9:35 PM I spent an exciting hour tonight with our Power Connection junior high ministry. They invited me for the annual “Stump Pastor Ray” question night. Because they gave me the questions in advance, I was better prepared than usual, but they still tricked me on a very easy question: “What’s the shorte…
9:19 PM Very special renovation update … When our church building on Madison Street burned down in 1977, we lost track of the cornerstone (laid in 1921) for many years. Don Gerig helped us locate it in the mid-90s. For years we leaned it against the west wing—hoping to do something with it someday. I showed it …
Contemporary headlines regarding the persecuted church are juxtaposed against frivolous comments of Christians who don’t care and can’t be bothered about the plight of their suffering brothers and sisters around the world.
Sermon Series: Ponder This - 200311:27 AM I’m typing this note from my office at church near the end of the third worship service. This is a rare “day off” for me since Dr. Scott Hafemann is speaking on “Led Unto Death” in all of our worship services as part of World Focus Weekend. Since I’m not preaching today, I’ve had lots of extra time to chat …
11:39 AM We are beginning the search to fill a new fulltime staff position—Pastor of Outreach Ministries. For more information, scroll down the page to Wednesday, November 5. It’s the second entry from the top for that day. 11:19 AM A fine crowd showed up for the prayer breakfast that kicked off our World Focus Weeken…
9:49 PM I bought a new bike yesterday, but I don’t have it yet. It’s on order from the factory and should arrive by Thanksgiving if all goes well. So I won’t say anything more about it, except that I couldn’t have purchased it without a very nice and totally unexpected gift from some friends who specified that they wanted m…
3:27 PM Tickets for Two From Galilee (December 6-7, two performances on Saturday, one on Sunday afternoon) go on sale this Sunday. We sold out quickly last year and expect the same this year. 3:26 PM The congregation gave $24,601 to the Building Fund last Sunday. 2:50 PM Chuck Colson offers some historical perspective on Pr…
5:02 PM On behalf of chocolate lovers everywhere, I am happy to pass along a recommendation. Marlene bought a jar of Nutella, “the original hazelnut spread.” Nutella started in Europe in the 40s when someone named Pietro Ferrero mixed hazelnuts and cocoa butter and came up with this smooth spread that worldwide outsells…
8:54 PM Camp Forest Springs, Westboro, Wisconsin: A six-hour drive from Oak Park. We stopped at Culver’s in Portage going and coming and had their famous “concrete” milk shakes. Plus fried cheese curds on the way back home. I’m still not sure what cheese curds are exactly, but they were delicious… . Quick impresi…
9:23 AM Steve Chapman says a good word in favor of silence and introspection and blasts the incessant use of cell phones in all public places—he doesn’t mention church services, but he could have. And I agree 100% with his comments. Nice excerpt:Hard as it may be to believe, people once managed to fill these idle mome…