This is so funny!!!!!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
memories in a box
Well, for the last few days I have been packing up my office. Wow, ten years worth of stuff. A bunch of memories that i will never let go of, well the good ones anyway :)
This weekend will be the end of the season as pastors of CPC. However, the seed, memories and lives that God touched. The memories that are in the box are...... books, pictures, plaque's, notes, meeting notes, seminar and conference notes, gifts that people gave me, etc...
Wow, I looked at that tangible stuff and began to think of the intangibles. Like the time the man walked up to me and said on my first Sunday as pastor, "Son, you have got your work cut out for ya here!" or the time that we did not have anyone to lead the "song service" so me Jimbo (on guitar), Lance (on the piano) and me (lead Singer) learned a new song or two and sang them to Jesus as he came into the place!
I remember the time a lady stood up put her fingers in her ears and said that she will NOT sing that new music!! LOL
Or the the time that Sister Helen lost her son to suicide. out of that tragedy came an amazing move of God as her whole family came to Christ.
I remember a bunch of ups and a few downs.
I remember when Jody Merrit (Evans) at the time, came into the Church with their whole family. Jody had lost her son in a tragic death. I witnessed her and her family come to Christ in a very powerful way!
I remember when I was running late for a funeral so pastor Brady and Pastor Jeff stalled until I got there in the nick of time!
Wow, I could go On and on.
How about you? Do you keep your memories in a box? I know, i know :if your memories are bigger than your vision" then you are in trouble.
I like to call the memories, "faith files".
How about you?
Do you have any faith files?
Dont keep them in a box.
This weekend will be the end of the season as pastors of CPC. However, the seed, memories and lives that God touched. The memories that are in the box are...... books, pictures, plaque's, notes, meeting notes, seminar and conference notes, gifts that people gave me, etc...
Wow, I looked at that tangible stuff and began to think of the intangibles. Like the time the man walked up to me and said on my first Sunday as pastor, "Son, you have got your work cut out for ya here!" or the time that we did not have anyone to lead the "song service" so me Jimbo (on guitar), Lance (on the piano) and me (lead Singer) learned a new song or two and sang them to Jesus as he came into the place!
I remember the time a lady stood up put her fingers in her ears and said that she will NOT sing that new music!! LOL
Or the the time that Sister Helen lost her son to suicide. out of that tragedy came an amazing move of God as her whole family came to Christ.
I remember a bunch of ups and a few downs.
I remember when Jody Merrit (Evans) at the time, came into the Church with their whole family. Jody had lost her son in a tragic death. I witnessed her and her family come to Christ in a very powerful way!
I remember when I was running late for a funeral so pastor Brady and Pastor Jeff stalled until I got there in the nick of time!
Wow, I could go On and on.
How about you? Do you keep your memories in a box? I know, i know :if your memories are bigger than your vision" then you are in trouble.
I like to call the memories, "faith files".
How about you?
Do you have any faith files?
Dont keep them in a box.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
A chapter Closes and begins
I have had the privlage of serving as pastor of CrossPoint in West Little Rock for ten years. Today, that chapter of our life closes. Below is the letter i read to them this morning. A day of laughter, crying, water baptism and celebration of a current deacon who has been sober for 6 years today! Needless to say, we leave with a sad heart yet fulfilled mission. It was a joy, and now CrossPoint Church will go to another more glorious level! I will still blog here, and preach where we are invited. I am also going to get my teachers certification to teach in our public schools. I am scared, nervous, excited and in wonder all at the same time! Please pray for CPC during this leadership transisition.
This is the Letter I read this morning.....
Change, youth and willing people.
That has been the journey for the past ten years at CrossPoint Church.
I stole a quote from former Arkansas District A/G Council Superintendent, Alton Garrison, several years ago, who said “Change is a process, NOT an event”. I have used that in messages, counseling, self reminder and just everyday conversation.
Ten years ago, When Tami (32) me (29) Luke (7) and Jacob (4) began our journey here at CPC (Ferndale A/G at the time) we were nervous, excited and passionate about winning the lost along side of a little Church in Ferndale. Wow! We saw it. Hundreds and hundreds of people have come through the doors of this Church to see their lives changed by the power of the Cross! Hundreds baptized in water, in the Holy Spirit and set free in various ways!
The people that have came and gone and you that are still here through the years have been the ones to do the ministry and my family has been blessed to be a part of that.
Wow, the memories would take for ever to tell. Revival services, Alter times, counseling times, weddings, funerals, missions trips, building, staff hired, Church growth, Church pruning, awesome times, hard times and each of you have your own memories as well…. And they are all so great!
The process of change has begun again. Me, Tami and the boys are entering another season (chapter) of our lives. Our time here at CPC has been invaluable yet tangible. Crosspoint Church is one of the most unique Assemblies of God Churches in the state of Arkansas, and will continue to be. However, at this season or chapter it is time for us to say goodbye. Effective next Sunday July 19th the season for us as pastors of CrossPoint Church comes to an end.
We are leaving on a VERY high note. You are the greatest people in the world that a pastor could ask to lead. The future for CPC is bigger and brighter than ever. The next person who comes here to pastor will take you with them to the next level. Who ever that person may be, please be as committed to CPC then as you are now. You are the Church, not just a pastor.
Our next steps? We will be involved in a Church somewhere but NOT as pastors. I will get to set with my family, ride in the same car (while Tami drives, Ha!) to Church. I will continue to work at Kroger this summer and I will continue to drive a school bus this fall. Beyond that we simply do not know. I will preach from time to time as Churches invite me, and I will help younger pastors/leaders as much as I can. My family is what will get me though. I am going to be spending a lot of time with them and walking through this change with them.
In the next few weeks you will have an interim pastor here (someone to fill in). Jimmy Lunsford will continue to lead the services as he has for the past several weeks. A pastoral search committee is being put together by the deacon board and they will be advised during the process by current superintendant, Larry Moore, of the Arkansas District Council of the Assemblies of God.
Tami, I and the boys will take with us some life long memories and friendships with us as we come to a close on this season. We will no longer be pastors of CrossPoint Church as of next Sunday, but we will always be your friends.
We love you, please know that.
On that note, I want to invite everyone back next Sunday as we say our final goodbye as pastors. Let’s have a service of celebration as we cry and laugh together!
After that, once again change will begin for CrossPoint Church. And the process of it will be exciting for you to be a part of.
We Love You,
Randy, Tami, Luke and Jacob
This is the Letter I read this morning.....
Change, youth and willing people.
That has been the journey for the past ten years at CrossPoint Church.
I stole a quote from former Arkansas District A/G Council Superintendent, Alton Garrison, several years ago, who said “Change is a process, NOT an event”. I have used that in messages, counseling, self reminder and just everyday conversation.
Ten years ago, When Tami (32) me (29) Luke (7) and Jacob (4) began our journey here at CPC (Ferndale A/G at the time) we were nervous, excited and passionate about winning the lost along side of a little Church in Ferndale. Wow! We saw it. Hundreds and hundreds of people have come through the doors of this Church to see their lives changed by the power of the Cross! Hundreds baptized in water, in the Holy Spirit and set free in various ways!
The people that have came and gone and you that are still here through the years have been the ones to do the ministry and my family has been blessed to be a part of that.
Wow, the memories would take for ever to tell. Revival services, Alter times, counseling times, weddings, funerals, missions trips, building, staff hired, Church growth, Church pruning, awesome times, hard times and each of you have your own memories as well…. And they are all so great!
The process of change has begun again. Me, Tami and the boys are entering another season (chapter) of our lives. Our time here at CPC has been invaluable yet tangible. Crosspoint Church is one of the most unique Assemblies of God Churches in the state of Arkansas, and will continue to be. However, at this season or chapter it is time for us to say goodbye. Effective next Sunday July 19th the season for us as pastors of CrossPoint Church comes to an end.
We are leaving on a VERY high note. You are the greatest people in the world that a pastor could ask to lead. The future for CPC is bigger and brighter than ever. The next person who comes here to pastor will take you with them to the next level. Who ever that person may be, please be as committed to CPC then as you are now. You are the Church, not just a pastor.
Our next steps? We will be involved in a Church somewhere but NOT as pastors. I will get to set with my family, ride in the same car (while Tami drives, Ha!) to Church. I will continue to work at Kroger this summer and I will continue to drive a school bus this fall. Beyond that we simply do not know. I will preach from time to time as Churches invite me, and I will help younger pastors/leaders as much as I can. My family is what will get me though. I am going to be spending a lot of time with them and walking through this change with them.
In the next few weeks you will have an interim pastor here (someone to fill in). Jimmy Lunsford will continue to lead the services as he has for the past several weeks. A pastoral search committee is being put together by the deacon board and they will be advised during the process by current superintendant, Larry Moore, of the Arkansas District Council of the Assemblies of God.
Tami, I and the boys will take with us some life long memories and friendships with us as we come to a close on this season. We will no longer be pastors of CrossPoint Church as of next Sunday, but we will always be your friends.
We love you, please know that.
On that note, I want to invite everyone back next Sunday as we say our final goodbye as pastors. Let’s have a service of celebration as we cry and laugh together!
After that, once again change will begin for CrossPoint Church. And the process of it will be exciting for you to be a part of.
We Love You,
Randy, Tami, Luke and Jacob
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