Roseberry's Leaderboard

Dear Friends,

Stacy Mading, our CFO, came into my office saying, “I think you need to see this.” We received an offering that included a dollar and a Swiss Army watch inside an envelope labeled, “This is what I had today.” That’s it. No name. No address. No reference. No one to send a thank you note to. No address for a year-end tax statement.

I did need to see it. Someone had listened to the gospel reading about the widow who had two copper coins. (Mark 12) Someone had listened to my sermon about this woman…and how she gave from her ‘heart of devotion’. Someone had come to the conclusion that he wanted to give from his ‘pocket of devotion’ as she did. And this worshipper gave everything he had.

I must tell you that I was moved and troubled at the same time. I felt guilty, at some level, for preaching the watch off another man’s arm. I was humbled that people would listen so intently and respond so intensely. I was a bit embarrassed too.

Then I realized that this was not about me. It was not about the way I felt at all. Perhaps, as I hope is the case, this man was responding to the call to love God from his heart of devotion. This meant that a man in the church this past Sunday was deeply worshipping the Lord as he gave his watch and his last penny last Sunday.

What do you think of that? Talk about it with your spouse, children, coworker or friend. Discuss it in your small group. What would you say about a person who responded to God in a way that showed a shameless, extravagant love? More to the point, what would you say about our God who is so beautiful and gracious that someone sitting next to you would be so inspired to worship so fully.

Bless you, dear brother. And I know that He who has begun a good work in you will be faithful to complete it in the Day of Christ Jesus our Lord. (Philippians 1:6) And I also pray that your example might inspire countless others as did the widow who gave her two pennies and the Lord who gave His whole life.

Now, here are some other things you need to know:

Teaching Children About Stewardship

For those who are parents, Randy Alcorn as some great advice on teaching your children about stewardship.

Anglican 1000: a conversation on liturgy, formation, mission & art

I was in North Carolina last week at the Anglican 1000 Conference on Worship, Arts and Liturgy. It was a fantastic event. Kudos to our own Daniel Adkinson, the Executive Director of A1K. There is a growing resurgence of interest in the Anglican Church and the liturgy of the historic church, especially among young leaders. The conference featured a number of great speakers and presenters.

One of the speakers, Mark Galli, author and senior managing editor of Christianity Today, discussed how Anglican liturgy relates to our culture; especially the American romance with youth, technology and agency. Find a link to his talk on his web site to read more. Also, check out the Anglican 1000 website for more resources and the audio files of all the plenaries.

Also my son, Jed Roseberry, gave a well-received workshop on Liturgy, Art and Space. (By the way, Jed is preaching a stewardship series called “OPENhanded Stewardship”. Looks good! Check out his church, Restoration Anglican Church in Addison, TX.)

Upcoming Christmas Concert – December 4 at 7 p.m.

Start making plans to attend this year’s Christmas concert “Sacred Music in a Sacred Place”, truly one of the highlights of our whole season. This year’s concert features the carols of British composer John Rutter, sung by Christ Church Singers with full orchestra and soloists. With a long and rich heritage, the Anglican church is steeped in the traditions of sacred choral music and none more beautiful than found in the carols of Christmas. Dedicated to excellence across the musical spectrum, our Music Ministry will once again help us usher in this season, celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior.

Leaderboard Sunday

I was able to share some great information with a group of Christ Church leaders on Sunday night. The LeaderBoard is made up of a wide variety of staff and lay leaders. Once a year we meet to go over the year and look ahead.

We had a great time. And look at these three summary charts showing the growth of the adult ministries here. Fantastic!

Amen.

David+

PS: Remember, the Christ Church community gathers for worship and thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 23 at 7 p.m. Don’t miss your opportunity to give thanks. (Do you have house-guests? Bring them all!)

My Dear Friends,

I saw a giant Christmas tree going up in a parking lot near the St. Arbucks that I attend from time to time. It seemed premature! Recalling Fr. Jason’s comment from the weekend announcements about his daughter’s observation, it is almost as if “they forgot about Thanksgiving!”

However, I have a vision of a church that remembers to give thanks in all things. Our Thanksgiving Eve service is one of the wonderful parish-family moments I think we have. And, it’s a wonderful gift of worship to share with your friends and family.

Giving thanks is the unique privilege of the followers of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are told to give thanks to our great God (read almost any Psalm) and to give thanks in all things. (1 Thessalonians 5) We are told, “all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) With a God like this, why not give thanks?

I hope to see you at this special service.

In the meantime, here are some things you should know:

Veteran’s Day

November 11 is a date we should all place in our minds. It is Veteran’s Day. We will honor our veterans this week at all of our worship services. Please be there to show your support for their service and heroism.

I was in Canada last week where their version of Veteran’s Day is called Remembrance Day. They have a long tradition of wearing red poppies on their shirts, blouses and lapels. The tradition is based on the famous poem from World War I entitled “In Flanders Field”. It is a simple and dramatic poem written by a Canadian doctor as he faced death on the fields of battle. I saw hundreds of people wearing these red poppies. I asked Mark and our music department to find a setting of “In Flanders Field” as a tribute to our service men and women. I really want you to hear it and remember these brave ones in your prayers at the 9:15 and 11 a.m. services.

Gateway

Our Gateway Class last Sunday was a wonderful night, and we will welcome a new group of members at the 9:15 a.m. service this Sunday. The remarkable thing about all the new members from the last few months is how they represent a wide range of ages.

I sat down with a table of young adults in their mid-20s and heard their stories about coming to Christ Church. They are being drawn by God’s gracious Spirit; they are being drawn by our worship and the ministries we offer; they are doing their research on the internet and choosing Anglicanism as their way of being a follower of Christ or investigating the claims of Christ. It was a refreshing boost of encouragement for me to talk to them. Many of them are forming small groups.

The Treasure Principle

Our small groups are studying the series of messages I have put together called The Evergreen Effect. There are some things that don’t make the airtime of the sermon either for time’s sake or for the sake of clarity. Randy Alcorn wrote a little book a few years ago that made a huge difference in my life…and in the life of many people in our church. He talks about the book…and the principles in this brief video. Pick up the book or order it soon.

WARNING: This little book will change the way you think about money and possessions.

Anglican Worship: a conversation on liturgy, formation, mission & art

This week I am joining about 100 other Anglicans in Raleigh, North Carolina for a conference on Worship and the Arts. This conference is being sponsored by SonReign Media and Anglican 1000.

Part of our effort behind Anglican 1000 is to develop a conversation about how the arts and liturgy intersect with the gospel of Christ. That is, how can we more effectively present and proclaim the Good News of Christ not only in the arts, but also through the arts? If you tweet, follow us @anglican1000.

Diocesan Convention

Fr. Clint and Toby Eisenberg, the Junior Warden of the Vestry attended the Annual Convention of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, our canonical home. His report to me included this comment:

Just two weeks ago, the diocese found out that they had lost their lawsuit by the Episcopal diocese. Churches would soon find themselves having to leave property that they had called home for generations. What I found was simply amazing. Rather than focusing on loss, they focused on mission. While acknowledging the pain of leaving the familiar, they celebrated the opportunity for new places of ministry.

On Saturday morning, the diocese welcomed 21 new churches into fellowship! Anglicanism is changing in a big way in North America. Most observers see this as a providential move by God to bring us to a new place and focus on the expansion of His kingdom. I am thankful to be in a church and diocese that has embraced this new call of God, and by His grace, are determined to seize this opportunity to spread the gospel like never before.

And finally

We always encourage people to share their faith. Little did we know that mice have the same heart to share their faith.

See you in church this weekend. Don’t miss out!

In Christ,

David Roseberry

Dear Friends,

Today we turn to November…my truly favorite month. It is time to give thanks to God for all of his blessing and bounty. I know that times have been filled with anxiety and worry, and that the larger story of our day is still very tenuous. But November makes us stop for a moment and give thanks to God for all things, and in all things.

Thanks for my country
Fran and I recently completed a trip overseas and, as lovely as Greece and Italy are, I could have kissed the ground when we landed in Chicago. (I refuse the kiss the jetway!) For all of our troubles in the country, this is the only place I’d want to live.

Thanks for my family
Our daughter, Taye, sent me a few pictures of our grandkids recently, we went trick-or-treating with our other set of grandkids, Fran spent the night with Liz in Austin a few days ago, and Daniel and I have been texting back and forth about career issues. Soon enough our family will all be together on Thanksgiving.

Thanks for our church
I drove home from church on Sunday with a heart filled with praise. I had been to all of our weekend services. I found each of them had their own life and vitality. I felt truly welcomed back from our trip. I had prayed that God would give me the words to preach a passage (Genesis 22) that scores a ’10’ as a degree of difficulty. And I made it out alive!

Thanks for the work that God allows me to oversee
Tomorrow I fly to Victoria, B.C., where I will speak to the Anglicans in Canada at their annual conference. While there, I will have the chance to speak boldly about God’s blessing on Anglican 1000.

Thanks for the men of Christ Church
This morning, we finished a two-week teaching on Sex, Lies, and the Gospel. The men were very attentive to the topic (of course!), and I was able to speak a word of hope and encouragement…and truth.

What about you? What are you thankful for this month?
It is time for our church to gather for a special Thanksgiving Eve Service on Wednesday, November 23, at 7 p.m. This is one of the highlights of the year for me. Hundreds of us gather together to ask for the Lord’s blessing. I really want you to be there. If you have out-of-town company, bring them!

See you Sunday!

David+

PS:  Here are some things you need to know.

1. Our staff said good-bye to Jill Kinsella this week. Jill was the Director of Communications at Christ Church for the past nine years. I am so very thankful for her work and her commitment to excellence over the years. She has taken a wonderful job back at her hometown where she will be surrounded by her family, get married, and work as the Director of Alumni Association for her Alma Mater. She will be missed, but she left a very strong legacy and a truly great communications team.  
    
2. Don’t forget Veteran’s Day weekend. We invite all military (active and retired) to come and allow us the privilege and honor of recognizing you and praying for you at the 9:15 and 11 a.m. service on November 13.  
    
3. We start a new series this week, The Evergreen Effect, one that I have been thinking and reading about for the past few months. What an opportune time to speak about biblical stewardship in an age of angst. Read Jeremiah 17:7-8 as our theme verse. I hope by the end of the third week, we will all have memorized it. Our small groups are studying the passage and sermon notes as well.  
    
4. And last, congratulations to our artist-in-residence, Josh Havens, and wife, Cara, on the birth of their fourth child, Owen, a handsome healthy boy, 8 lbs. 1 oz. and 21 in.

Dear Friends,

We are so happy to be back in the United States after a two week journey following the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. Fran and I first want to extend our thanks to the vestry for the wonderful gift to us (in celebration of our 25th anniversary of ministry here). We want to thank the amazing staff and leaders for the continued ministry of excellence while we were away. And we thank you for your prayers as we traveled to Greece, Turkey, Italy and all the points in between.

It is hard to capture the power of a trip like this. Pictures cannot do it justice…nor can my words. We saw things that I have read about for decades: the ruins of Ephesus, the cave at Patmos, the Acropolis in Athens, the Erastus stone in Corinth, and the river at Philippi. All of these places (and many more) have a deep connection to the Gospel of Christ as it was carried by the great Apostle Paul. I have studied and read Paul for years…but being where he walked added a third dimension to his teaching and his missionary work.

One of my favorite events from the life of Paul was his indecision and struggle to preach the Gospel in certain places. According to the story in the Book of Acts, Paul wanted to go north…and then south…but was prevented by the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit. (Read Acts 16 very carefully and you will see it for yourself.)  But one night he had a dream/vision of a man from Macedonia appealing to Paul to come “help him”. Paul concluded that God is calling him to go west, so he sails to Neopolis and treks up to Philippi where he meets Lydia. She comes to faith and is baptized, and thus begins the church in Europe.

What a story. Paul had a vision to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. It was big…but it wasn’t big enough. Paul was thinking Asia Minor (Turkey) but God was saying: Europe! And we were there…at the river…in the church that marks the spot where the wealthy businesswoman came to faith and began the young church.

There are so many links and connections and facets of the these amazing stories in the Book of Acts that have come to life for me and Fran because of this trip. Below is a gallery of just a few of the photos from our journey, placed on a map of where they were taken. I can’t show you all the pictures we took…but I can promise that we will organize a tour of our own and one day we will return. Perhaps you can come with us. Thanks again for your support and prayer while we were away!

When I returned a few days ago, I listened to a CD recording of Danny, Amber, and Josh singing “Glorious Day” as our worship prelude from a few weeks ago. Beautiful. I reviewed Daniel’s teaching at 360 on Sunday. Fascinating. I heard from Clint about the expansion of the family ministries. Exciting. I heard many, many people speak about Jason’s powerful sermon. Inspiring. I even leafed through the past three weeks of bulletins and saw the incredible collection of songs and hymns. Awesome. In other words, I got the lowdown on the last few weeks, and I have to say this to you all:

God has richly and wonderfully blessed this church. The kind and the quality of teaching, music, offering, worship, and programming is off-the-charts wonderful. These are great days at Christ Church. There is a heart renewal in every aspect of our church’s life. This is God’s doing…not ours. Remember: God’s doing, not ours.  Do not take this for granted. God is pouring out His Spirit and His heart into our lives for a reason: Let us honor him as Father, follow the Son as Lord, and walk in the Spirit to be a blessing to every person we meet.

And last but not least, the Rangers are one win away from a World Series title! Go Rangers!

In Christ,
David+

Dear Friends,

This past Saturday night, the Texas Rangers treated the Detroit TIgers to a batting clinic, taking game six with a 15-5 win that sends them to the World Series for the second year in a row.  It was an amazing game even for someone like me. What do I mean? I am not ashamed to admit this: I am a bandwagon Texas Rangers’ fan. I didn’t watch a single regular season game. Besides giving a good friend a hard time for liking baseball in the first place, I didn’t even give the Texas Rangers a thought the entire regular season. However, since the opening postseason game, I have fully climbed aboard the Texas Rangers’ train. In fact, I have been glued to my television for every pitch.

There is an excitement and energy about postseason baseball that, for me, simply isn’t there for the regular season. In the postseason, I find myself on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, and praying that Jesus is a Texas Rangers’ fan. During this special (yes, even magical) postseason run of Rangers’ baseball, it is honestly fun to be a fan.

I am not ashamed to be a Rangers’ bandwagon fan. I am, however, ashamed to say I have, at times, found myself to be a bandwagon Christian. During the high times of retreats and special events, or even in the low times when I know how desperate I am for God to work in my life, I eagerly climb aboard the Christian train. During those times, I am on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, and praying regularly to an almighty, loving God who breaks into our lives with His awesome power to accomplish the impossible. During those times, I find myself devoted, eager and committed to worshiping, to growing and to serving.  Yet, during the regular seasons of life, I find it all too easy to drift, to stop paying attention, and to let my relationship with Jesus slip to the back-burner of my life.

How do we stay on task? Together.

During the long, regular seasons of life, it is through community that I keep focus. It is through regularly meeting with other believers, praying together, studying together, and living out the call of Jesus Christ as a community.  I am most prone to drift when I am away from others who are also following the call of Jesus Christ. There is an exhortation in the book of Hebrews to believers that says: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

We need this. It is not an option. It is part of the call of the Christian life, and it is fundamental to living out our Christian lives, especially during the regular seasons.

A 15-5 victory is what the postseason is all about. Amazing, unforgettable and riveting baseball (I never thought I would use those words to describe baseball).  Yet, I will probably never be anything more than a bandwagon Texas Rangers’ fan. Honestly, I’m good with that. But, I don’t ever want to be just a bandwagon Christian. My God is worth so much more than that.

Get Some Questions Answered
I remember 20 years ago, sitting in the back of a church for months. I listened and learned. I wanted to believe in Jesus, but I had questions, and I needed some answers. Even after becoming a believer, I still had a lot of questions. I wish I had had a place where I could go, a safe place to explore my doubts and ask my questions. Tonight, we begin Christianity Explored. It is for those who, like me 20 years ago, are looking for a place to get some questions answered, a place to explore faith. If you are a seeker or even a new believer, consider joining Christianity Explored. If you know someone who could benefit from this class, consider inviting them and coming along with them. Contact Matthew Trogdon for more information.

Israel
For many years now, Fr. David has taken a group of people to the Holy Land.  These pilgrims have had the unique opportunity to see, smell, hear, touch and even taste the land of the Bible. No one has returned from trip unchanged. No one who has gone ever came back and wished they hadn’t. To experience the place where so much of the Bible takes place brings the stories alive in a way that rivals the best storyteller. There is still room. Contact Cathy Carey for more information.

In Christ,
Fr. Jason+

Friends,

Meet our youth team!

Meet Our Youth Team
This week we welcomed Erik Willits to the Christ Church family! Erik began his ministry to our Middle School students on Monday. I want to thank the staff and parents of Christ Church who have helped us through this summer of transition, as well as our middle and high school students who have enthusiastically welcomed our new ministers, Erik and Mike. The youth ministry is hosting a Fall Meet and Greet tomorrow (Wed, Oct 12) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Archgate Center youth café. It will be a fun night to meet our youth ministry staff, enjoy a hot dog or two, and spend time with the great families who make up our youth ministry! If you can’t make it Wednesday night, stop by Archgate Center any Sunday and introduce yourself to our new student ministers.

Rain
I was reminded today that we all experienced answered prayer this weekend. For several weeks in our services, we have prayed for rain. God faithfully answered those prayers this weekend. Let’s be thankful…and keep praying for more!

Dec 4: "Sacred Music in a Sacred Place"

Christmas Concert – Save the Date
Of course it’s still October, but you may want to save this date on your calendar: Sunday, Dec 4 at 7 p.m. That will be our annual Christmas concert, “Sacred Music in a Sacred Place”, with the Christ Church Singers and orchestra.  If you’ve ever attended one of our Christmas concerts, you know how special they are. This is a must for the Christmas season. Mark your calendar, and watch for more details in a few weeks.

The New Orphanage is Open!
One thing that I love about Christ Church is that our heart for children extends way beyond the city limits of Plano. This week, a team of four (Susan Kerr, Nozar Daryapayma, Dave Nelson and Vicki Robertson) represented Christ Church at the opening of the newest dormitory at Casa Hogares, the orphanage in Peru supported by Christ Church. Susan reported that the building is beautiful and the children can’t wait to move into their new home! A huge thank you goes out to those who have supported this ministry through their financial contributions as well as to many who have traveled to Peru to minister in person. View photo gallery below.

Speaking of Peru, we also have a group of men traveling to Lima this week to do construction work. Please be in prayer for them as they leave Saturday morning.

Have a blessed week,
Fr. Clint+