Our Pastors, Directors and Residents: Our Pastors, Directors and Residents: Cheryce Berg, director of children’s ministries | Roger Burgess, pastor of visitation | Felipe Chamy, pastoral resident | Julie Clemens, director of disability ministries | Erik Dewar, pastor of worship and music | Matt Heaton, pastoral resident | Baxter Helm, high school pastor | Dan Hiben, middle school pastor | Tim Hollinger, technology director Jim Johanik, pastor of evangelism | Ann Karow, human resources director | Howard Kern, facilities director | Bruce Main, pastor of visitation | Josh Maurer, pastor of discipleship Curt Miller, missions pastor | Josh Moody, senior pastor | Mindy Rynbrandt, director of women’s ministries | John Seward, executive pastor | Nancy Singer, director of administration and finance | Wil Triggs, director of communications
Our Council of Elders: Mark Berg | Mark Bradley, vice-chair | Jay Cunningham Steve Ivester | Randy Jahns | Glenn Kosirog | Josh Moody, senior pastor | Jeff Oslund | Roger Sandberg | David Setran, secretary | Dave Tweeten | Chad Thorson | Brian Wildman, chair
Connections is a monthly newsletter published for and about the people of College Church. Send news items and suggestions to: connections@ college-church.org. Keep Connections in mind to promote a community event to the College Church family. Send event information by the following dates: For the June issue: May 9 | For the July issue: June 9 | For the August issue: July 9
CONTRIBUTORS
ASHLEY ANTHONY
and her husband, Matt, moved to Providence, Rhode Island, last June when Matt finished his pastoral residency at College Church to work with a new ministry there A busy mom to four children, Ashley has written for The Gospel Coalition
PAT CIRRINCIONE
enjoys reading, attending musicals and coffee and conversation with friends, old and new She is devoted to praying for her grandchildren and writing Her greatest joys are God and her family, and time with both makes for much joy and laughter
SARAH LINDQUIST
serves with the Sanctity of Human Life Task Force and serves on the Evangelism and the Evangelism and Culture Impact Committee Sarah is a home-school mom, who also teaches Suzuki violin and viola at the Community School of the Arts at Wheaton College
TATE FRITZ
and his wife, Addie, are moving to Oak Forest, Illinois, as Tate becomes the senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Church Tate’s pastoral residency has equipped him well for ministry and caring for his new flock
ALEX LEE
has been a letter-carrier for 36 years and is counting down the days when he can hang up his satchel in retirement and take up his pen more frequently He and his wife, Virginia, are blessed with a daughter and a son, and five grandchildren
JOHN MAUST
Recently retired as president of Media Associates International, John and his wife, Elsa, were long-time missionaries of College Church He and Elsa are parents of three adult children, Michelle, Natalie and John Andrew John enjoys running and a good cup of coffee with a cinnamon roll
JON SMALLEY
Jon served on the Board of Deacons and currently serves on the Board of Missions Additionally, Jon serves as usher at the 8 a m service and is involved in the Veritas Adult Community From time to time, you can also see him around the church campus volunteering with Facilities
KARA VANCE
Kara serves as a mentor with the College Group discipleship team and is actively involved with the Sanctity of Human Life Task Forces She works in Wheaton as a financial planner and keeps tabs on counting macros as part of her interest in nutrition and weightlifting
PRAYER THROUGH THE YEARS
WIL TRIGGS | EDITOR
Istarted my missions career working for Slavic Gospel Association (SGA). It was, and probably still is, committed to reaching the Russian-speaking world with the gospel. But it was also deeply committed to prayer. When I signed on, the president was Peter Deyneka Jr. He and his wife, Anita, became close friends of me and Lorraine. SGA had a prayer meeting every morning and a day of prayer every month at a local church. On Fridays, Peter’s father, Peter Deyneka Sr., would lead the prayer meeting.
Also known as “Peter Dynamite,” he was intense. His slogan was, “Much Prayer, Much Power,” also the title of one of his books. Even at an old age, he commanded people to kneel and pray on those Friday morning. Sometimes he would weep in an intense prayer, and he expected the rest of us to be as fervent as he was. If someone was too soft-spoken, he would say, “Louder!” I usually sat in the back row and tried not to catch his eye. In the evenings when most of us would go home and read or watch television, Peter and his wife, Vera, would spend hours in prayer.
This issue of Connections brought Peter Sr. to my mind. Looking back there is much to admire in his life devoted to prayer as much as mission. It’s interesting to see they way we grow in prayer through the years. Jon Smalley’s story (p. 2) challenges us to consider hymnwriters and other Christians in our prayer outlook. John Maust’s memories (p. 4) go back to Peru and his early missionary work, and gives us some practical suggestion and help us see that we can pray more and more often than most of us do. Pat Cirrincione’s journey (p. 7) from litanies of prayers the heartfelt ones, should cause all of us to consider our own journeys. It’s great to hear from Ashley Anthony (p. 12), partly because we miss her, but also to read her insights of a young mother in ministry sharing recent experiences and insights from prayer are always a comfort. Alex Lee finds comfort in Jesus (p. 10) and the truth that he knows all our experiences and feelings. Wendell Hawley provides us with a prayer for a church business meeting which relates to another feature of this issue—our Annual Meeting. Kara Vance and Sarah Lindquist present many angles on the prolife journey. And we say goodbye to Tate Fritz in this issue. Well, we can certainly pray for them as they step into a new ministry.
Let’s commit to more prayer, or as Peter Dynamite would say, “Much prayer, much power.”
Lord, Teach us to Pray
JON SMALLEY
Discussions on prayer have the tendency to be, as the expression says, “as long as a piece of string” with a multitude of possible diversions to take us deep into the weeds or wide into the outer reaches. To be candid, prayer can represent a challenge—even an obstacle—that has the potential of becoming a hindrance which prevents further progress in realizing the intended benefit and purpose of prayer. Such is the danger of debating and dissecting the whys and wherefores of prayer often at the expense of simply getting on with the business of praying. Prayer was never meant to be something beyond us. The Lord intended prayer to be a means of childlike intimacy with him, but we often find it more like a seemingly impenetrable barrier. To help us counter this feeling of being isolated under leaden skies and behind concrete walls, we benefit from Scripture and can benefit from those who have gone before who have shared our burdens in prayer.
William Cowper was an 18th century English hymnodist. His friendship with John Newton led to one of his best remembered poems and hymns, “God Moves in a Mysterious Way, His wonders to perform.” Cowper suffered frequent depression, but he found refuge in fervent faith which inspired many of his hymns. Out of Cowper’s struggles, these words were born and reflect his experience in wrestling with the practice of prayer, taking him from a sense of defeat to victory.
EXHORTATION TO PRAYER
What various hindrances we meet In coming to a mercy seat!
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer, But wishes to be often there?
Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw,
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw, Gives exercise to faith and love, Brings every blessing from above.
Restraining prayer, we cease to fight; Prayer makes the Christian’s armour bright; And Satan trembles when he sees The weakest saint upon his knees.
While Moses stood with arms spread wide, Success was found on Israel’s side; But when through weariness they failed, That moment Amalek prevailed.
Have you no words? Ah, think again, Words flow apace when you complain, And fill your fellow-creature’s ear With the sad tale of all your care.
Were half the breath thus vainly spent To heaven in supplication sent, Your cheerful song would oftener be, “Hear what the Lord has done for me.”
Cowper’s wonderfully personal words give inspiration to our advice to stick with it and to avoid sliding into “restraining prayer” and allow our thoughts and words to flow freely.
But what exactly is prayer? It is here that the water can quickly become quite murky. The argument can easily fall along the lines of, if only we could define prayer more succinctly, then we would know how to do it more efficiently and effectively. It is not hard to see how Satan can use this seemingly spiritual debate to keep us from doing what we are born again to do.
James Montgomery was an 18th century Scotsman. The son of Moravian parents who died on a West Indies mission field while he was in boarding school, Montgomery benefited from a strong religious heritage and a passion for missions. Publishing over four hundred hymns, he has been considered comparable with noted hymnwriters such as Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley.
In 1818, Montgomery wrote a hymn on prayer at the request of Rev. Edward Bickersteth for his Treatise on Prayer. Bickersteth was a noted author of
hymns in his own right, and one of his more well-known hymns is “Peace, Perfect Peace.”
The lyrics to Bickersteth’s hymns are eminently appropriate and helpful in these current troubling times.
Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.
Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.
Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours?
Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers.
Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus, we know, and He is on the throne.
It is enough: earth’s struggles soon shall cease, and Jesus’ call to heaven’s perfect peace.
Now back to Montgomery and the question of prayer. His lyrics to the hymn, “Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire,” that he wrote in response to the request from Bickersteth provide a degree of definition to the question of what prayer is.
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, uttered or unexpressed, the motion of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try, prayer the sublimest strains that reach the Majesty on high.
Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, the Christian’s native air, his watchword at the gates of death: he enters heaven with prayer.
Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice, returning from his ways, while angels in their songs rejoice,
and cry, ‘Behold, he prays! The saints in prayer appear as one, in word and deed and mind, while with the Father and the Son sweet fellowship they find.
Nor prayer is made on earth alone: the Holy Spirit pleads, and Jesus on the eternal throne for sinners intercedes.
O Thou by whom we come to God, the Life, the Truth, the Way, the path of prayer thyself hast trod: Lord, teach us how to pray!
There it is, seemingly simple and yet deeply profound. Rather than losing ourselves in the quagmire of deliberation, maybe it would be best to start, perhaps for the first time or even once again, with “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Stretching Our Prayer Muscles
JOHN MAUST
Before leaving for Peru as a new missionary, I was given a commissioning service and farewell dinner at my home church in northern Indiana. As it turned out, this special time of encouragement, fellowship and good-byes featured a surprise ending.
As the meeting drew to a close, the church moderator asked everyone to stand for prayer. “George, would you please pray for John?” he asked, nodding toward one of the deacons.
Then, in the silence of that room, we heard a small, high-pitched voice asking God to bless and protect John, the missionary. Hmmm… this didn’t sound like George at all. Heads lifted and eyes opened. Who was praying?
Then we realized this was George, the eightyear-old son of the church moderator who assumed his father had asked him to pray, not the middle-aged deacon.
When young George finished his heartfelt prayer, his dad smiled and then invited the other George to pray as originally invited. But I’m fairly certain that the prayer everyone remembered most was the surprising one by little, not big, George.
Remembering this now 43 years later, I realize just how much faith and courage it must have taken for young George to pray publicly in a crowd like that.
Maybe, like George, sometimes we need to stretch our prayer muscles a bit—seeking God
through prayer in fresh, disciplined ways that will help us know him better and to serve him more effectively.
How are you and I growing in our life of prayer? I’ll share a few examples of ways the Lord stretched my prayer muscles in those first years in Peru. Maybe they will spark some ideas of your own for refreshing your prayer life and intimate relationship with the Lord.
PRAYER VIGILS
When my then-fiancée and future wife, Elsa, asked me to attend a vigilia, all-night prayer meeting, at her church in Lima, Peru, I thought it sounded a little extreme. All night? Really?
“Yes,” Elsa confirmed, assuring me that I wouldn’t need to pray nonstop for eight hours. She said that occasional allnight prayer vigils were common at her church and were often held prior to an important outreach event like an upcoming evangelistic campaign or during Holy Week.
When Elsa and I arrived at the prayer vigilia, the College Church-sized sanctuary was nearly filled. The 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. prayer vigil was broken into one-hour segments. Each hour featured roughly 15 minutes of singing and worship, followed by a 10- or 15-minute Scripture meditation led by one of the pastors or church leaders, and then 20 minutes in congregational and small-group prayer for specific requests.
My head may have nodded a few times in the wee morning hours, but the night passed quickly. One sensed an almost tangible spirit of joy and unity in the Lord during this extended time of prayer and worship. I was thankful that Elsa invited me to experience my first all-night prayer meeting.
In fact, the prayer vigil must have struck a chord, because later our small-group Bible study planned a creative vigilia for world missions. Each member chose a different country or people group for prayer and then prepared a report on that group’s spiritual needs. One by one, we heard these reports and then prayed. I remember us praying at 3 a.m. for God’s work among the Eskimos of North America, for instance. Again, the time seemed to fly. Our world prayer tour ended in the early morning with hot coffee and a tasty breakfast.
It’s been a very long time since I last participated in an all-night prayer vigil. But I’m thankful for having had the experience of extended time for intercession and worship in the company of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
MORNING PRAYER MEETINGS
Some time later I was invited to join a new prayer group being formed at our church. Instead of nights, this one would meet every day from Monday to Saturday at 6 a.m. It sounded like a big commitment, and I didn’t immediately agree.
However, Elsa (now my wife!) and I lived only five blocks from the church. So if anyone could make it easily to an early morning prayer meeting, that would be me, living right in the neighborhood.
Also, while considering whether to join this prayer group, I read in Acts 6:2-4 how the disciples stepped away from some other duties so they could devote themselves to prayer and study of the Word. It occurred to me that as a missionary, it seemed the least I could do was give priority to prayer with the people that I had come to serve.
As it turned out, participation in this daily prayer group became one of the biggest spiritual blessings of my time in Peru. Rarely have I felt, before or since, God’s presence in my life and ministry in the same way as during those months of daily early-morning prayer times in the company of 20 to 25 others from the church.
WALKING AND PRAYING
One day a Peruvian friend offered me some Christian books in English that someone had given him. He read only in Spanish and thought I might like them. I accepted his gift of a biography of D.E. Hoste, who succeeded Hudson Taylor as leader of China Inland Mission in 1902.
I had never heard of Hoste, and was impressed to read about his unwavering commitment to prayer. To keep his mind from wandering in prayer, Hoste would often close his office door and pray while pacing the room. Other times, during long treks into the countryside, Hoste would ask his helpers or companions to walk on ahead, while he hiked alone and prayed aloud to God.
Around this same time, a missionary friend told me that some of his best times of prayer came with his wife in their evening walks; they prayed aloud as they strolled. “You and Elsa should try it,” he said.
The idea of praying while walking resonated with me, because I often struggled to stay focused while praying. So, in addition to prayer during quiet times at home, I would often take advantage of walks in the neighborhood to pray silently for God’s help and wisdom in ministry and for the needs of family and friends. I loved walking anyway, and found these “prayer walks” a refreshing way to communicate with the Lord.
PRAYER JOURNALS
With the same purpose of staying focused in prayer, I also began keeping a daily prayer journal. These written prayers roughly followed the ACTS structure—Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Those journals also provided a kind of historical record of God’s answers to prayer. What continued on next page
greater encouragement to persevered in prayer than to remember God’s faithfulness in answering our prayers in the past. Keeping a prayer journal is a practice that I highly recommend for everyone.
PRAYING WITH HOPE TO OUR GOD OF HOPE
God gave me a crash course in praying with hope in a situation that seemed hopeless. At the time, Peru was submerged in a guerrilla war in which thousands of innocent people were killed or forced from their homes in fighting between Maoist Shining Path guerrillas and the Peruvian army.
The daily news of massacres and bombings created an atmosphere of fear and foreboding. Did we believers have the faith to pray with hope in this dark situation and to avoid being paralyzed by anxiety? From what I observed and learned from my Peruvian brothers and sisters in Christ, the answer to that question proved a resounding, yes.
Peru’s National Evangelical Council launched a relief effort to aid believers suffering from the violence. The evangelical relief effort took as its name, “The Peace and Hope Commission,” drawing from Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Believers looked afresh to the promises of Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Scriptures like Psalm 37 exhorted us not to fret because of evildoers, to practice “fret-free” prayer.
Given the context of violence, we better understood Jesus’ description of our enemy Satan as a murderer, a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). We could also pray with the knowledge that Satan was a defeated foe: “[Jesus] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15)
Peruvian believers continued praying for the seemingly impossible—an end to the killings and bloodshed. The Christian radio station in Lima, Radio del Pacífico, launched a prayer movement and began holding a “live” daily program in which leaders and callers cried out to God for an end to the fighting, for God’s provision and healing for victims of the violence, and for spiritual revival and conversion of the evil-doers.
When the Shining Path leader was finally captured and the fighting ceased, many attributed the longed-for peace to God’s gracious answer to the prayers of the nation’s evangelical believers.
IT’S ABOUT RELATIONSHIP
I suppose there are innumerable ways to strengthen our prayer muscles with God’s help. But let’s remember that ultimately prayer is not so much about techniques or lists of needs and names as important as these may be. Prayer is about deepening our relationship with the Lord—sharing our petitions with him, yes, but also listening for his still, small voice and seeking his mind about the people and needs for whom we intercede. Amazingly, the God of the universe wants to us speak with him and to listen to his voice, to share with him every need, concern, petition and praise.
Some years ago I interviewed the prayer coordinator of an evangelistic ministry who developed a program called “HighSpeed Prayer.” He had assigned a number to every ministry prayer need, of which there were hundreds. Using this system, the man explained, prayer supporters could cover more ground in less time, for instance, simply praying something like, “God, please answer requests 14, 31, 57, 63 and 89.” The plan didn’t lack for efficiency and organization, but it certainly fell short in terms of intimate communication with the Lord of the Harvest.
Prayer is about abiding, or remaining in, Jesus. And Jesus says that if we abide in him, we will bear much fruit and that we may ask him whatever we wish (John 15:5-7).
The Father gives only good things to his children and knows what we need before we ask him (Matthew 7:9-11, 6:7-8). But still, he wants us to ask and with the certainty that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6). Again, it’s all about relationship.
I praise God for the many prayer warriors in College Church who so faithfully intercede for the pastoral staff, missionaries and ministries of the church, as well as for the persecuted church, our nation’s leaders and gospel outreach in Wheaton, the United States and around the world.
Seeking God through prayer in fresh, disciplined ways that will help us know him better and capture his heart and mind for the people and needs for which we pray.
What are some of the ways that God is stretching your prayer muscles and helping you to grow in your life of prayer and relationship with him? Please be sure to share them, so we can all grow together.
Go, Get Ready, Pray
PAT CIRRICIONE
Iwas in first grade when I began to pray. Did I understand what it meant, what it was about or how to really pray? If I compare what I knew then to what I’ve learned about prayer since God called me to him, I knew absolutely nothing, except that prayer was a litany of “I wants,” and a litany of repetitions recited each day at church and before I fell asleep each night. I grew up in a faith where I prayed to someone other than God, and who I perceived granted me miracles when my prayers were answered. I won’t go into details here, but if you wish to know more, talk to me over coffee about my religious upbringing and early prayer life. Then a change occurred in my life. One of the first classes I attended in my newly found Christianity was about the Lord’s Prayer, or what I knew as the “Our Father Who Art in Heaven” prayer. It was earth shattering, compelling, and the beginning of a real one-on-one relationship with my heavenly Father, my Creator God.
I had never realized the depth of the Lord’s Prayer—its beautiful simplicity, its attention to how God wants us to talk to him, how beautiful and powerful it was and is, this prayer taught by Jesus, which encapsulates a profound relationship with God as a loving Father and a guide for our spiritual needs (even the AI overview on Google got it right). This compelling prayer is the one and only prayer I have prayed consistently throughout the days and evenings of my life since that class on this powerful prayer first given by the Son to his disciples so very long ago.
Scripture shows prayer as sincere communication with God, a time for asking,
listening, confessing and expressing gratitude, rather than a grand public display or a mere repetition (litany) of words. Prayer should be sincere and from the heart, not for show or to be seen by others. Prayer is a time to connect to God privately, one-on-one, or corporately in worship.
Why am I saying all this? Because once you begin to become fervent in prayer it doesn’t mean life becomes pretty or a piece of cake. As Priscilla Shirer says in her book Fervent: “Once you begin praying you are in for the fight of your life. The enemy has been strategizing and scheming against you, assaulting you, coming after your emotions, your mind, your man, your child, your future. In fact, he’s doing it right now this second. Right where you are sitting. Right where you are.”
If you thought that just by trusting Jesus as your Savior life would now be easy, and all your wishes would come true, well, get ready for a reality check—you have just become fair game for the evil one. This is especially true “as long as prayer remains an afterthought, a formality, a mindless mix of duty and manipulation, something we do but usually don’t do, and rarely if ever do with any meaning and vitality, with confidence and clarity.” (Fervent by Priscilla Shirer)
So how about you quit wasting your time and start praying with precision, and staying focused on biblical truths, trusting in God for the right things done in his way and in his time.
Because prayer, for many years, was just a litany, I had to be broken by God to change my ways, to finally say: “Lord, I’m done, I’m done fighting with you…
you have broken me.” All my life barriers had been in place for so long that they prevented me from humbly approaching God and asking, yes, asking him to reveal himself to me. And he did, when I was driving to work. I had to pull off the road, as the tears flowed from my eyes and I finally told God something he already knew: “I am yours Lord, do with me as you please.” That was the most powerful and freeing prayer that had ever come out of my mouth. It was earthshattering and yet left me feeling so very calm and alive and embraced in his loving arms! I had to cast myself upon his mercy and love, relying completely upon him and his willingness to reveal himself to me. And he did—through his Word and through prayer.
Prayer is of paramount importance in developing our relationship with our Father and building up and supporting others through the word of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus taught his disciples for God’s will to be done, not their own, and to trust in God’s provision and protection.
If I’ve learned one thing, it is to focus on God’s will, rather than our own, to express gratitude even when our prayers aren’t answered to our liking, for he may have a much greater plan, and to seek his guidance, not my own, in all things not my own.
Open your heart, be honest and acknowledge your dependence on God. It’s the most freeing gift ever given from our Father in heaven.
So, go, get ready and pray!
Because prayer is the difference maker. An invitation for honesty, yes, for telling God how you feel, infused with the assurance and fearless confidence that comes from God’s promises (Fervent by Priscilla Shirer).
And remember: “The goal of prayer is not to change God’s mind about what you want. The goal of prayer is to change your own heart, to want what he wants, to the glory of God.” (War Room by Chris Fabry)
Gallery SPOTLIGHT
LIFESPRING
Celebrating resurrection and new life through the arts
APRIL 13-MAY 16
GALLERY HOURS: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 to 2 p m
J MARR MILLER
HELEN READ
PHILIP HOSSU
VALENTIN HOSSU MEAGAN SHUPTA
BARBARA ELSENHEIMER
DAWSON MILLER
DAVE SOBOTKA
GALLERY
LIFESPRING
Celebrating resurrection and new life through the arts
APRIL 13-MAY 16
GALLERY HOURS: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12 to 2 p m
NOTE: For other opening times, contact the church office at (630) 668-0878 or email artspace@college-church org
GATHERING
A monthly coming together, where we discuss our personal projects and the many facets of creativity and God .
TUESDAY, MAY 13 at 7 p m in Crossings
Discussion point: How does prayer relate to you and your creativity?
WORKSHOP
ART & STORY WORKSHOP
TUESDAY, MAY 20 7 p m in Crossings
Come to this interdisciplinary workshop where writers and artists can move toward collaborative works to be displayed in an upcoming gallery Bring your sketchbook or notebook and we will move forward in creativity together This will also be your opportunity to partner with another creative for the gallery show
We are planning a summer Art & Story gallery that will bring together words with art, artist with writer, to create works that are stronger together than apart This workshop will help artists and writers connect and create together
Article to discuss in the Gathering: https://www .artic .edu/ articles/1089/talkingabout-prayer-and-artin-the-galleries
May word of the month: PRAYER
ALL ARE WELCOME!
Future Meetings: June 10, July 8
Registration is encouraged but not required
For more information or to sign up for a workshop, visit our webpage: college-church.org/artspace.
Having a Good Day A Theological Application
ALEX LEE
“He took my sins and my sorrows; He made them His very own.”
Charles H. Gabriel, hymnwriter, 1905
Sometimes, very infrequently—as infrequently as Florida getting any trace of snow in winter—I find myself having a very good day—a perfect day in fact—and I wonder, bemused and disheartened at the same time, “Why can’t every day be like today?”—the sort of day when everything falls into place, following the script of a beneficent universe.
A week ago, I experienced a day like this: Marvelday, I’ll call it. I awoke that morning unencumbered by the rumpled sheets of shallow sleep, neither perturbed by bad dreams nor disquieted by exquisite ones, ready for French Roast coffee, which, in the kitchen, poured out of my Keurig, gurgling and steaming like a mineral spring.
The rest of my routine was blessedly uneventful, which is what anyone would wish the world to be at six in the morning, before teeth are brushed and shoelaces are tied. My breakfast of warm oatmeal with walnuts and raisins was consumed with a drizzle of honeyed contentment. Donning my postal hat, I got into my car and drove to work, dawn light and the promise of good weather lifting my mood.
As I recall, listening to Fox Business News on the radio, stock futures were up prior to the trading day, lifting the value of my portfolio. My retirement day was mere months away; this positive development, though transient, was surely a harbinger of prosperous times ahead. On the forty-minute ride, I encountered only one red light. Green, the color of going ahead on the road, and of getting ahead on Wall Street, suffused my spirit with verdancy, like dye spreading in water.
So far, I was unaware of any uniqueness to this particular day. Whether Tuesday or Thursday, it was an ordinary working day for me. Only later would I realize it was Marvelday, toward evening when, upon recollection, it struck me as uncanny that my phone conversation with the Social Security Administration worker, long scheduled, and awaited with some apprehension, had come and gone without a hitch. I hadn’t stumbled into bureaucratic quicksand; in ten minutes I had enrolled in Medicare Part A, accomplishing the purpose of the phone call in one single phone call.
After work, which had been a breeze, I found myself in a dentist’s chair. The specialist said, “Well, your implant looks good. I think we’ll put the healing cap on today, and you should be ready for a crown in a month.” He brought the syringe to my face and forewarned me of the pinch I would shortly feel. But the pinch, when it came, felt subliminal, diffused by the sense of well-being—of immunity from harm, which had weirdly enveloped me.
Despite the sutures in my gum, I ate dinner without a problem. The bleeding was minimal, and the day ended with a warm shower and a vexing thought: What if every day of my life were like today, perfect in every way?
With that, Marvelday expired, and a discomfiting idea formed in my head, dogma and insight curling into each other.
Though it felt perfect, my Marvelday was of course anything but: the S&P 500 fluctuates; Medicare, according to actuarial forecasts, is financially unsustainable; and dental implants, like all prostheses, are at best a work in progress. There is no such thing as a genuinely perfect day or hour.
But suppose there was a person living today, to whom nothing calamitous ever happened; who suffered no ills or discouragement; whose relationships were wholesome; whose well-conceived plans always came to fruition; who lived, in effect, inside an impregnable bubble of advantageous circumstances? Would we want to adore him or her as an exemplar of humanity, as the ideal of existence—as a demigod?
And suppose this enviable human, extending his or her velvety, aromatic hand, asked you then to become a disciple, would you do so? Would you at any rate be tempted to do so, if you were offered three score years of hassle-free bliss, living in a country where the weather suits your clothes?
On that strange, flawless day, it occurred to me that to become such a person was a tantalizing prospect, and in that deadly moment, I remembered Christ’s own plain invitation. “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light,” Jesus said, candidly and as an encouragement to his followers. Jesus was a realist. “The poor you will always have with you” was his matter-of-
fact assessment of the world economic order. And as for the political order, he concluded, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.” Jesus had no patience for complicated tax codes or for splitting Pharisaic hairs. He warned us of inevitable trouble in this world before declaring, almost as an aside, that he had overcome the world. He promised, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me; rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven.”
I was shocked into sobriety by these notions of submission and poverty and persecution and imperial taxes, for in fact I had been tipsy with the allure of an earthbound heaven, brought on that morning by a singularly satisfying cup of coffee. Now, long after the caffeine had dissipated, I was startled by God’s marvelous plan, anciently laid out in the Bible, yet somehow only now hitting me between the eyes.
The Lord Jesus probably never had a “perfect day,” in the sense modern people use the phrase. He was a carpenter living in the first century in an obscure town in a minor province of the Roman empire. His days were likely filled with hardship and want, interspersed with familial devotion and religious observance, and overhung with the weighty knowledge of his coming ministry. When that ministry began, and Jesus went about preaching and healing the lame and stepping on the authorities’ toes, he had to deal with skepticism and intrigue and official resistance and crowd control and stormy weather. Yet Jesus, in whom God was well-pleased, lived a perfect life, unsullied by sin and sustained by intimate prayer.
Jesus walked where we walk now. He, a man of sorrows, suffered and saw suffering up close. Jesus wept beside the tomb of Lazarus a minute before he raised Lazarus from the dead. He sees the whole picture: he knows life and death are two sides of the same coin, the very coin he holds in his divine hand, the coin of which Caesar has no inkling. We may take our griefs to Christ, for he is well-acquainted with pain, the pain of a splinter of wood in his carpenter’s thumb, and the pain of rusty nails through his wrists.
Jesus is the man to whom we can entrust our eternal security and daily happiness. I was blessed to have one nearly perfect day during which everything worked out for me. But were a man to have ten thousand days like mine, both he and I must make the same appointment with the grave. With that in mind, I find it reassuring that the Person receiving me on the other side of the grave understands the pitfalls and annoyances of mortal life. He will not weigh my worth according to the ratio of perfect days I have enjoyed against rotten days I have endured.
That makes my day.
The Holy Spirit Prayer in
ASHLEY ANTHONY
Relocating is a smallscale death and resurrection. The life once known is dead and new life has taken its place.
I know because we recently moved from Wheaton to New England—two very different places. I gave up the familiar morning walk to the elementary school down the block and the weekly drive to my coveted library study spot. My kids gave up friends just down the street and the neighborhood tot lot. The living room picture window that shed light on my bird of paradise potted plant is now gone; a door to my shaded screened-in porch has taken its place. For our family, the old Wheaton life has passed away and New England life has come.
We certainly count our blessings. Our city, aptly named Providence, is surrounded by water and a rocky coastline. We daily drive over bridges that cause our children to point and call out, “Look! Water!” We live in a beautiful place. And although “time heals all wounds,” we still occasionally feel the sting of the daily life and friendships we’ve left behind.
Many of you who have experienced similar, small-scale deaths. A close friend betrays you and the friendship is dissolved. A chronic illness makes its home within you or a loved one. A job is lost, parents separate, a family member stops attending church. These moments make us pause and wonder at what has been lost, how the life we used to know will never be the same. These moments force us to grieve the loss and anticipate the growing pains of the new life.
What do we do when life hurts? To whom do we turn when we experience the sting of small-scale death? Scripture invites us to pray “at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Eph. 6:18).
ASSURANCE TO DRAW NEAR
As a mom of four kids, my home is often loud. While two children banter over a game of chess, another runs through the house with muddy shoes. The last and littlest one stands by my side, sharing a rather sordid tale about a worm in the backyard. I’m in motion too, peeling potatoes or inspecting the homework list or checking work emails.
But in the mornings—when we’re all a bit sleepy and our gas fireplace warms last night’s chilly air—I look over my home with a cup of warm coffee and feel settled, at peace even.
Recently, I was having my devotions at the kitchen table, and I sensed a similar peace settle over me. It was not because the house was quiet, or life felt simple. Far from it! Peace descended because I was in the Word of God and prayer, and it felt like home.
Paul reminds us: “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13). Through the Holy Spirit, we know that we belong to God. The Holy Spirit makes prayer feel like home, a place of comfort and rest.
WORDS (WHEN WE DON’T HAVE THEM)
There have been many times I’ve been unsure what to pray. I’ve had to decide between two paths, but both seem equally good. A dearly loved friend is struggling but I’m unsure what would help. A young neighbor who lives with her grandma wants to live with her mom, but it’s an unhealthy situation.
Scripture reminds us that the Holy Spirit helps even when we don’t have the words: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Rom. 8:26). What a comfort that we don’t always have to know the exact right thing to say.
Even when we don’t have the words— or we don’t know the “right” thing to pray—we can go to God in prayer, dependent on the Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness.
ENDURING COMFORT
Jesus spoke to his disciples often of the day he wouldn’t be with them. What a
disappointment! But he also assured them that the Holy Spirit would come: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).
The word for the Holy Spirit used here, “paraclete,” means “advocate, helper, comforter, counselor.” The Holy Spirit would comfort the disciples in Acts, when he descended at Pentecost. Doesn’t he do the same for us?
Too often, I think of this comfort as a one-time thing. In one prayer, no matter what I’m going through, the Holy Spirit will comfort me, and I won’t feel pain anymore. How disappointing when it doesn’t come true! But the truth of this comfort is better than my wishful thinking. The Holy Spirit is a continual comforter. We can return again and again to the well of his comfort.
What a privilege we have to pray in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). What a privilege to have the Holy Spirit press God’s assurance, words, and comfort into our hearts. We’ve all experienced smallscale deaths, times we can seek God’s presence as we pray in the Holy Spirit— and who knows what tomorrow might bring. Yet alongside Charles Spurgeon, no matter what comes, we can ask God to grow us in this privilege of praying in the Holy Spirit: “Lord, teach us to pray. Put thou the thoughts into our minds, the desires into our hearts, and the very words into our lips, if it be thy will, that so all through it may be praying in the Spirit and not in the flesh.” (Praying in the Holy Ghost by Charles Spurgeon)
Amen.
CHURCH LIFE
MAY HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICES
Everyone welcome.
Join us at 8, 9:30 and 11 a m We’re moving to the two-service summer schedule at 9:30 and 11 a m on May 18 Livestream broadcast is at 9:30 a m You can watch it at college-church org/livestream
MORNING SERMON SERIES:
The Gospel of Matthew Senior Pastor Josh Moody preaching
MAY 4: “I Came Not to Call the Righteous,” Matthew 9:9-13
MAY 11: New Wine, Matthew 9:14-17
MAY 18: Vision Sunday
MAY 25: A Daughter and a Woman, Matthew 9:18-26
CHILDREN’S CHOIRS
SPRING CONCERT
MAY 4: Children at Prayer, in the Sanctuary, with a reception afterwards in Commons Hall
SUNDAY EVENING SERVICES:
Everyone welcome.
Join us at 5 p .m . in Commons Hall .
Let’s Gather:
Songs of Wisdom: Sermons from the Psalms
MAY 11: Psalm 119:9-16, Pastoral Resident Felipe Chamy preaching
ANNUAL MEETING
MAY 18: in the Sanctuary, all members expected to participate
MAY 26: No evening service on Memorial Day weekend
ADULT COMMUNITIES
May 18 is the last Sunday of the school year for Adult Communities
The Summer Forum begins June 1 .
FORUM 15 Sundays 8 a .m . in C104F
• Teacher: Bruce Main, John Maust, David Fetzer, and others
• Study: Responses to “He Has Risen”
• Description: prayer, singing and study with class interaction
GREEK EXEGESIS CLASS Sundays 9:30 a m in the Board Room
• Teacher: Jon Laansma
• Study: 1 John
• Description: Reading and discussion of the Greek New Testament Knowledge of Greek is not required for this class
LIFE TOGETHER COMMUNITY
Sundays 9:30 a m in Commons Gym
• Teacher: Teaching Team
• Description: Short teaching with small group discussion Authentic, biblical community for adults ages 25–40
LIVING WORD Sundays 9:30 a m . in C104A & C104C
• Teachers: Felipe Chamy, Jacob Samuel Raju, and others
• Study: Gospel of John
• Description: A “community within a community,” where we share, pray and learn together
LOGOS Sundays 9:30 a m in C104E
• Teacher: James Seward
• Study: The Book of Hebrews
• Description: A caring community centered around interactive Bible teaching and prayer, spanning a range of ages and family situations
THRIVE Sundays 9:30 a m in Crossings-Clapham Main Area
• Teachers: Teaching Team
• Study: The Gospel of John
• Description: a vibrant group, ages approximately 40-60, committed to growing with Jesus and his church through Bible-based teaching, small group discussion, common prayer and fellowship
VERITAS Sundays 9:30 a m in C104B & D
• Teacher: Dr . Gregg Quiggle
• Study: Christian History since the Reformation
• Description: a teaching class with active discussion and interaction Most attendees are middle to upper age
SUMMER FORUM
Praying Together with the Psalms
JUNE 1: Praying Together with the Psalms: What, Why, and How
JUNE 8: Not to Us, O Lord, Not to Us, but to Your Name Give Glory, Psalm 115
JUNE 15: Give the King Your Justice, O God, Psalm 72
JUNE 22: Let All the Peoples Praise You, Psalm 67
JUNE 29: O God, You Are My God, Earnestly I Seek You, Psalm 63
JULY 6: Have Mercy on Me, O God, Psalm 51
JULY 13: Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul, Psalm 42
JULY 20: Preserve Me, O God, For in You I Take Refuge, Psalm 16
JULY 27: Oh, Let the Evil of the Wicked Come to an End, Psalm 7
AUGUST 8: Praise the Lord, O My Soul, Psalm 146
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES
MOM2MOM (MONDAYS)
MAY 5: Special Evening Large Group Gathering, Cooking Demo at Shelly Wildman’s home, 7-9 p m
MAY 19: Summer Park Playdate, 9:30–11:30 a m
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY
Summer in the Psalms!
WOMEN’S MONTHLY GATHERING
MAY 3: 9–10:30 a m in Commons Hall
Join us for our final Monthly Gathering of the year as we wrap up our study on Jesus’ seven I am statements with, “I am the true vine and my father is the vinedresser . .” (John 15:1) . We extend a special invite to those who have never been before, and look forward to seeing those again who come regularly
MEN’S MINISTRIES
No events in May
CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES (KIDS’ HARBOR)
SUNDAY MORNING
Nursery (0-2) at 9:30 and 11 a m
Bible school (preschool-third grade) at 9:30 a m
Wonders of Worship “WOW” (K-third grade) dismissed during second half of 11 a m service
Children’s church (older preschool) during second half of 11 a m service
Children’s church (younger preschool) at 11 a m
May 18 is the last Sunday of the school year schedule for Kids’
Harbor Bible school (preschool–fifth grade) and for Wonder of Worship (K–third grade) The summer schedule begins on June 1
Evening Kids’ Harbor programs will resume in the fall
MIDDLE SCHOOL ( KINGS MESSENGERS)
SUNDAY MORNINGS:
9:30-10:30 a m , in the KMs room (Commons Lower Level)
MAY 4: The Prayer of Jesus, John 17:20-23
MAY 11: The Prayer of Jesus, John 17:24-26
MAY 18: Not meeting
MAY 25: Not meeting
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS:
6:45-8:15 p .m . in the Crossings .
MAY 7: Hebrews 12:1-2
MAY 14: Graduation Celebration
MAY 21: Not meeting
MAY 28: Not meeting
HIGH SCHOOL (HYACKS)
SUNDAY MORNINGS: 9:30-10:30 a m in Crossings
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: large group in Crossings (Clapham main area) or small groups in homes at 7-8:30 p m
MAY 7: Small Group
MAY 14: Golden Globes Event
MAY 21: Not meeting
MAY 28: Not meeting
COLLEGE GROUP
MAY 27: Summer College Gathering, 7:00 p m
STARS DISABILITY
SUNDAY
Adult and Multi-Generational Sunday classes meet at 9:30 and attend church together at 11 a m
Child/Teen Sunday classes at 9:30 and 11 a m
STARS Choir Sundays, 5-6:15 p m
STARS Moms Bible Study Sundays, 5-6:15 p m
STARS Praise in Action Wednesdays, 6:45-8:15 p m
STARS Talent Show: May 9, 6:30 p m
SIGNS OF LOVE
Deaf Ministry Building Bridges, May 4 and May 18, 3:30-5 p m in the Crossings conference room
ARTSPACE
Details on page 9
SUMMER Preview
Summer is a great time at College Church, with a changed schedule to offer new things for adults and a variety of crazy-fun learning opportunities for kids Here’s a quick overview
Three Services Become Two—May 18, no more 8 a m service until fall and the final Adult Communities until fall Make friends with the people in the pew you share Our evening series on Psalms continues throughout the summer, but not on May 18
SummerFest ‘25—June 8, community and church together—party in the parking lot! Invite friends . Summer Forum—June 1, our summer “Adult Community” gathering in Commons Hall at 9:30 a m
Summer Book Group—starts on June 10, title still being determined Check for more info in our bookstall or on our events page, or sign up for the summer book group email
College Group—Tuesday nights: Bible study (Ephesians) and fellowship 7-8:30 p m in the Crossings
Kids’ Harbor Summer: Sunday mornings: June 1- August 4 “Foolishness and Wisdom”
VBS at College Church—grades 3-5
June 9-12; grades 1-2 June 16-19
VBS at 213 E Lincoln—grades 1-5
June 30-July 3
VBS at 416 Wakeman—grades 1-5 July 7-10
VBS at 25W714 White Birch— grades 1-5 July 14-17
Middle School Summer
Wednesdays, June 4-July 30, 7-8:30 p m For 6th grade—dinner before KMs at 6:15 For 6th-8th grades—rotation of “Sundaes on Wednesday” at homes and “Crossings Week” for the summer series—Rescue Revealed: Seeing the Good News in God’s Word
HYACKS High School Summer Wednesday night meetings though the summer
STARS Summer—Music Camp: July 9, 16, 23 and 30, 3-5 p m
Looking Ahead
SUMMERFEST ‘25
Sunday, June 8, 12 – 5 p.m.
Under the Radar
CREAM OF WHEATON
June 5-8, 2025 Memorial Park & Downtown Wheaton
Kick off summer at Cream of Wheaton! Enjoy four days of summer fun including live entertainment, food and drink, carnival rides, kids’ activities, a business expo, and arts and crafts fair College Church will have a display in the park .
If you are interested in helping to staff our College Church display, email wtriggs@college-church org for details
MUSIC
CAMERATA CHICAGO ORCHESTRA & CHOIR
Mozart’s Requiem
May 17 at 3 p.m.
Gary United Methodist Church, Wheaton
Family friendly performance of Mozart’s iconic masterpiece presented in Wheaton Don’t miss this exciting and delightful concert experience, with world-class soloists
www cameratachicago org/ category/concerts
Use coupon code CCCC for a 25% DISCOUNT
Enjoy the outstanding musical artistry of Camerata Chicago and its choir performing the famous Requiem by Mozart!
Kingdom Quest at College Church, Mon-Wed, 10-11:45 a m , June 23-25 or July 7-9 . Children must be 4 by the start of the event $15 registration
Invite a neighbor or friend to join you at an all-church celebration on June 8, from noon to 5 p m to start your summer This is the last day of Cream of Wheaton, and we want to encourage residents of our community to come to College Church . Food options include authentic BBQ pulled pork, smoked sausage and ribs, burgers, hot dogs and all the fixings, plus desserts Food is free for all guests and all you can eat for $10 Also, enjoy live music, games, sports, inflatables and competitive trivia under a big tent We will have an open house to display many of the ministries we have to offer
• Four wonderful soloists conducted by Maestro Drostan Hall including Robin Wiper, Lauren Decker, Martin Luther Clark and Wm Clay Thompson
• Elite orchestra and choir with top Chicago area musicians
• Entertaining and educational musical anecdotes about the music and its vivacious composer
• After Discount: Adult $37 50; Senior $30; Students $7 50; Children $1 50
Discount coupon available online only and not at the door
Facilities FACTS
How many reservations did College Church have in 2024?
In 2024, there were a total of 2,349 events for set-up and clean-up by the Facilities Department In addition, there were many more individual room reservations made for varying reasons (counseling, meetings, workspace, etc ) for a total of 4,934 reservations We anticipate increased reservations after the completion of the Gospel Now renovations For 2025 rentals, weddings and special events please contact Angie Schroeder aschroeder@college-church org
609: Gym
568: Commons Hall
564: The Boardroom
477: Sanctuary
240: The main floor of the Crossings
219: Welsh Hall
148: The Kindergarten room
108: Fireside Reservations
25: Parking Lots
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRAYER
Call the church office or email info@college-church.org for details on these prayer meetings.
SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER: 8:15-8:40 a m , meets in the Commons board room
MONDAY MORNING PRAYER: 6:15 a m , meets in C104A
MIDWEEK PRAYER MEETING: Wednesdays at 7 p.m.* via Zoom
MAY 7: Ben & Mandy Perhrson, WBT translation in P N G
MAY 14: Robert & Laurie N , OMF, discipleship and evangelism in U S
MAY 21: John & Esther Waldrop, WorldVenture, seminary teaching in Eurasia
MAY 28: Daniel & Julie T , WBT, administration and tech support in Thailand
*For the month of May. Will return to noon in June.
PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH: Fridays, 12-1 p m in the Board Room
AARON-HUR PRAYER FELLOWSHIP
will meet on Thursday, May 8, at 7 p m at the home of Marr and Mary Miller, 1607 Stoddard Avenue in Wheaton, (630) 668-8828
Our guests will be John and Elsa Maust, recently retired from Media Associates International .
BARNABAS PRAYER FELLOWSHIP
will meet on Tuesday, May 5 (earlier in the month), to hear from J and I M about their work in Thailand The group will meet at 1:30 p m , but in the Learning Center at Windsor Park Men and women are welcome to join the group in praying for our crosscultural workers
ANNUAL MEETING
CONGREGATIONAL NOTICE FOR ANNUAL MEETING—MAY 18, 2025
The Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, May 18, beginning at 5 p.m. in the Sanctuary. All members are expected to attend the meeting and we encourage regular attenders to be present as well. The agenda will include:
• Receiving the 2025 Annual Report which includes reports from all our ministry leaders (copies of the Annual Report will be available at the kiosks and Bookstall, beginning Sunday, May 11);
• Voting for the approval of minutes to the 5-19-2024 Annual Meeting;
• Electing board and committee members and other elected positions;
• Ratifying the online voting for the members to serve on the 2025-2026 Nominating Committee;
• Voting to approve Mathieson, Moyski & Celer, LLP as the independent audit firm for fiscal year 2025-2026
EXCEPTIONAL MATTERS:
1. Voting to approve the Church Budget for 2025-2026;
2. Voting on a Resolution recommended by the Council of Elders to call James Seward as Pastor of Community;
The Bylaws of College Church state that when the Regular Members are to vote on any Exceptional Matter at an Annual Meeting, the text of the resolution upon which the vote is to be taken shall be included in the notice of the meeting.
1. RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE 2025-2026 BUDGET:
WHEREAS, the Board of Deacons have submitted to the Council of Elders the 2025-2026 Church Budget;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the 2025-2026 Church Budget approved by the Council of Elders and recommended to the Regular Members be approved.
2. RESOLUTION TO CALL JAMES SEWARD AS PASTOR OF COMMUNITY:
WHEREAS, the Bylaws of College Church state that the Senior Pastor shall recommend to the Council for its approval those of his choice to serve as members of the Pastoral Staff. Persons recommended for such positions, together with their proposed titles, duties, and responsibilities, shall be presented by the Council to the Regular Members for approval if they are to be employed for, or if their employment is to be increased to, more than 20 hours per week and if their employment is expected to last more than two years.
WHEREAS, Pastor Moody and the elders have discerned that God has brought forth a qualified man with a heart for reaching those who are in need of connecting with believers through church worship services, Adult Communities, small groups and serving;
WHEREAS, Pastor Moody has recommended to the Council and the Council is recommending to the Regular Members that JAMES SEWARD be called as Pastor of Community;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that JAMES SEWARD be called as Pastor of Community, effective June 1, 2025.
Packets of information for James Seward including biographical information, duties and responsibilities is available in the kiosks and the Bookstall.
Information meetings will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 17 at 9 a.m., both in the Fireside Area.
In 2022, an interim care team was put in place to carry on the responsibilities of the open pastor of congregational care role. To more effectively respond to the volume and types of care situations that arise in a church our size, the care team in collaboration with the Council of Elders determined to shift from one pastor charged with oversight to a team-based approach to congregational care.
With this in view, new titles and job descriptions were approved for Josh Maurer and Mindy Rynbrandt. Josh will now be the Pastor of Discipleship & Care and Mindy will be the Ministry Director for Women’s Discipleship & Care. Building on what has been started in recent years, they will seek to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ here at College Church (Eph 4:12).
Stay tuned for more information!
PASTOR OF COMMUNITY
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Pastor of Community
Reporting: Reports to and is under the direct supervision of the Senior Pastor and is accountable to the Council of Elders.
Primary Objectives: Advance the vision of Proclaiming the Gospel by focusing on enhancing our connecting ministries, making disciples, leading others to make disciples and developing the church’s discipleship ministries in partnership with the Pastor of Discipleship and Care.
1. Give oversight to:
a. Adult Communities
b. Small Group ministry
c. Men’s ministries
d. 20s ministry
2. Develop and strengthen congregational community in:
a. Assimilation
i. Partner with pastors and leaders to facilitate meaningful connections among members and attenders of College Church
ii. Establish equipping strategies and systems that help members understand more fully the vision of College Church to produce intentional community and involvement within the church
iii. Facilitate and advance meaningful connections among church members and attenders through existing ministries and programs
iv. Oversee the church membership process
v. Primary Liaison with the Service and Engagement Committee
b. Retention
i. Be present and visible Sunday mornings, connecting with congregation
ii. Help connect all adult congregants to a small group or adult community
iii. Engage with key leaders and highly involved congregants to identify any “relational drifting,” or other indications of frustration or struggle within the congregation
iv. Assure there is widespread shepherding and caring of congregants through an active program of prayer for each member by our current and former elders
v. Improve tracking of those attending worship services to assure follow-up with visitors as well as regular attenders and members
3. Other Pastoral duties
a. Share in the pastoral care of the overall College Church congregation including preaching, teaching, officiating at weddings and funerals, visitation and counseling
b. Perform other duties as directed by the Senior Pastor
CANDIDATE PROFILE: JAMES SEWARD
James is a familiar face to many at College Church. He grew up in the church and was part of the core team that launched our first church plant, Holy Trinity Church. He also served as our pastor of singles and young adults. James met his wife, Karen, at College Church, where they married in 2006.
James pastored for five years as the associate pastor of education at First Baptist Church of Lindale (TX) before being called to serve as the senior pastor of Maple Avenue Baptist Church (Ontario, Canada), where he served from 2013 to 2023.
James embraced Jesus at a young age. His family began attending College Church when he was in fifth grade. He was discipled as a youth by people like Pete Willson, Dave Tweeten and Jon Dennis; and then later by people like Diane Jordan, Randy Gruendyke, Todd Augustine and Kent Hughes. James was baptized as a teen at College Church and, in 2007, ordained into ministry by College Church. James served as ministry associate for 20s from 2002-2004 and then as pastor in that role from 2004-2008.
James graduated from the University of Chicago (with a degree in humanities) and the Wheaton College Graduate School (in biblical exegesis). He was the chair of the board for Charles Simeon Trust Canada as well as an instructor at its workshops, a contributor to blogs on The Gospel Coalition (Canada) website, and a contributing editor for the Biggest Story Curriculum. He currently serves as the director of ministry for the Neopolis Network. He teaches the Logos Adult Communi-
ty, volunteers in Wonders of Worship and serves as a ministry associate with Adult Communities.
James and Karen have five children who are part of HYACKS and KMs.
He has a heart for biblical exposition, training, pastoral care and the marginalized. He wants to help College Church be seen as a hospital for sinners more than a museum for saints.
SLATE OF NOMINEES: 2025-2026 NOMINATIONS
COUNCIL OF ELDERS
Heinrich Johnsen
Anson Johnson
Jonathan (J.J.) Jones
BOARD OF DEACONS
Rick Knoedler
Michael McKevitt
Rick Pflederer
Chris Tews
BOARD OF DEACONESSES
Val Chase
Allison Kelley
Shirley Sheppard
Meredith Sommars
Annelise Thrasher
Laurie McKevitt (filling unexpired term ’27)
BOARD OF MISSIONS
Joe Becker
Vijai Kuruppacherry
John Lorentsen
Carol Taylor
BOARD OF MISSIONS CHAIR
Jon Smalley
DISCIPLESHIP COMMITTEE
Mike Walsh
EVANGELISM & CULTURE IMPACT COMMITTEE
Craig Prichard
Mike Sedjo
Dave Sohmer
HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE
Elise Bishop
Karen Cook
Elin Klauke
Kris Kraker
Grace Lee
Shauna Thorson
Rebecca Brush (filling unexpired term ’26)
SERVICE & ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Josh Berg
Daniel McHenney
DISABILITIES SUPERINTENDENT (11:00 a.m.)
Nathanael Strauch
ELEMENTARY BIBLE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
Maria Post
PRESCHOOL CHILDREN’S CHURCH SUPERINTENDENT
Karyn Hecht
MIDWEEK EVENING BOYS SUPERINTENDENT
Terry Van Someren
NURSERY SUPERINTENDENT
Jordan Hawkins
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
Del Lamb (filling unexpired term ’26)
CHURCH TREASURER
Eric Enstrom
CHURCH BUSINESS MEETING PRAYER
Prayer No. 52
Sovereign Lord, Great Shepherd of the sheep, Meet with us this evening,
We recognize you as head of the church, which you purchased with your own blood. We gather in no other name but yours. We acknowledge no other leader but you. You have blessed us in the past with godly leaders who loved us, cared for us, prayed for us, instructed us, lived righteously before us. We praise you for everyone of them, your faithful servants. It is by your grace that we have come to this occasion We have prayed, and you have brought together the events of these days.
May we like those praying believers in the book of Acts, be able to say,
“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us.”
Lead us as you led the early church. Now we earnestly seek your face in our deliberations. As you led the Jerusalem Council, as you led the circle of believers at Antioch, lead us by giving us a spirit of unity. However you lead us, God, may it be said of our church, “How they love one another.”
May your divine love permeate this place, now and always. We pray earnestly, believingly, in Jesus’ name!
—From A Pastor Prays for His People by Wendell C. Hawley
Work with us.
College Church has two openings:
• Part-time administrative assistant for high school student ministries (20 hours a week)
• Full-time administrative assistant for missions (40 hours a week)
Visit the college-church org/job-openings or email
Ann at akarow@college-church org
NEW MEMBERS
MARTIN & STEPHANY ALEXANDER
The Alexanders married in 2011 and have four young children Martin grew up primarily in Oak Park and works as a Cloud engineer Stephany was born in the Philippines and is a homemaker and homeschools their children . They are involved in the Living Word Adult Community and men’s and women’s Bible studies
HOPE AVILES
Hope grew up in a family of eight; her parents are missionaries and served in the sub-Sahara desert in Chad, Africa Now living in the Wheaton area, she attends Life Together and is in a small group She works as a substitute teacher in District 200 and hopes to be hired full-time for the fall
MARK & ERIN GORDEUK
The Gordeuks were married last summer Mark is a son of College Church members Victor and Larissa Gordeuk Erin grew up in Bucks Country, Pennsylvania They serve on the adult ministry team for Hyacks Mark works as a manufacturing engineer Erin has worked as a caregiver and adaptive fitness trainer .
JORDAN HAWKINS
Jordan is the daughter of Steve and Linda Hawkins and grew up at College Church She works as a middle school special education teacher and has served in various areas at College Church
RICHARD JOHNSON
Rich became a widow last fall and has two adult sons He is a retired CPA, having worked for many years in the social service not-for-profit area as a controller and CFO
HALEY JONES
Haley is married to Tyler who became a member earlier this year She was born and raised in western New York and works as a home caretaker with two agencies The Joneses attend Life Together and participate in a small group
MATT & ASHLEY KLOCKENGA
The Klockengas recently returned to the States after serving for the last decade as missionaries in cross-cultural church planting in the emote First Nation Community in Ontario They have four daughters They participate in the Living Word Adult Community .
MARK LECOCQ & MARIA POST
Mark and Maria married in 2010 and have two children Mark works in real estate and investments, and Maria is an attorney, working primarily in litigation and environmental matters . Maria is involved with Women’s Bible Study and has served in Kids’ Harbor
OUR VISION
2025 INITIATIVES
Vision: “Proclaiming the Gospel”
PATHWAY. We will foster a pathway for our gospel ministries: Discover Jesus, Grow in Your Faith and Impact the World. In 2025, we will continue to expand and strengthen this pathway by 1) equipping and encouraging congregants so that they are motivated to share the gospel and their personal faith stories within the community; 2) expanding outreach initiatives by building upon our existing programs and developing new efforts designed to invite community members to engage with the church more frequently and meaningfully; and 3) promoting the proclamation of the gospel and what College Church offers to the community through a variety of communication channels.
Rationale: After consultation with a Christian communications company, and surveying the neighborhood, we have discovered that we need to present the distinctive gospel ministry opportunity of College Church more clearly and invitationally to the surrounding community.
COMMUNITY. We will cultivate care, encouragement and connection in 2025 by: 1) Calling a pastor focused on care, encouragement and connection; 2) Establishing a permanent Care Team to support congregational care; and 3) Exhorting our congregation to: make consistent attendance on our Sunday morning worship a priority; be active in a smaller gathering; and to be involved in an area of service.
Rationale: After conversations with key ministry leaders, it is apparent we need to increase connectivity between members and attenders of the church through mutually loving and caring hospitality.
DISCIPLESHIP.
We will elevate biblically rigorous and practical discipleship in 2025, by developing a clear track to introduce people to the foundations of Christian discipleship: basics of the Christian faith, spiritual growth (including training in Bible study and prayer) and gospel impact. This will parallel our church-wide ministry pathway of discover, grow and impact.
Rationale: After a churchwide discipleship survey, we have ascertained a growing need for more rigorous and practical discipleship that is coherently coordinated across both small and large groups.
CAMPUS. We will increasingly activate our campus by utilizing the Crossings as a crossover space to reach the community and for student, worship and family space, executing year two of the three-year capital campaign launched in 2024, prioritizing safety and accessibility upgrades to our parking and other key areas, and clarifying the highest and best missional use for our portfolio of rental properties.
Rationale: After the Site and Facilities committee’s extensive work surveying the ministry pinch points, it is apparent that we need to develop our ministry space, and we will target the Crossings space.
PARTNERSHIPS. We will leverage the church’s history of church planting, training programs, and connections across the country and world by seeking to develop one new church partner in each category (planting, strengthening, revitalizing) by December 2025.
Rationale: By partnering with like-minded churches and organizations, and by broadening our scope to including planting, strengthening, and revitalization, we can increase our gospel impact through gospel-centered, Bible preaching churches.
We bathe all these initiatives in prayer.
Have You Ever Saved a Life?
KARA VANCE AND SARAH LINDQUIST
Few of us will ever have an opportunity to physically save a life unless we work in medicine or as a first responder. However, we each can make that massive difference—saving lives— through financial support of Caring Network in our own community. The 2024 highlights from Caring Network are inspiring: 986 women served, 920 ultrasounds, 623 babies saved 196 specific gospel shares and 14 professions of faith. Here are a few stories about the Caring Network clients and lives saved.
Teenaged Chloe came into our clinic. She is in high school and was dealing with a tough situation. When she found out she was pregnant, she began to try to figure out her next steps. She came to Caring Network’s clinic and got a free ultrasound. She also accepted Jesus as her Savior and decided to keep her baby. We are also happy to report that Chloe’s mom told her that she would support Chloe’s decision to parent.
Morgan was looking into the abortion pill. She scheduled a video consultation with Caring Network to learn more. During her appointment, she shared that the father of the baby would be supportive of continuing the pregnancy, even though they were no longer
together. She felt torn. She always wanted kids but now was not a good time to become a mom. She shared her spiritual background and said she believed in the power of prayer. Morgan’s pregnancy consultant provided counseling, prayer and encouraged her to ask God for direction. A few days later, Morgan was texting with her pregnancy consultant and shared that she was still feeling emotionally conflicted. Her consultant encouraged her to reflect on what she felt in her heart. Then the consultant stepped away from her desk to pray. When she returned there was a text from Morgan: “That really means a lot. I think I will keep the baby and get some help. I know I can make it work and do what’s best for me and my baby.”
Angela recently completed a Restore post-abortion study. She is a Christian and was able to experience God’s healing through the process of the Restore group. Angela said she feels stronger emotionally and has become closer to God. She said she knows the healing process will continue and that God is with her. During her last session with Restore, she described her experience as an artist and mural. “When a painter throws all sorts of colors onto a mural, at first, it’s hard to see what picture is being created.
Then, at the very end, the masterpiece is revealed!” God used the Restore program to help Angela see the beauty he is bringing out through her pain. Praise him for his redemptive work.
We praise God for how he’s been working through Caring Network to change lives. Caring Network provides free pregnancy services such as pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, confidential consultations, resources and referrals, support and counseling for post-abortive women and men, and gospel proclamation. Because of its significant work, Caring Network is a designated College Church ministry partner that receives prayer and financial support. Caring Network also is a resource for College Church through its expert support of those in crisis: women who are considering abortion or need guidance on how to overcome obstacles to parenting, as well as men and women who are experiencing pain after abortion. Our partnership also encourages a culture of valuing life at our church.
Take the opportunity that the baby bottles provide!
Coins for Caring Network supports the regular operating budget of the
ministry, keeping the lights on and the doors of the pregnancy centers open so that Caring Network can continue to provide free pregnancy services in our community that equip and empower women to choose life.
The Coins for Caring Network is a good time to go on a Vision Tour with Caring Network or explore opportunities to support their clients—and see firsthand what the campaign supports. It’s also a time to pray for the ministry of Caring Network and those who may be experiencing a pregnancy crisis in our community. Do you know how to connect someone with the resources of Caring Network? Remember that we keep business cards for Caring Network’s local pregnancy resource center in the women’s bathrooms at church as well as cards featuring their post-abortion healing ministry. Additionally, the visual cue of the bottles can be a helpful conversation starter with your children, teenagers, or grandchildren to talk about important life matters in an age-appropriate way.
Return your bottles on Sunday, May 11, in the Narthex. You can pick up more information on Caring Network at any of the bottle tables.
If you give online through link below, please indicate if you are from College Church so we can track the total donations. Let’s surpass last year’s giving of $15,701.24!
SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE ANNOUNCEMENTS
BE ENCOURAGED
Wheaton College’s prolife student group, Voice for Life, was chosen to lead the National March for Life in Washington DC. Student Hannah Lape gave a speech at the kickoff rally. Eighty students and faculty/staff led and held the banner at the largest annual human rights demonstration in the world. Be inspired and check out photos, articles, and Hannah’s speech! https://linktr.ee/wc.voiceforlife
Voice for Life students also joined the Illinois Prolife March in Springfield and connected with SOHL. Pray that their experiences at the marches would impact the whole campus community for life.
40 DAYS FOR LIFE PRAYER
Saturday, May 24, 1-2 p.m. Join Sanctity of Human Life Task Force at 40 Days for Life’s year-round peaceful prayer vigil. Meet on Waterleaf pregnancy center’s property across from Planned Parenthood Aurora. When abortion bound clients change their minds and don’t show up, lives are saved and cancelled appointments cut into Planned Parenthood profits. Planned Parenthood employees report up to 75% no show rate when prayer is happening outside. Questions? Contact sohl@college-church.org.
CARING NETWORK CORNER
Vision Tour Join an informal, small group Vision Tour Thurs., May 15, 7-8 p.m. at the Glen Ellyn Caring Network center. Meet President Kirt Wiggins, tour the pregnancy center, hear about how the ministry connects with clients, and enjoy refreshments. https://www.caringnetwork.com/events/growing-together/
Spring Fling dinner and auction Wednesday, May 21 at Medinah Country Club. Contact dawn@caringnetwork.com
Medical Staff Needed New Caring Network pregnancy centers in Chicago are ready to open but lack essential staff. Please pass on job listings for nurses and sonographers to your contacts.https://caringnetwork.bamboohr.com/careers
Baby Bank Bring diapers (size 4, 5, 6 especially needed), wipes, baby lotion, shampoo, and wash, diaper cream, and formula to the crib (outside the sanctuary on the 1st Sunday of every month and in the Commons the rest of the month). Check out Everylife diaper company which funds pregnancy centers. https:// everylife.com/ (20% off with auto renew. Use code LIVEACTION10 for an additional $10 off first order.) You may also order from the Baby Bank Amazon QR code.
Building for Gospel Impact: A Vision for the Future
Reprinted from April 2025 Connections
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Gospel Now project, we have much to celebrate. Over the past ten months, our congregation has deepened its commitment to prayer, Scripture memorization, and local outreach. Together, we have embarked on a journey of faith and generosity, seeking to strengthen our impact both within our church and throughout the community. Now, we stand at a pivotal moment—one where our vision can become a reality.
One of the most exciting components of Gospel Now is the transformation of the Crossings building. If you attended the Gospel Now Open House on March 12, you saw firsthand how this space will enhance our church’s ministries. From expanding student spaces to hosting more dynamic men’s and women’s ministries, the improvements to the Crossings will allow us to accelerate our outreach and deepen our community impact. If you missed the event, don’t worry—you’re still invited to be part of this incredible journey.
WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE’RE HEADED
Our total fundraising goal for Gospel Now is $8.5 million, and through the generosity of our congregation, we’ve already raised more than half of that. This is a significant milestone, but we still have work to do. Before we can break ground on construction, we must ensure sufficient funding is in place.
While $8.5 million may seem like a daunting number, consider this: it’s actually less than the church’s current annual budget. If all of us committed to increasing our giving by just one-third for the next three years, we would not only reach but exceed our goal. For many, this is a doable sacrifice—one that, with creativity and commitment, will yield lasting impact.
WHY THIS PROJECT MATTERS
The heart of Gospel Now can be summarized in four simple words: strategic future gospel impact. This initiative is about more than a building; it’s about investing in people, strengthening our ministries, and ensuring long-term sustainability. It’s about equipping the next generation, serving the vulnerable and creating spaces where lives will be transformed by the gospel.
Currently, about 40% of our congregation has made a financial commitment to Gospel Now. That’s a great start, but as we approach the one-year mark, our goal is for 100% participation. No gift is too small, and no sacrifice is unnoticed. What matters most is not the amount we give, but our willingness to allow God to work in our hearts and move us toward a lifestyle of generosity.
AN INVITATION TO GIVE
Talking about money can be uncomfortable, but now is the time to have this conversation. It’s easy to ask for prayer and action, but right now, we are also asking for financial commitment. If you’ve already given, thank you. If you have yet to join us in this effort, we invite you to consider making a contribution today. There are many incredible organizations and causes that deserve support, but as members of this church, our local community should be our main priority. Investing in youth and community ministries is an investment in gospel transformation that will resonate for generations to come.
So, let’s rise to the challenge. Let’s commit, give and pray as we continue to act on behalf of the gospel in our community. Together, we can make Gospel Now a reality, leaving a legacy of faith and impact for years to come.
1ST FLOOR SOUTH: College Group space. This is the main entrance to the Crossings We want this space to be inviting with a variety of seating but primarily used for gathering/ worship and meals
2ND FLOOR SOUTH: Hyacks. Worship/gathering space with a hangout space
1ST FLOOR NORTH: Adult Gathering space. Open, flexible space for meetings/ gatherings Between the north and south spaces on the first floor is a kitchen that can be utilized to prepare meals served on both sides
MEZZANINE: Living Room. This is one of three living room spaces The other two, one on the first floor between the north and south gathering spaces and one on the second floor looking south
2ND FLOOR NORTH: KMs. Worship/gathering space with a hangout space
at the BOOKSTALL
SAME WORDS, DIFFERENT WORLDS
by Leonardo De Chirico
Do Evangelicals and Catholics believe the same gospel, or do similar words mask profoundly different beliefs? In Same Words, Different Worlds, Leonardo De Chirico examines core Catholic doctrines—from Mary and the saints to purgatory and papal infallibility— and argues they flow from a theological system that differs significantly from the biblical gospel With clarity and care, he shows how shared language often hides deep doctrinal divides This book helps readers see why the Reformation still matters and how true dialogue begins with real understanding
Bookstall Price: $20
I AM
by Laura Cerbus
God’s people had waited in silence— until one day, a man appeared, and John the Baptist cried out, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” Who was this man, and could he really be the one they’d longed for? In this engaging retelling for 8–12s, Laura Cerbus explores the eight “I Am” sayings of Jesus through the eyes of John, the Gospel writer Children will be drawn into the story of Jesus and discover who he is— and why it matters
Bookstall Price: $12
Visit the Shepherd Shelf
EVERY HOUR I NEED YOU
by Katie Faris
Motherhood is beautiful, exhausting, and deeply sanctifying—and in every moment, God is at work In Every Hour I Need You, Katie Faris draws from her experience raising five kids to offer 30 short devotions that connect God’s character to the daily realities of parenting With biblical insight and personal stories, she invites moms to rest in God’s sovereignty, generosity, and grace Each chapter includes Scripture, reflection questions, and prayer prompts to help women grow in faith as they care for their families
Bookstall Price: $14
DAILY DOCTRINE
by Kevin DeYoung
For Christians who want to grow in their understanding of God and his word, Daily Doctrine offers a clear, accessible introduction to systematic theology in 365 daily readings Written by pastor and professor Kevin DeYoung, this one-year devotional explores key theological topics—like the Trinity, salvation, the church, and the end times—with Scripture, reflection, and application Each month focuses on a major theme, helping readers build a strong foundation one day at a time Perfect for thoughtful Christians who want to deepen their faith without feeling overwhelmed .
Bookstall Price: $29
Between the fireside and the bookstall checkout desk, we are building a “Shepherd Shelf,” a curated collection of books our pastors and directors are referencing in their varied counseling and Christian living situations Be sure to check out this new “Shepherd Shelf ”
PAUSE
by Sarah Allen
Midlife and menopause can feel overwhelming—foggy minds, shifting emotions, and unwelcome changes In Pause, Sarah Allen invites women to stop, reflect, and see this season through the transforming lens of Scripture . With honesty and warmth, she offers biblical hope for navigating the challenges of midlife without panic This is a refreshing reminder that even in life’s transitions, God is at work
Bookstall Price: $12
AN ANCHOR FOR THE SOUL
by Paul Mallard
When faith feels dry or distant, the answer is always the same: look again at the cross In An Anchor for the Soul, Paul Mallard walks through Psalm 22, showing how Jesus fulfills every line and promise With warmth and clarity, he invites readers to find fresh joy— not through performance, but through proximity to Christ This is the anchor that holds fast in life’s storms
Bookstall Price: $5
ANNOUNCING: SUMMER BOOK GROUP THE 2025 LONG LIST
• Augustine’s Confessions
• Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age by Samuel D James
• 14 Fresh Ways to Enjoy the Bible by James F Coakley
• The Lord of Psalm 23 by David Gibson
• One With My Lord by Sam Alberry
• Real Christianity by William Wilberforce
• A Fistful of Heroes Christians at the Forefront of Change by John Pollock
• Remember Heaven by Matthew McCullough
• Scrolling Ourselves to Death by McCracken/Mesa
• What it Means to Be Protestant by Gavin Ortland
Summer Book Group will meet Tuesday nights in summer, 7 p m in the Commons Watch for announcement of the short list and then the final selection
MILESTONES
BIRTHS
Evelyn Elizabeth was born to Truman and Ruthie Meecham on March 26. This is their first child.
Moriah Joy was born to former pastoral resident Richard and Shelby Moomjian on March 17. She joins her big sister Joanna. The Moomjians live in Deerfield, IL, where Richard is serving as associate pastor at North Suburban Church.
DEATHS
Pray for family and friends of College Church member Carol Horan who passed away on April 13 in Winfield, IL.
Pray for Micah (Dan) Lindquist and family as they grieve the loss of Micah’s father, Dr. John Curlin, who passed away on April 7 in Jackson, TN.
Pray for Steve (Ann) Vander Klock and family as they grieve the loss of Steven’s father, Roy Vander Klok, who passed away on April 6 in Bradenton, FL.
Pray for Trish (Bruce) Main and family as they grieve the loss of Trish’s father, Delbert Parrott, who passed away on April 4 in Lufkin, TX.
Pray for Cathy (Tom) Kramer and family as they grieve the loss of Cathy’s father, Jim Milligan, who passed away at age 100 on April 1 in Naperville, IL.
Pray for family and friends of College Church member Laura Billsten who passed away on March 28 in St. Charles, IL.
Pray for Cary (Joel) Barnes and family as they grieve the loss of Cary’s father, Robert Thomas, who passed away on March 25 in DeKalb, IL.
Pray for John Loula and family as they grieve the loss of John’s mother, Lois Loula, who passed away on March 18.
Lessons from A Pastoral Residency
TATE FRITZ
One of the greatest takeaways I have from my time as a pastoral resident at College Church is that effective ministry can only come about when the aim of ministry is the exaltation of Christ by his Spirit. Truly, our one calling as God’s people is to make much of Christ in all that we do, and as ministers in the church, our joy is to equip God’s people to proclaim Christ more and more. To do this, we must be entirely reliant upon the Spirit of God to do the work of God to the glory of God despite our fallenness and sin.
For me, being in the pastoral residency program reinforced the centrality of the Word in ministry. Whether we are engaged in a one-on-one discipleship relationship, in a small group context, or preaching to a congregation, we as shepherds of the church must proclaim the Word and allow it to direct all that we do. When we fail to submit to and teach the Word, we inevitably fall into self-exalting, self-promoting proclamation that has no place in the household of God. The privilege of pastoring is opening the eternally inspired Word of the living God and declaring, “Look at how great God is! Look at what God has done for us! And look at how we ought to live as his people!” This, and nothing else, is what constitutes faithful ministry as a shepherd of God’s people.
A final lesson that I learned as a pastoral resident is the importance of hospitality in the church. As we greeted people on Sunday mornings and at special services throughout the year, I was grateful to see how blessed people were by the intentionality of our Front Door Ministry, Hospitality Committee and Evangelism and Culture Impact Committee. Throughout the year, I saw firsthand how our volunteers worked tirelessly to make College Church a place where young and old knew that
we as a church were excited to have them with us. This created an environment in which people felt welcomed, cared for and known, which the Spirit used to provide wonderful opportunity for gospel impact.
As I begin my new ministry as senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Church in Oak Forest (IL), here are ways you can pray for my wife, Addie, and me.
PRAY FOR
• Faithfulness—As we step into this new pastoral calling, Addie and I have the chief aim and desire of being faithful to the Lord in all things. Particularly as I preach each week, we would ask that the Lord would give me faithfulness to him and his Word as I seek to explain it clearly, accurately, and with conviction, to his people by his Spirit for his glory and the advancement of his kingdom!
• Wisdom—Shepherding God’s people takes great wisdom, and so we are asking that the Lord would grant us wise discernment as we seek to point his people to him. As we counsel, care and connect with the people of Grace Fellowship Church, we are praying that the Lord would give us Solomonic wisdom as we abide in Christ and follow his leading by his Spirit.
• All Glory be to Christ—As we minister at Grace Fellowship Church, Addie and I desire nothing more than for Christ to be exalted, worshiped and glorified in all things. He alone is worthy of all we have to give, and we desire to make him known at all times in all circumstances.
BEST FRIENDS FOREVER
According to the article “Brain Region Found to Regular Social Generosity” published in April, in the online publication Neuroscience News, scientists have discovered that it’s the basolateral amygdala (BLA) part of the human brain that “regulates when and how often people give.”
The study found that patients with a damage to that part of the brain were significantly more selfish toward strangers and acquaintances.
OK, well I guess that’s one perspective on people who are not generous, not so much interested in the whole love your neighbor as yourself thing.
And all these years I thought it was a matter of the heart.
The report doesn’t get at what makes a person go the extra mile and give beyond the norm or beyond self. Perhaps another study will come along and discover what part of the brain can make us more than generous. Maybe they’ll discover a medication to help us give better and care more. Meanwhile, there’s the Bible.
God’s Word has a perspective on our motives. It’s not to do with a part of the brain, but the actions we do in life that shapes us beyond biology.
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:6-7)
The things we do are what make the difference. As I become closer to Christ over time, my giving and care for others should grow no matter what’s going on in my BLA.
From the scientific perspective, the article suggests that there is an override to the physical manifestation of anti-generosity when it writes, “Only a strong emotional attachment—like that between best friends—brings about greater generosity.”
A strong emotional attachment like those between best friends.
Might this describe the relationship of us to the Savior, of us to one another, of the church to its member and members to their church? I’m not sure if it does, but it seems like it should.
There’s a lot of pain around “church” these days. Many people want to step back from membership or service or reaching out to others because of past hurts. When we move forward, we are not bound by past hurts. I believe there are people waiting for us to come and serve, receive, bless and pray together. It’s true that we may be walking away from hard things in past, but we are also walking toward something unimaginably good—face time with Jesus Christ. This is worth the risk of serving one another as best friends forever.
