Flower Arranging Class

Sharing our Talents - Flower Arranging Class

At our Spring Retreat (April 2015), many of the ladies in our church taught workshops that demonstrated how they use their unique gifts to build up the church, serve one another, and build relationships.  As a follow on activity, at our August kickoff event, small groups were organized based on personal interests to continue deepening our relationships while learning new skills!  Here's a few pictures from one of the groups, led by Diane Bult, that focused on turning everyday flowers purchased at the grocery store into beautiful arrangements!  Nice work, ladies!

Showers of Blessings at Redeemer

We've been blessed this past year at Redeemer with many reasons to celebrate, including several bridal and baby showers.  One of the greatest privileges of being a part of Christ's church is sharing these joyful life celebrations with our Redeemer sisters!  Here's some pictures to share from two of the baby showers for Anna and Emily (with Laura and her sweet baby, Sam, also in attendance).  We are delighted to welcome all these precious little ones into our church family!

December Coffee, Cookies, Chatter & Cheer (CCCC)

Our monthly CCCC gatherings are a great opportunity for our Redeemer sisters to connect and get to know one another better!!  For December's get together, Melodie Bajema hosted in her home, and to help everyone get in the holiday mood, planned a cookie exchange theme!  As you can see in the

pictures below, everyone who attended left this event with a BIG smile and a box filled with delicious cookies to share with their families!

a few recent CCCC

Our "Coffee, Cookie, Chatter and Cheer" gatherings have stopped for the summer!  Let us know if you want them to continue in the fall.

Some recent gatherings:

We hope you were able to enjoy attending some of them over this last year! 

Biblical Counseling-- Marty Sudac

I have a Christian friend who has a very hard life.  She is a divorced, working mom who raises her three children without any physical, relational, or financial support from their absent father.  None of her extended family lives in America and her former in-laws shun her and her children because she was born in another country.  Her job is demanding with long hours, and she wrestles with all the difficult issues typically confronting parents of preteens and teens.  Several times, she has called me in tears and in distress, eager for support in holding on to biblical truth.  Yet in all of this, my friend is an encouragement to me!  She is like the Psalmist David in that she gives strong words and real emotions to her struggles but ends up strengthened by the grace, mercy, power and presence of Jesus.   We have asked each other hard questions that uncover the hidden idols of our hearts and the Holy Spirit has used that to bring us both to repentance and to strengthen us as we each face different trials.  My friend and I offer biblical counseling to each other although neither one of us would self identify ourselves as counselors.  We would both say we just remind each other of the eternal, comforting truths of Scripture and we encourage and sometimes challenge each other to submit to and rest in the veracity and power of the gospel.  My friend and I are a good picture of what biblical counseling is - the everyday application of Scriptural truth to the everyday struggles, trials and temptations of life.

As Christians, we are called to walk along side each other - carrying one another's burdens and encouraging each other to maturity in faith even though we often feel inadequate for the task.  Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) is a ministry affiliated with Westminster Seminary that seeks to equip Christians to understand what Biblical change is, how it occurs and how Christians can help one another to close the gap between the "head" knowledge of our faith and our "heart" application of that faith to our daily problems.

 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 is the foundation for  CCEF : 

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

The mission statement of CCEF is "to return Christ to counseling and counseling to the church."  And of course, we are the church!  There are many free or low cost resources at the CCEF website and there are several books written by CCEF authors are in the RPC library.  CCEF offers online courses in Biblical counseling for audit or credit. I have completed two of the online classes and am deeply grateful for all I have learned about the heat of life (the pressures, situations and events both common and particular), the heart's response to heat (either thorny, sinful responses because idols deceive us or fruitful responses because grace captivates and changes us) and the heart changing and therefore life changing power of Truth - incarnate and written.

We are richly blessed at Redeemer to hear faithful biblical proclamation and teaching each week along with graceful exhortation to apply it to all of life.  CCEF is dedicated to nourishing the good seed sown in believers so that we may love one another, especially in the hardships of life, in ways that reveal the goodness of the Lord and glorify Him.

Kim's Babies Shower

 

This week we were overjoyed to celebrate the upcoming arrival of Ty and Kim's TWIN boys with a "Babies" Shower.  Twins?  How exciting!!!!  We are all greatly rejoicing over the lives of these little blessings and can't wait for them to join us "out here" where they will be met with plenty of snuggles and hugs all around.   

 

The Lord wisely used Anne Chamberlain to bless us with words from Proverbs 14.  What an encouragement!  Gods word speaks peace into our lives and we delight to hear it.  Thank you, Anne!

 

Building a Home, Building the Kingdom
 
Thank you for asking me to share a reflection on motherhood. I wrote down a few thoughts so I wouldn’t ramble on too long! You need to know, as a mother of teenagers still at home, I am speaking this little motherhood reflection to you out of my own need and weakness, not my strength, and as a reminder to myself.
 
Let us pray:
Jesus, guide my words here today that they would be an encouragement and a vision for Kim and the other mothers and grandmothers in this room. Lord let us love and serve and intercede for each other as you have done for us. Lord teach us to be like you, laying aside glory to serve our families, leaning on you for strength, and finding joy in building your kingdom.
 
Well, the Bible says a wise woman builds her house (Proverbs 14). So let’s consider a few things effective builders do.
 
First, Builders know their LIMITS:
 
Builders set limits, basing their building plan on the budget and resources and time they have. As mothers we need to know our own personal limits and understand that we are not God, or a “Junior Messiah” -- as a grey-haired pastor once leaned over, knitted his brows, and told me when I was a young woman.
 
We are not equipped to be all things to all people, even our husbands and children. That is what the Holy Spirit is equipped to do!  He ministers to our families and friends in quiet, private ways we cannot know or see.  It lifts a burden when I remember the ministry of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is much, much bigger and infinitely better than my own.
 
We are installed by the Lord to daily serve a few people lovingly. To do this, some seasons of life we can reach more people, some seasons we circle the wagons and focus on a few.
 
I’m task-oriented, and so I always have to re-learn this lesson. I would call it “Three Things” when my kids were little. David used to call up to check on me when we had 3 kids who were 3 and under. (In a four year span our little family welcomed 3 kids, 5 surgeries, 2 cross country moves, with no family nearby, and in one of the most stressful times in my husband’s job): “How was your day?” he’d ask. Sometimes I would say: “Three things: 1. Everyone ate, 2. we went on a walk, 3. no one died. Success!” Saying this out loud helped me tighten-up my sometimes out-of-control expectations, and lightened the load.
 
Second, after knowing limits, builders PRIORITIZE:
 
Builders handle important matters first.  This requires first knowing what is important – foundation and frame before doorknobs and decks – and then operating from that principle.
 
After your walk with the Lord, my mom always says, the best way to love your children is to love their father. We should minister to husbands, and we should also ask them to help set priorities. Husbands need to know family context and family needs in order to shepherd and pray in a targeted way.
 
Each husband is different. David likes for me to e-mail him for advice or concerns, sometimes, as he then has time to chew on what he thinks and answer thoughtfully. Often a husband’s bird’s-eye perspective on the family is very clarifying, and can ease your burdens and lighten your load.
 
Third, after knowing limits and priorities, builders DON’T COMPARE:
 
The modern woodland retreat does not try to look like the Manhattan skyscraper or the historic colonial reproduction. Similarly, we mothers all have our specialties – that’s how we bless each other and how we are each building the kingdom here.
 
A former pastor of mine, a Welshman, once told me in his melodious brogue, “Comparisons are odious!” But women are good at comparing. We should stop comparing ourselves to another builder -- Arts-and-Crafts Mom or Schedule Mom or Nutrition Mom or Fitness Mom. Learn ideas and get inspiration from them, but don’t try to be them.
 
You are the right builder for your house. The Lord has ordained you and me as the particular builder for our families. He loves His own, including your children, who are His, and in His foreknowledge He chose you to be the mother of these particular children. You are the right mother (or grandmother) for them. Don’t question His decree, but ask and trust Him to meet you and use you there in the center of His will.
 
Do go to other builders for help: Ask sensible family and friends for advice or help. Sometimes that counsel or help will be much more targeted and concise than a book or institution can be. In fact, the church is in the building business, too! Ask the ladies in your church to pray or help or just listen if things get to be too much.
 
Finally – the ARCHITECT:
 
As we build our homes and families, we build His kingdom. We have an Architect, Who is also the Cornerstone.
 
“Do not despise the day of small beginnings” is a command the Lord gave Zechariah and the Jewish remnant in Judah after they returned from exile. I think that is a command for us, too, as we build His kingdom as mothers and grandmothers. For that is really what we are doing as mothers: building the kingdom of God. The good news is that foundation already has been laid and the Master Builder intercedes. We are contributing to something bigger than just our own house.

How can we do this in a lasting way? (I Corinthians 3) What – or Who – is the model for us?

In Philippians, the Lord has modeled us the way His kingdom is built, and it is certainly not a method the world would devise. He laid aside glory to serve at the lowest points of creation.

Philippians 2: 5-10: He emptied himself, He humbled himself, He served.

At Christmas we celebrate that Jesus himself came to earth as a man, to right where we live, and ministered personally to people who were sick, hurting, sad, bleeding, needy. (And don’t those needs sound like a toddler or teen on some days?)

Therefore, do not question if what you are doing daily as a mother or grandmother is important. Set your mind to value these things above – the things that Christ, not the world values. Set your mind to think of your deeply fundamental ministry of bathing, clothing, feeding, comforting, bringing order -- as important, not lesser chores. If Jesus is our example, then these seemingly mundane, personal acts of service are actually great and glorious acts for the kingdom.

Of course the world does not say this. But we know, when we walk alongside another human being in love, ministering to basic needs -- we are being like Him, the Architect and Master Builder. Jesus Christ knows what it is to serve. And we know we can call upon him and he will answer us and help us. At our lowest point, in our deepest lack and need, he is available. The kingdom is not dependent on a foundation we build, but on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ.

Our Jesus is ready and able to meet you at your point of need as you build your house and His kingdom.

Prayer:

Thank You for the blessed and high calling of service you give to mothers. Where else would we go but to You for help in this? Help us take hold of You, the tried and precious Cornerstone, our Sure Foundation, in prayer, in meditation on your Word, in worship, and by reaching out to others for fellowship and help.

Coffee, Cookies, Chatter and Cheer

The October Snapshot:

unfortunately, we forgot to snap one at the November gathering!  Horrifying!  But we will for sure get one at our next gathering in January.  We hope you will all be with us there; date forthcoming!

Goodbye, September! Hello, October!

September was a lovely month with slightly cooler temperatures, assuring us that brisk fall weather will be here..............eventually. :-) 

 

We began our 10 week ladies bible study (graciously led by Linda Clark) where we are going through Genesis aided by Nancy Guthrie's book, The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis.  It is a wonderful time of teaching, discussion, prayer and fellowship--and of course some tasty treats.  ;)

It is our hope that this year we will grow to be like the men on the road to Emmaus whose hearts BURNED within them as they truly saw Christ in the scriptures.  On some pages of scripture Christ seems to be hiding and some pages He seems to be jumping off of, but He is there on every single one!  Dallas Willard said, "when we see Jesus as He is, we must turn away or else shamelessly adore Him."  And that is our hope--that we will shamelessly adore the Lord as our hearts burn within when we see Him in His word.

 

We also had our first Coffee, Cookies, Chatter and Cheer gathering.  And it was so much fun!  In case you don't know about this, Coffee, Cookies, Chatter and Cheer (or "cccc" for short) is our monthly little get together where we have Coffee, Cookies (wait, did you guess that?? you smart thing, you!  well, you never know, somebody might shake things up a bit and serve tea and scones!) along with some Chatter and Cheer as we share in the fellowship that we have as sisters in Christ and encourage each other in our walks with Him.  I hope you all will perhaps be able to join us for the next on Oct 11!  It really was a lovely time.

Coffee, Cookies, Chatter and Cheer

September 2014

 

by Andrea Belonga: Part 3

The Marvelous Ministry of Mentoring - Shirley Windham
2014 Women’s Leadership Training Conference - Atlanta

“But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8)

People learn about God from God’s Word, but they also learn about God through seeing God working in other people. Mentoring is a way to demonstrate Christ by sharing our lives with others. Mentoring should include careful stewardship of the gospel. We are approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so use it, and intentionally live out the gospel in front of others. Expect that believers will mature in God’s timing. Our goal is to bring glory to God and to draw others to Him; our goal should not be about “me” or about making a “mini-me”.

Nuggets of wisdom to consider when mentoring:

• A common temptation when being involved in mentoring is to seek praise or recognition, but remember that the glory belongs to God.
• Don’t flatter, because that ingratiates the “flattered” to the “flatterer”.
• Don’t say what people want to hear; say what they need to hear. Mentoring is not about increasing the self-esteem of anyone, but instead is about pointing others to Christ.
• Be careful to not have an over-aggressive desire to see fruit from mentoring, but be content to plant seeds. Think of an oak tree - growth is slow and steady and takes time. Remember the picture of a nursing mother and be gentle and patient. God works in His own timing!
• The greatest need is to share the gospel, so speak the truth of the gospel for the sake of the gospel.
• When mentoring, think of this: “follow me as I follow Christ”. Since we have a Savior who paid the ultimate sacrifice, be willing to be a little uncomfortable or to go into unfamiliar territory for the benefit of the saints.
• Remember that God equips His people for this job; people never feel ready for it.
• Consider that Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor, not us! A mentor can not fix other people’s lives, but can love them and point them to Jesus.
• Remember that people are not projects but are people made in the image of God. One way to start a relationship with someone is to find out what they love and do something together such as cooking, baking, sewing, exercising, taking care of children, discussing books. One way to enter a young mom’s world is to go into the nursery and love her babies first.

Ask questions before beginning mentoring, such as: How long can we meet and how often? Where will we meet? What will we do? What are the expectations? What if it doesn’t work out? It’s fine to start small - you can always sign up for more! Be sure to understand expectations and needs before you begin. Also, consider having other women on hand who are interested in mentoring who might be a better fit. It’s important to be flexible!

by Andrea Belonga: Part 2

Keep a Close Watch on the Teaching - Nancy Guthrie - (part 2)

(1Timothy 4:6-16)
"If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

Nancy Guthrie's second session was entitled "Keep a Close Watch of the Teaching", and it was based on 1 Timothy 4: 6-16. Nancy pointed out that "these things", mentioned in verse 6, mean the "sound teaching" of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She voiced the following question to the leaders of women's ministry in the PCA: "Are we willing to let God set his agenda before the women and determine to teach the women what they most need to know, or are we setting our own agenda based on what the women say that they want to know or learn, on what they find the most practical or relevant or interesting, or on what the women want to talk about, share, discuss from their own experiences, etc?"

Our speaker, Nancy, reminded us to focus on scripture. The Bible is God speaking to us! However, it seems that at times, that fact has lost its awe and wonder for us. It is crucial that we do not leave out chunks of the Bible that seem uninteresting. The Bible is God's Word breathed out! It is what God decided to tell us. For example, God wants us to know the story from the Old Testament of the history of his people. In the garden, after the fall, He points ahead to a Redeemer through whom he will bless His people. In Exodus, he shows us that he took his people out of slavery in Egypt and brought them into the promised land. This helps us understand our own story of redemption where we are set free from being enslaved to sin. God shows us the giving of the law, sacrifices, and feasts to point us to Christ who is the perfect law-keeper and the ultimate sacrifice. The books of the prophets hold a mirror to show us our own sin that deserves exile from God. Psalms teaches us how to pray, praise, and lament, and we need the wisdom of Job, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes as we navigate life. The gospels show Christ in action and hold a record of His life, and the vision of John in Revelation shows God working out his plan to completion and the full fruition we will finally experience in the new heavens and the new earth.

It is important to not elevate man's words over God's words. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (1 Timothy 3:16-17).  Also, "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2Timothy 3:14-15) Nancy Guthrie reminded us that doctrine is important! We need to care deeply about it and teach it. Some would say that we don't really need doctrine, and that doctrine is divisive, but the reality is, once we bring up Jesus, we need doctrine! We need to understand who he really is and what we believe about him. What we need most is not a bunch of tips on how to better live our lives, but instead we need to see Jesus at work in our lives, bringing about his purposes.

We must devote ourselves to and immerse ourselves in sound doctrine. This is what is means to "keep a watch on the teaching". So, watch what you invest time and money in, watch who you listen to, watch what you read. These various voices shape how we think and how we speak. What flows out of us is largely influenced by what flows into us. Reconsider what you spend time on, and don't spend time on pointless pursuits. Even "good things" can lead us astray from our Savior. It can be so easy to get absorbed in secondary pursuits.

How do we immerse ourselves in sound doctrine? Many opportunities are available. Not only can we attend a church where the pastor faithfully preaches the Word and take full advantage of church ministries such as Sunday School and Bible study, but we can take advantage of the technology of today and download sermons, read blogs, or get information from websites.

Nancy recommended the following to us:
monergism.com
desiringgod.org (30+ years of John Piper's sermons)
whitehorseinn.org
thegospelcoalition.org
www.proctrust.org.uk (Proclamation Trust)
allsouls.org (All Souls Church, Langham Place)
The following pastors' sermons: Collin Smith, Liam Goligher (from Tenth Presbyterian Church)
Download audio from various seminary classes such as Covenant Seminary

We want our lives to be shaped by the gospel rather than by the culture around us. If we don't persevere in watching our lives and our doctrine, we will drift. What should we watch out for in order to continue in this pursuit?

1. Watch how you respond to criticism. It is so easy to justify ourselves, but instead listen to criticism and look for elements of truth in it!! Humble yourself to receive and appropriately respond to criticism. Be willing to learn from it and change. Don't get frustrated and quit if a certain ministry of yours is criticized. 
2. Watch that you don't get comfortable with your own hypocrisy or with certain sins. Don't think that you have a struggle that you can't change by the help of the Holy Spirit. The reason God points out our sin is so that we will repent and change. Don't ignore or justify sin.
3. Watch your motives - look for opportunities to give, pray, and serve in secret. Our addiction to human praise will not serve us well in the long run.
4. Watch out for cynicism - don't give up hope that God will work in difficult situations or change someone, for he is able to do more than we ask or imagine! The gospel really has power to deeply bring about lasting change.
5. Watch out for women who never come to events and never connect. Don't ignore the women who don't participate. Seek after them! Some women are not interested in the things of God, but others may be hiding in shame, some have hard lives, others feel that they don't fit in, some are embarrassed of their lack of Biblical knowledge, some people are lonely or uncomfortable on a crowd. Christ associated with all different kinds of people in all walks of life, and so we should also seek after all of our women. 
6. Watch out for inappropriate relationships with men. Watch who you are alone with, watch how you dress and speak. Confess an inappropriate attraction and get accountability.
7. Watch that you don't pour your energies into good things that don't have the power to save.

We desperately need the saving, sanctifying Word of God, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:12-13). The Word of God taught and read accomplishes it's purpose. The Holy Spirit uses the Word to change hearts and to correct people.

Again, as 1 Timothy 4:16 states, "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."