test

This is a test

April 2010

Pastor’s Letter

Dear Church Family,

Christ our Lord has risen today, Alleluia! Yellow and green. Daffodils and tulips. Birds home from their winter vacations and the promise of spring. April is a reminder of the hope of a new life. A fresh start and a joyous time ahead. It is my prayer that each one of you has a wonderful Easter time.

As a little kid, Easter for me was always down at Grandma Mayne’s house. She lived down at the end of the block on the same street we did, Milan Street in Wyoming, Michigan. It was a little grey house on a flat corner lot with the garden and garage on the side street. Grandma Mayne had those beige pull-down blinds that never went up until after 10 AM because Grandpa slept until late in the morning after working 2^nd shift at a factory. I loved her house on Easter morning, diffused light, a happy welcome, flowers from the garden on the table, and the smell of a pot-roast on the stove. We did Easter at Grandma’s house because we didn’t do Easter at ours.

Many Adventist homes struggle with Easter Sunday. Usually the only mention of it is when we go to Luke 23:55-24:1 to prove that Sabbath was on Saturday. Easter eggs and Easter bunnies are cute but really we know where that tradition comes from and most of us didn’t grow up participating in egg rolling contests. So what do we do with Easter today?

Though I don’t color eggs and give fuzzy bunnies out, I do love a good chocolate bunny (solid or hollow, they are both good!). Yet, I believe that we should join in the Christian world in celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection is the greatest gift given to us by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:17, “And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.” We need the resurrection or we are “more to be pitied than anyone in the world.” (verse 19).

“But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died!” We must celebrate! If some want to use Easter Eggs and Bunnies let them be (“So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or sabbaths.” Col. 2:13, neither should you condemn those who do!). But find a way to share with your neighbor, with your family, with your friends that you believe in this risen Christ! For He is the hope of our salvation!

I probably won’t eat pot-roast again (Grandma’s gone and I’m a vegetarian) but I will celebrate the fact that Jesus lives. Find your way this year to let the world know.

In His Matchless Love,

Pastor Tim Mayne

Pastor's Letter September 2009

September 2009

Dear Church Family,

We have used this summer in its fullest for our TurningPoint family. Nominating Committee has helped us find our leadership group for this next year, we have submitted our application for full church status, and we have put in a bid on a new building. We have also worked hard to get our church family’s children into Roseburg Junior Academy and to help those in need in our community. So yes, the summer was full with lots of activity. But in our busyness, have we made sure that we have stayed with our Lord? Have we been good at worrying over the “big dinner” and forgetting the one “dish” that is right before us? Sometimes summers can do that to you.

So, in the middle of doing church…how do we keep to the “one thing worth being concerned about”? How do we discover this most important item and not let it be taken away from us…even by doing well at church? To begin with we need the one thing that most of us do not have…time.

Well, we all have an equal amount of that. So the question probably has to be put more in terms of how we spend that time. In the story of Martha and Mary, time and where it is spent is the focal point. Luke 10:38-42 tells us the story of these two ladies.

Martha, large and in charge, sees the need to get things going. Luke says that she was “worrying over the big dinner she was preparing”. We like to eat. And someone needs to prepare it. Martha sees the need and answers it.

Every week at TurningPoint we gather around the table after the worship/study time is over. I think that this time of fellowship together is of great importance and can be as valuable as our time together in worship. But so many of us do not realize the amount of work it takes to get things together in a timely manner. Our hospitality team works hard and sometimes at the expense of worshipping with the church family. But most of us would agree that we eat pretty well at TurningPoint potlucks. Mainly because so few “potlucks” happen. And often just a few prepare food for us all.

Could we lighten their load and help them sit longer in worship if each family brought more to share? Could the Mary’s of our group think about the Martha’s and help them sit longer at the feet of Jesus? Yes. We could do this by sharing from our kitchens more of our bounty.

But Martha still has a problem. Not with cooking. But with Mary! She says to Jesus, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me? No, says Jesus, I can’t take away the one important thing that Mary has found. Time with Jesus is the only thing really needed. We need something to eat. But we don’t need a “big dinner”. Something light will do if it means that we are then able to stay with what is truly important.

No matter what we say or do, most churches are filled with both Martha’s and Mary’s. We need things done. But we must never forget that in getting things done, there is only one thing that counts. And that is time with Jesus.

We can do many things here at TurningPoint. But let us all strive for the one important thing…to be a church whose prime focus is being in the presence of Jesus.

In His Matchless Love.

Pastor Tim

March 2009

Dear Church Family,

            I saw a commercial for Wal-mart just the other day. It was for chocolate Easter candy (the low price of chocolate caught my eye!). But it was the final wording that caused me to pause - “Easter is cheaper at Wal-mart”. A cheaper Easter? Yes, this is America! We can “pay less” for Jesus on the cross! What a thought! Cheap grace…Amazing grace how cheap the price…it saved some cash for me! 

            With Easter only a few days away, I’ve been reading, thinking and praying more about the death of our Savior and what it really cost Him to save us. And what was that?  It cost Him absolute faith in His Father. In the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Many times Jesus had come to the garden to pray. He had come time after time in the presence of His Father, but this night was different. He felt cut off from the Father’s presence. He was now numbered with the transgressors. The guilt of the world was on Him. He was tempted to fear that He was cut off forever. 

            The problem lay not with the Father. It lay not with Jesus Himself, but with the weight of the sins of our world. How hopeless this world appeared. Even His own people had rejected Him. The sense of God’s justice was crushing out His life. In that garden, Jesus felt alone. His disciples were asleep. Satan was attacking on all sides. And yet, after three times of praying for the cup of suffering to pass, Jesus held on to the love of God. And in this He was strengthened.

            Easter is not cheap. It cost Christ everything. But He believed we were worth it!  He was willing to pay whatever price was needed for our salvation. And He did!  Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!

            This month, spend some time (not money) and look again through the Gospels at the life and death of Jesus. Spend a thoughtful hour contemplating what He has done for you there at the Cross. It will change your life and your witness to those around you.

            Have a great month! And remember, His gift of eternal life is free…but not cheap.

 

In His Matchless Love,

 

Pastor Tim

Coming Soon!