Brothers and Sisters,
As we began our summer series on Psalms this past Sunday, Pastor Chuck placed massive emphasis on God’s Word and the stability, nourishment, and fruitfulness it brings in our lives. It is rather amazing to think that truth written centuries ago is never more needed than today.
In the Ancient Near Eastern culture, the time of Psalms, stability was understood in light of a particular teaching: students learn stability from a teacher. There are countless depictions from paintings on tombs to engravings of a student sitting under his teacher. They saw this individual as being stable—as being planted by streams of water (Ps 1:3). Psalms 1 captures this and gives a more substantial answer to which teaching is superior (Ps 1:2). It is precisely God’s Word that gives true stability. The concern is not just some sort of teaching to cling to but God’s Truth as lasting stability. We are blessed because God has told us the truth through his Word (Num 23:19 / Ps 19:9, 119:89 / Titus 1:2 / Col 1:5).
Connection Classes
Another round of seven week connection classes will begin May 29th. Be sure to check out the upcoming classes (Who Am I?, A Summer of Love and Respect, and One to One Bible Reading) and consider which one you will join. Connection classes are a wonderful way to dig into the Scripture with other brothers and sisters to learn truth and in turn experience transformation–which you will notice below is one of our distinctives. Perhaps you could encourage a few brothers or sisters from your GC to attend or maybe just grab anybody who calls Church on Mill home and commit to a connection class!
Foster Kid Volunteer Training
The Bulicek/Hardy GC was organized around the mission to make disciples among the adoptive and foster care children within our community. This great GC is opening up a training opportunity to the whole church. Interested in learning more? Would you consider serving? Come learn more! On Saturday May 21st we have arranged a training opportunity with OJC open to all. OCJ’s Fostering Connections is designed to reach a forgotten and faceless culture within our society known only as “group home kids”. Our goal is to reach out to this forgotten and faceless generation. In Arizona alone, there are over 14,600 children in the foster care system. Of these, over half are placed in group homes, each home housing up to 10 children and youth ages 6-18.
OCJ Kids maintains a relationship with foster residential group homes located throughout The Valley. As a trained volunteer you may visit the children and youth living in the group homes, based upon your schedule and the house’s availability. It’s as easy as using what you are passionate about to impact the lives of foster children living in a group home. There are over 101 ways you can connect with these amazing young people, to help instill hope, love and dreams for the future, to help them succeed as they walk through their life.
Come to the training from 9am-1pm this Saturday and check it out! No commitment needed for the long term, just come and see if God has this in your future. Our vision is to interact as a Church on Mill group at least monthly with these kids.
Church on Mill Distinctives
Another one of our five family traits (distinctives) is transformation-minded. The Christian life is a life of grace-driven, progressive holiness. Followers of Jesus are on a path of being supernaturally changed by God in order to live in increasingly Christlike ways. Real change is possible and even promised. Our character ought to more and more frequently and robustly reflect the life of Jesus. (2 Cor 5:17 / Eph 2:1-10 / 1 Tim 1:12-17)
Grace be with you,
Bryan Jerry
