Roseberry's Leaderboard

Dear Friends,

I have been deeply moved by the stories and images coming from Haiti. The total devastation of a city surrounded by extreme poverty is almost more than we can bear to watch. These images are deeply disturbing and some are sadly moving. I am sure that you have shaken your head in horror…and offered up prayers for those affected.

Earthquakes are one of the most unsettling of all earthly realities. While very, very minor, several earthquake tremors occurred in the Bay Area during my seminary days. I felt the earth move. In one instance it felt and sounded like a sonic boom…from below!

When these events occur, one question is always asked. It was asked after the tsunami, and after Katrina, and again last week. The question is “Why?” What in heaven’s name is God up to in allowing this? The question is so common that I wrote a short monograph on it a few years ago to allow our congregation to have a glimpse of understanding about the nature of suffering. If you want a copy, it’s in our literature racks outside The Bookstore. It’s called Face to Face with Suffering.

You might be interested to know that in the 18^th century two earthquakes rocked England. People then had the same questions we have today. Charles Wesley dealt with the powerful nature of natural disasters by writing a hymn. (He wrote close to 10,000 hymns.)  Read a short article about it here, and notice the text of this wonderful tribute to the sovereign grace of God.

Our church, I am proud to say, has responded to Haiti with grace and generosity. Together, we have donated around $25,000.  Funds have been transferred to Franklin Graham’s organization, Samaritan’s Purse, and to New Missions. Both of these groups are poised to help in enormous ways. Graham’s organization already has their desalinization plant up and running and producing 1,000,000 gallons of water a day!

A final note about Haiti: I know that many, many people gave, and are still giving, to the relief efforts.  The generosity of this parish and thousands of parishes and millions of people all around the country is a testimony to the spirit of hope and goodness that is the byproduct of a Judeo-Christian heritage. We really do believe that humans…all humans…are created in the image of God. Jesus taught that when we reach to help another person who is in distress, we are actually reaching and touching the Lord God himself. (Read Matthew 25)

This is a good time to remember our own Christ Church missionaries who serve selflessly around the world, some with children in tow. Please join us in lifting up these godly people in your prayers: Allen and Rachel Hill, Jessica and Yeadon Smith, Justin and Kristen Lokey,Ron and Vicki Robertson, Samantha and Lyxee Green, Bishop Bill and Judith Godfrey, and Summer Twyman. Here is an interesting article I saw recently on how to encourage a missionary.

Now, on to a few things you need to know:

Worship, Grow, Serve
At Christ Church we focus on only three things:  Worship (every week), Grow (spiritually, as a follower of Jesus Christ) and Serve (in and from Christ Church.) We ask each member of our church to choose one thing in each of these three areas. All around our campus, you will find copies of the “Worship Grow Serve” brochure. (Just look for this triangle.) Think of it as a “menu” of opportunities in each of these three areas. There is a lot to choose from…and more coming in the fall (especially in the Grow and Serve areas).  Meanwhile, if you are looking for a good Bible study to help GROW your faith, try On Point. It is a blessing for me to prepare and present…I know Fr. Jason Bowman feels the same way. No experience in Bible study is required. There is no fee or reservation needed…just show up.

Jonah’s Song
I sense that our current Jonah series called “Rebel Without a Clue” is gaining some traction. Jonah is a kind of “every man/every women” person. This coming Sunday, I will focus a bit more on the storm and the sailors and then press into the song/psalm that Jonah sang”in the belly of the great fish. During the series I am restraining myself from telling this joke.

Speaking of sermons, I am going to do a “PG-13″ Valentine’s Day sermon on February 14 about love, sex, romance, etc. (Parents, Sunday School will be the best place for your kids that day.)
I am soliciting questions on these topics from the church family and I will try to answer them during that sermon. Email your questions to Info@ChristChurchPlano.org.

AMiA Winter Conference
Next week, Fran and I and a few of our clergy are flying to Greensboro, NC, for the annual AMiA Winter Conference. (They have an awesome new website…take a look. One of the best sites I have seen!)  I have been to the conference every year for the last four years. It is like a homecoming for many of us. The AMiA is filled with great brothers and sisters in Christ who are joined with us on mission in North America.

Christ Church in the News
A few years ago, journalist Sam Gywnne wrote an excellent article for Texas Monthly magazine on the conflict within the Episcopal Church. Christ Church and I were featured in much of the story. Here he writes a follow-up story in this month’s edition. Your rector has only a small speaking part, but Gywnne is a very good writer.

1,000 Churches
You will hear and read more about this in the coming months, but Christ Church has been tapped by the new Archbishop of the ACNA (Anglican Church in North America) to lead the movement to raise up, plant or initiate new congregations all over the United States and Canada. We are developing a website (live in the next month) but we have this temporary blog up and running to distribute information. You will see that there is a 1,000 Churches Summit for church planters here in February. There is a good buzz about it. We have a great line-up of speakers, and we are gaining momentum in the advance registrations. Fr. Ron McCrary and Fr. Daniel Adkinson are helping me get this project started, along with the cheerfully indefatigable Kathy King, my administrative assistant.

Youth Traditions
Parents, if you were raised in a Christian tradition, maybe you can attest to the power of youth camp—one of those wonderful, formative, traditional rights of passage for teenagers. This year, Christ Church is taking a bold step by hosting, for the first time, a fully Anglican camp…and inviting other churches to join us. There is really nothing else like this out there for Anglican youth. You can read about it here, and start thinking about it now for this summer.  Another Christ Church tradition is coming up soon, too. It’s DiscipleNow, a great weekend of fellowship and Bible study in local host homes. Our students and parents rave about this every year. Check it out.

Ready to Join? Or Not Sure?
I hope to see many, many of you at the The Welcome Class this Sunday. It will be fun and will probably answer most of your questions about Christ Church and how you can join us as a member (if you choose) to deepen your walk with Christ and serve the community and the world as His ambassador. ‘See you there!

Blessings,
David+