch our back so we don’t live in defeat. Finally, we have others to weep with us so we don’t live in despair.

You should be like one big family, full of sympathy toward each other. (1 Peter 3:8)

Not if but when those ‘category five’ storms of life come into our lives, we need people who will stand with us. With each step we take on our spiritual journey towards experiencing authentic community, God calls us to deepen relationships within our church family and reach out to the community around our church family.

“You are standing together side by side with one strong purpose--to tell the
Good News.” (Philippians 1:27)

Sure, God could do this on His own; but He’s decided to do it in partnership with us. He says:

“You have been My partners in spreading the Good News about Christ.” (Philippians 1:5)

You may be wondering, “What can I do to participate in Homecoming?” Not to sound cliché, but in the spirit of our theme, “Imagine the possibilities!” Step away from the crowd and, in this fall season, invest some time in a small group or ministry. People can get lost, hidden, and abandoned in crowds. What God loves to do with crowds is pull out 3, 5, 7, or 10 people and create small groups and safe havens where fragile, broken people like us can be known by name, love and be loved, celebrate and be celebrated; and serve and be served.

Homecoming is a season to invest in the people we love. We can do this by praying together, serving their needs and sharing the good news of what Christ has done for us.

“You are… God's instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you” (1 Peter 2:9)

Consider inviting a friend, co-worker or neighbor to an appealing spiritual event, like your life group or a dinner in your home. The woman at the well did this after she had a powerful encounter with Jesus. The bible describes her reaction this way:

Then leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:28-30)

And they came out of the town and made their way toward Him. If you read the whole story you will find that the disciples were in the midst of their everyday routine and missed out on this great spiritual event.

Don’t be so busy this fall that you miss out on what God has for you. Explore your home in Christ and your home within the Metro community. Take part in our interactive ministry fair, a one-stop-shop to help you get connected and discover more of your home in Christ. God created Metro for you and with you in mind. We invite you to Homecoming to find out how and where you fit in!

-Jeff Dwiggins

Incredibly Blessed

To My Dear Metro Family,

I have been a part of Metro Christian Fellowship for many years, and have always felt at home. But when I was sent to Africa as a missionary by my Metro family, it put me in a different type of relationship. I have been so incredibly blessed by the love, support, and prayers of all of you. I hope you know how important your prayers and support have been during my time in Africa.

I want to thank you for sending Randy Catlett to visit in July. His presence and encouragement did mighty things in boosting our team, and especially in helping me through a difficult time. I also want to thank you for all the lovely gifts and supplies that were sent. I don’t know if I can find the words to describe how it lifts spirits – not only mine, but the African’s – to know that there is someone on the other side that is thinking of us. Randy’s visit made it clear to the people in Abidjan that they have family in Kansas City that love them and care about them.

Many of the items sent have already been given away. The school supplies are being saved, and will be given away in October, when the children go back to school. The toys were given to children in the neighborhood, who often end up playing with trash that they find on the street. To have something new and exciting and different just made eyes light up. One of the greatest moments in life is seeing the eyes of a child shine with joy. More than half the medical supplies have already been utilized. Often, people come to the front door of the house, asking for help. They have heard that someone lives there that can help. That person is Jesus. And Jesus chooses to use broken vessels like you and me to do His work. So, thank you for assisting in this task.

This part is specifically for the person who sent the book, “ A Closer Walk” by Cathryn Marshall. Whoever you are, it was a total God thing. I have read it twice already, and it has ministered tremendously to my heart and given me strength and courage during a time when I had very little. Whoever you are, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I hope you know that God used you mightily to minister to me.

As many of you know, I am home for a bit. I arrived the middle of August, and will be here to get things organized and restructured to return. Have no doubt – I am going back. But while I’m here, I would love to get to know you better. Just as I have stories of African friends to share, I want to share with the African’s of my family here. If you would like to get together, I would be excited to share what the Lord is doing in West Africa. I’m open to individual families, small groups or whoever wants to listen. I can be reached at fathersdaughter@msn.com. May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you.

I love you all dearly,
Maria Little

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Check out our pictures of Randy's visit to see Maria.

Teaching old dogs new tricks

There is an old adage that says,"you can't teach an old dog new tricks." I probably believed this to be true most of my life, that is until I reached fifty years of age. You see most of my life I considered FIFTY to be "old" and far past the learning curves of life. When I turned fifty i had to, of course, reconsider my belief in this. We have a dog named Phoebe, my wife named her, and when she was a puppy we taught her three tricks, SIT, ROLL OVER and SPEAK. Today she is about 7 1/2 years old and can still do the 3 tricks. About a year ago I decided she should learn to shake hands (paws). For nearly 6 months I tried everything to get her to do this but to no avail. She would simply sit there and look at me like I was some kind of idiot and refused to learn the new trick.

Today I am rapidly approaching 61. Most 20 year olds would consider me acient, older than dirt, fossil like. It's true my body has a few more aches and pains than it did a few years ago but in my mind I feel like I'm 30 and in the prime of my life. But, some things have come hard for me, such as the computer. When computers first became popular I refused to join in the merriment and continued doing things the old fashioned way. What's wrong with 'writing' a letter? Email, you've got to be kidding!! Well after some time, unlike my dog, I began to learn the computer.

Just as I was getting my computer skills sharpened along came the cell phone. Who in the world would actually want to carry a phone with them?? That's nuts!!! Now I not only have a cell phone but it's a world phone that I can talk on anytime anywhere. Who would have ever 'thunk' it?

All of that leads me to this, BLOGGING. This is my second attempt at writing this same blog. The first one went somewhere but nobody can tell me where it went. I hit the 'submit' button thinking I had accomplished yet another trick but only to find it disappeared. So if it doesn't work this time my blogging career may come to an abrupt hault.

So, can you teach an old dog new tricks? Hmmmm................

-Randy Catlett

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If you have something that you would like to share with everyone via a blog post please send an email to me with your blog text.

Little Lambs Orphanage Ministry

June 2007 saw another team from Metro partner with Little Lambs based in Ukraine. The team of six found themselves in a city orphanage on the eastern side of the country where they would spend the entire month. The unpronounceable town of Dniprodzejinsk was an eight hour bus ride from the capital city of Kiev. They were going to give the kids much more than a summer camp experience. In a country where the number of orphans continues to rise, those involved in this ministry seek to reach as many of them as possible with the love of Jesus. These precious children may have never known the love of another person. Many are starved for affection and visibility. The American team gets to partner with a Ukrainian team along with an interpreter to share their lives and above all that of Jesus. Birthday parties are planned, olympic games are organized and a carnival is set in place. These are events some kids never experience. Jesus is shared in these happy moments, through the telling of Bible stories, eating the same meals as the children, and tucking them into bed with prayers and songs. Jesus is their great hope, and He can bring joy and healing in the midst of rough circumstances.

-Jessica Siems

Check out our Ukraine scrapbook here.

The Gift of Administration

Pam (pictured right at her doctoral graduation), a fellow Metro-ite, writes some of the best stuff on her blog. Today Pam writes about The Gift of Administration. Here is how her post begins:

I like it when people write what I already believe and wish the rest of the world believed as well.

I came across this article in Leadership, written by a pastor who found a lot of success and then found a lot of burn-out. He said lots of interesting things throughout the article and I would recommend it to you, but found this quote hit one of the things I have pondered long and hard over:

“Now I still don’t believe that just by being slick enough with your methodoloy that it obligates the Spirit to act. But while organization doesn’t make a church grow, lack of it can kill an authentic work of the Spirit. And that had been our experience.”

I recommend reading the whole post here.

-Bob Edwards