Sunday Happenings & Sermon Summary LOL

Sunday mornings find us zipping up the freeway to Eagle River. We were a smaller group than normal today...we only had to score 12 seats this morning. JaRissa are ill. Carrie's parents are in AZ. Jamin arrived late. Look at these girls all decked out in Irish Green! 

Carrie & Josi - 5 1/2 weeks

More girls in green

Jamin had a showing in the valley and had to leave us. Luke and Rylan decided to go off on their own adventure and Krista came to lunch with us. Kaelyn was enjoying time with friends. Carrie suggested we go to Pizza Man, a place where they used to go after church and where we had never been. It was GOOD FOOD. I was relieved to find something other than Mexican in Eagle River. ::snort:: 

backside of Josi, Carrie, Stacia, Krista, Livie, Allie, GG, Mike

Front view of Josi. 

There's a lot of energy in this group - they will change their world. 

Livie, Allie, Stacia, Krista

After lunch we drove to JBER to take Krista home.  As we LEFT base we were selected for a random drug search of our vehicle. What a sight we were climbing out of the car so they could search. 

Pretty shady characters! ::snort:: 

The girls met Jamin at the movie theater. Originally, Nolan and I were going but both of us had "things" come up. I'm content to stream the movie when it comes out. 

Michael and I had a fun talk about this morning's sermon...and I watched it again, I wanted to nail down a quote by Neil Cole. It helps to be able to pause a pastor as one writes. snort:: Pastor Brian's sermon is titled, "What Kind of Church is This?" He shared the vision of who ACF church is ... When we were fairly new at MAG Pastor Shannon did a series called, "This is Us." It was a series on his vision for the church. This sort of series is so helpful when one is getting to know a church. We noted Pastor Shannon's phrase, "Your partner in becoming" was also about discipleship.  Pastor Brian did a great job and left us with much to pray over and meditate on. Here are some of the things which stand out to us... 

Many see church as they do a trip Sudsy Salmon... put it in neutral, lean back and hope to come out cleaner. 

ACF church exists to make disciples. 

When discipleship gets hard, we can leave, or we can lean in.

One can be a disciple without being a Christian (interesting verses and conversation as we discussed this) but one cannot be a Christian without becoming a disciple. 

Great discussion on the Word, Mission and Spirit... three essential elements at ACF church - and what happens when one element is missing.

Behind you is a wake of discipleship - for better or worse. People will follow you and you can tell who you are following by what it produces in your life and in the lives of those following you. 

The church only becomes what we are becoming individually. 

If you don't love people; you don't love God. Which is why ACF church can say with boldness "You don't have to believe to belong." Belonging often precedes believing...in Jesus' ministry and at ACF church. 

A long quote from Neil Cole about rivers and lakes..... "A lake and a river are very different things. In broad strokes: a river is constantly changing, adapting and moving. A river can forge into rough ground and smooth it out over time. A river can carve out great canyons and transport goods to those who are in need downstream. A river can create energy; it is a power source. A lake is constant, comfortable and mostly unchanging. We can walk into the lake and walk out in exactly the same place with no change. With a river, however, when we enter into it, we are moved and cannot possibly exit in the same place in which we first encountered it. All who enter into the river are moved to another place, taken into the flow and thrust into deeper waters. A lake is safe; we can wade in at our own pace and go as deep as we want to go. A river is dangerous and will sweep us into its momentum and perhaps take us to places we may not want to go.  A river seems to have a will of its own."

ACF church is a river.  

 GRACE NOTES: 
1. Connecting with our kids at church is a taste of heaven on earth. 

2. A sermon which left us challenged and contemplating what our journey will look like long-term. 

3. Lunch with some of our favorite girls...