Where Are We Going?

I think this is a question every church needs to answer as simply yet as detailed as possible.

Maybe another way to put it would be, "Why do we Exist? This past Sunday I threw these thoughts out to the congregation. I have been praying on this for some time and God is stirring in me. Here is what I have gotten so far.

1.) We are to "expand" God's Kingdom!
2.) We are demonstrate Jesus' love to a hurting world!

We are called to grow and expand God's Kingdom. In other words reach people, wherever they are reachable, and expose them to the reality of Jesus' saving grace. The key to this last sentence is to reach them "wherever" and "however" they can be reached. Church, as we all know it, is probably not the means by which this is going to happen. We live in a different world now.

Here is what I know. 
People are all seeking something!
People in many cases really don't know what it is they are seeking but they know there is something missing in their life!
People want to be loved!
People want to feel important!
People want to belong to something that matters!
People want answers to hard questions!
People are seeking peace, and Joy, and Fulfillment!
People struggle with many things in life!
People take notice, and are moved when showered unexpected acts of kindness, and love!

Do you think knowing Jesus and being connected to others who know Jesus would help answer the questions above?  I do! I know that Jesus is the answer to all the above! But here is the rub. There are thousands of people in our community who need what Jesus offers but they are not going to come to our church, as it currently exists to find out! And it's not just our church, they aren't going to show up at any church. So, if we are called to Expand God's Kingdom, but we keep saying, "Our doors are open come on in!" and expect that to be fulfilling our mission. We need to have our heads examined.

So what is the answer?  Jackie and I are developing a plan. It is a huge step in the right direction.  We are going to need help. Lot's of help. We can do this. This past Sunday I said it was my goal to reach 10% of the Glen-Ed population which is about 4,000 people. This is doable. Jackie and I will be meeting regularly with the boards and will begin unveiling the plan soon. We would like your input!

See you Sunday, 10:00am Glik Park. All church service and picnic. We will discussing this and more.
Love pastor Kent

This Sunday!

This Sunday I will be giving a brutally honest sermon.  I think you are going to be shaking your head in a agreement. I hope you will join me because our bus needs your input!

What?
Our Bus?  What Bus?
What are you talking about?

You will see! It's time!

See you Sunday 8:45am, 800 North Main Street Edwardsville, IL.

See you Sunday!  Love, pastor Kent

What Is The Purpose of Church???????

This Sunday I will be discussing the purpose of church!  "Why do we gather as a family of believers, sing a few songs, shake each others hands, listen to a message and go home?" What is the point? 

I have an amazing answer for all of you who have ever wondered about these questions. I know I have had questions about church for a long time. That is why I have spent hours praying, reading, and researching this important question. I believe the answer is going to help all of us become more committed and give us a renewed energy and purpose of why we meet as a family of believers! Pastor Jackie and I along with Joe Newman and Kory Kuba, the two board presidents, have begun discussing the huge possibilities that currently lie dormant within these two congregations. I believe we are on the verge of seeing some very exciting yet challenging doors to walk through soon. Pray for God's guidance and strength as we enter this time of renewal and faith expanding challenges. 

Come join us this Sunday at 8:45am. We are located at 800 North main Street Edwardsville in the Immanuel Methodist church. You will see our banner outside stating that two churches, Praise Community Fellowship and Immanuel Methodist have come together to worship as one family. 

This week the praise team, Anna Harris, Steve Loucks, Matt Conway, Jeff and Christine Wiles, Dave Rader, Lori Rodgers, Jennifer Kaburik, and Debbie Loucks, will have some new songs that I know you will enjoy.   

Looking forward to seeing you Sunday! All are welcome. 

Announcements:

Praise Community Fellowship and Immanuel Methodist will be busy feeding children this summer through 2 separate programs. Volunteers are welcome at both programs. This program is to provide lunches 5 days a week to children in need since school is now out for the summer. PCF will be serving the lunches through the TWIGS program. If you would like to sign up to help, call Faye Heuchert at 618-656-5885. If you would like to volunteer for the SAKS program that Immanuel Methodist is helping, please call the office at 618-656-4648. This is a way for you to be a blessing to those in need!

Mark your calendars for June 5th picnic at Glik Park. There will be a fun special service at 10:00am with picnic to follow. We are accepting deserts and bring a lawn chair. Bring a fishing pole of you want to fish in one of the two stocked lakes. Bring your friends! 

Hope to see you Sunday! Love, pastor kent

It's Not about Bar-B-Q!

This next Monday will be Memorial Day. Memorial day is about remembering the thousands of men and women who died while serving this country.

Just a reminder that we have so much to be grateful for. Jesus said these words: John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."

Jesus was talking to his disciples about what He was about to do for them. Many young men and women have done the same through out the years so that we may enjoy freedom we have in this country. Take time to remember and pray for all the families who lost a loved one while serving. 

Yes there will be picnics and bar-b-q's but it's because of those who we remember!

God has a plan for your life! Come and discover what it is with the rest of this church family!  Now is the time to come visit us. God is real and He wants to work through you! When you allow God to work through you, look out! It's going to get very interesting and very fulfilling! 

This Sunday, Praise Community Fellowship will be leading worship. See you at 800 North Main Edwardsville at 8:45am Sunday! The place where two different churches have come together to worship as one family! Praise Community Fellowship and Immanuel Methodist coming together to do more for the glorification of God!

See you soon! Love pastor kent

Church Picnic

Mark your calendars. June 5th both Praise Community Fellowship and Immanuel Methodist will meet at Glik Park for a 10:00am service with a picnic lunch following. Kent will be leading this service and plans on having a special program that day. It will be fun! We are planning on having the main dishes catered but will accept deserts. We will be meeting at the big pavilion in Glik Park located on East Lake Drive in Edwardsville. There are air-conditioned restrooms, playground for the kids, a sand volleyball court, basketball hoops, walking trails. Please mark this date and plan on joining us. This will be a good chance to meet and mingle.  There will be more info to come.

When New people show up at our service!  I believe that when a new person or family shows up at our service, God has brought them to us for a reason! It is up to all of us to make sure they feel welcome and comfortable. God has a plan with new people and we must not hinder that plan by ignoring this gift! And when someone new shows up at a church, it is a gift!
Pastor Jackie and I will be doing a special Greeters training on June 21st at 7:00pm at the church.
We believe that greeting is a ministry! We are looking for volunteers who would be interested in this ministry. This is a very important ministry because when God sends new people to us, it is critical that we connect with them in a very special way. That is what this training will be about. Pray about this and please join us on the 21st if you would be interested in this ministry.

Prayers requested.

Floyd Fisher, please pray for Floyd who will be having several tests this week for his heart and kidneys.

Colin Rives, grandson of Judy and Bill Daubensteck. Colin is 13 years old and has osteosarcoma and is in treatment.

Connor, Mary and Lee Knapp's grandson, healing for severe head trauma.

Pray for God to unveil an "Impossible" glorious plan for our two congregations.

Announcements

PCF will be participating in the TWIGS lunch program this year. We will be delivering lunches 5 days per week during the summer. We will be going to our Cottonwood location and the Trailer Park in Glen Carbon. We are needing volunteers to help with delivery. Please call Faye Heuchert at 618-656-5885.

On June 19th, Fathers Day, we will recognizing graduating seniors at the service. If you are a graduating senior and have not yet done so please contact Anita at the church office so we can get you in the program. Church office number is 618-656-4648.

Hope to see you Sunday. I'm not yet sure what God has for us, but I am praying for it! 
Love, pastor Kent

Impossible?

What could two congregations coming together as one do for God's Kingdom?

Impossible is defined as: Not capable of being accomplished! Something which cannot be done!

It's interesting to me that at one time traveling faster than a horse could run was called impossible. To have light after dark without a fire of some type was impossible. Only 120 years ago flying was impossible. And we could go on and on. Maybe a more accurate term would be present reality. What seems impossible for your life or your circumstances at this moment might better be defined as present reality. But our present reality does change!

In the bible God showed man over and over that what seems impossible to us, is not with Him.
Directing a very old man Noah to build a boat big enough to carry life through a huge flood.
God gave a child to Abraham and Sarah long after child bearing age.
Producing water from a rock in the middle of a desert.
Spreading a sea.
The fall of Jericho
The feeding of 5000
The raising of Lazarus just to name a few.

God is still very much alive and well today and is looking for people who are willing to surrender to His guidance, to accomplish His work in a spectacular way for His glory!

 That is my prayer! God show us how we can make a huge impact in this community for your Glory! It might seem impossible, but we know that with you, all things are possible.
Will you join me in this magnificent prayer?

God, reveal to us a work so grand, that only you working through us, will it be possible! Reveal to us just how amazing you are! Give us the "impossible" dream so that we may experience your greatness as we enter your purpose!

Praise Community Fellowship and Immanuel Methodist, two churches seeking the power of God to reveal His plans for His people.  Come join us!

Need to speak to a pastor?  Pastor kent   618-334-3575  Pastor jackie 618-656-4648.

Hope to see you this Sunday at 800 North Main Street at 8:45am.  Love pastor kent and pastor jackie

The Narrow Gate

Why is saying I'm sorry so difficult? Especially when it holds the possibility of giving us back our peace. There is nothing worse than holding on to anger. Deep anger can trigger heart attacks and all sorts of other health issues. Anger is an internal burning coal that can do severe damage to our life experience.

God's peace is available to those who are willing to walk through the Narrow Gate and there are few who find it. Look at this verse:

Matthew 7:13-1413 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

I believe that this verse is teaching us about God's peace which is available here and now to those who are willing to step out in faith and do what seems so difficult for many. But healing comes when you apply God's word. It seems easier to do what most would do. To hold on to anger. To hate those who do us wrong. To punish those who make us mad. The narrow path on the other hand is narrow because not many find it or choose it. It just seems to hard and definitely make no sense to our human ways of thinking.  Look at the verse below. Love, Do Good, Bless, and Pray.

Luke 6:27-2827 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

These are the keys to the kingdom of God's Peace! These words are God's answer to those who have lost their peace and who are harboring anger and hate in their hearts. LET IT GO and LIVE! Think about this, "God loves the person you are so mad at as much as He loves you!" You are loved equally because in God's eyes you are brothers and sisters. He has given us the answer but you must apply it! 

Praise Community Fellowship and Immanuel Methodist, a place to learn how to love our neighbors with our hearts, our talents, and our resources!  Worship Sunday mornings at 8:45 am. 800 North Main St. Edwardsville.

See you soon! Love pastor kent.

Every Sunday Must Be A Soul Reviving Sunday!

Every Sunday is "the most important" Sunday to me. God wants us to come together and be renewed, recharged, and to be blessed in His presence. I know that God has a word for you. And when you get a word from God, it contains the seed of Change, of Hope, of Renewal!

I go to church to experience God, even when I preach. I go to church to be with other other believers who each bring our little flame of faith into one gathering so that when we come together we can ignite others who's flame has all but gone out. When we come together our flame becomes hotter and more powerful just like a bon-fire.

Maybe that is a good analogy for a healthy church. if we come together and ignite a hot enough fire, the heat and the light and the smoke from that fire of love and belief is going to get attention. And hopefully it will attract those who are cold, wet, and hungry for what God has to offer.

Are you hurting?
Have you lost your way?
Does life seem next to impossible to figure out?
Do you need someone to talk with? To Love you?
To help you get through a rough time?

We have a wonderful caring family that gathers every Sunday at 8:45am at 800 North Main Street Edwardsville. Our family is made up of two churches families. Praise Community Fellowship and Immanuel United Methodist. Pastor Jackie of Immanuel Methodist and Pastor Kent of Praise Community Fellowship have decided to make one big family out of two congregations. We have now been together for a year and wonderful things are happening.

Listen, God is real! Jesus Loves You! And there is hope even when things look as if there is no hope. You don't have to live in turmoil and frustration, and anger. Let a family of God surround you with love and hope. It's real!

Prayers Needed

The Family of Jim Keller 

Colin Rives, grandson of Judy and Bill Daubensteck. Colin is 13 years old and has osteosarcoma and is in treatment.

Jack Butler, Jack is home and is done with treatments. He will be recovering for the next 4 to 6 weeks at home.

Alexis Tharp, Alexis is recovering from a broken wrist and is an unemployed single parent of Audrey  her 4 year old.

Stan Rutkowski, Stan is a double amputee and lives alone in pontoon beach. He is fighting a compression wound which prevents him from sitting except for very short periods.

Announcements:

Saturday mornings there is a need for volunteers for our Kids free lunch program led by Faye Heuchert. She is always looking for volunteers to help with this awesome ministry. Call Faye at 656-5885.

Men's bible study at the church at 9:00 am Saturday mornings, all are invited for coffee and discussion.

Have an idea, a concern, a need? Call pastor kent or pastor Jackie.
Pastor kent 618-334-3575    Pastor Jackie 618-656-4648

Hope to see you this Sunday at 800 North Main Street at 8:45am.  PCF will be leading worship and we look forward to seeing you! Love pastor kent and pastor jackie

Ask and It Shall Be Given

John 15:7
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it will be done for you."

These powerful words from the bible can be life changing, but they also could be faith destroying if taken out of context.

Have you ever heard anyone say the following, "I have prayed and prayed but nothing ever happened!" or
"I am praying but my circumstances seem to be getting worse instead of better!"

How can one believe the above verse in the bible when the results of our prayers seem to fall on deaf ears? There are always requirements for God to come in and inhabit our life. What I have learned is that one need only observe nature to see how this world clearly demonstrates to us how God's Kingdom operates.  Jesus taught many parables using the natural process of things.

As many of you know, I am a flower nut. I love flowers. If I want a blast of beautiful blooms to come up in the spring I have to do certain things to make that happen. It's called planting. But not just any type of planting, I must do a specific kind of planting. I must plant what I wish to have sometime in the future and I must plant the bulbs of the particular flower I want at a specific depth in a certain type of soil. And, I must plant the bulbs at a specific time. If all these things are not followed, then there is a very strong probability that I won't get flowers in the spring.

Man even requires a process for many things. If you want to become a dentist for example, there are requirements that must be met with rigorous standards before you can become a practicing dentist.

So, the above wonderful promise from God also contains a requirement. We must ABIDE which means to remain, to continue, or to stay. "If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, (then) *my addition* you will ask what you desire, and it will be done for you."

There is amazing life changing power in God's teaching. There is amazing life changing power in knowing God. There is amazing life changing power in prayer. Yet so few ever experience this life changing power! Why? The same reason many people don't have a beautiful tulip garden in the spring. There are requirements to experiencing the fullness of God's Kingdom in your life. They are all mentioned in the bible!

What could your life be like with the power of God exploding within you and your circumstances There is a way to find out!!!!!

Prayers Needed

The Family of Jim Keller, Jim passed away peacefully at his home Saturday afternoon. 

Colin Rives, grandson of Judy and Bill Daubensteck. Colin is 13 years old and has osteosarcoma and is in treatment.

Jack Butler, Jack is home and is done with treatments. He will be recovering for the next 4 to 6 weeks at home.

Alexis Tharp, Alexis is recovering from a broken wrist and is an unemployed single parent of Audrey  her 4 year old.

Stan Rutkowski, Stan is a double amputee and lives alone in pontoon beach. He is fighting a compression wound which prevents him from sitting except for very short periods.

Have an idea, a concern, a need? Call pastor kent or pastor Jackie.
Pastor kent 618-334-3575    Pastor Jackie 618-656-4648

See you soon! Love, pastor kent

This is my Tulip Garden

It's hard to believe that the above picture is the same tulip garden that only 3 1/2 weeks ago looked like this:

Tulips only bloom for about 2 1/2 weeks each year. Most of the time they cannot even be seen because they live as a bulb that lives underground with no outward sign that they even exist.  The first photo is the stage in the tulip plant's life where the green leaves, which are not very pretty, are feeding and replenishing the most important part of the plant, the bulb which cannot even be seen. If I would cut the green leaves off now, the tulips would not bloom next year. The bulb would not have enough stored energy to produce the magnificent colorful blooms. The green leaves are taking the energy from the sun and converting that energy into food and energy for the plant.  In about another three weeks even the green leaves will be gone and there will be no sign that a tulip garden even existed here.

Maybe you haven't blossomed yet. Maybe your life has been in the not so pretty green leaf stage. Maybe you are in the beneath the ground bulb stage, waiting for the warmth of the sun to bring forth your time to bloom. Unlike tulips, you and I were created in God's own image. We can make choices that will either help or hinder our potential to bloom.

To bloom in the way God wants you to bloom you must also feed your inner bulb, your Spirit. That food is God's word found in the bible. You also need to be in good soil, which means being in relationships with God's people. You also will need warmth and rain to bring forth your blooms. That would be love and the Holy Spirit.

Tulips cannot transplant themselves into a better environment. Tulips cannot choose to give themselves fertilizer and water. You on the other hand have the ability to make those changes in your life.

It's a choice to read the bible. To pray. To get involved with a church family. To attend worship and to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

God want's you to bloom! It's up to you.

Prayers Needed

Colin Rives, grandson of Judy and Bill Baubensteck. Colin is 13 years old and has osteosarcoma and is in treatment.

Jack Butler, Jack is home and is done with treatments. He will be recovering for the next 4 to 6 weeks at home.

Alexis Tharp, Alexis is recovering from a broken wrist and is an unemployed single parent of Audrey  her 4 year old.

Stan Rutkowski, Stan is a double amputee and lives alone in pontoon beach. He is fighting a compression wound which prevents him from sitting except for very short periods.

See you Sunday!  Happy mother's day! Love pastor kent

We All Have Three Options....part 2

We All Have Three Options....for reading the Bible!

Top 4 reasons people don't read the bible:

1.)  No time...too busy.
2.) It's boring!
3.) Too hard to understand. So I go to church and let the pastor explain it.
4.) Not a priority!

Yesterday I covered the first 2 reasons. Today I want to discuss #3,  and #4. 

The Bible is too hard to understand. I would totally agree there are parts of the bible that are very hard to understand. But, there are many parts that tell some wonderful stories that you will understand. Here is what I have discovered about the parts that seem to make no sense to me when I read them.  God wants me and you to get to know Him. One of the best ways to do that is by reading the bible. It's not the only way but a primary way that must not be ignored. When you get to a part of the bible that makes absolutely no sense to you or you get so bored you can't stand it, don't sweat it. Skip to a different chapter or book. God will reveal what He wants to reveal to you as you read. In other words, you will discover that there are going to be parts of the bible that jump right off the page as you read them. That is the Holy Spirit getting your attention. That is God using the Holy Spirit to speak to you personally about something in your life! When you are reading and the words start drawing you in, getting your attention, look out because that is God speaking to YOU! Then, when you get to a part that just looses you, all that means is, it's just not time for you to get anything from that particular verse or chapter. It is not for you at this time in your life!  There are parts of the bible I still don't understand and I don't worry about it. As long as I am seeking God, I know He is going to reveal to me what I need to know, when I need to know it. The same will be true for you!

It's just not a priority! Well that may be the number one reason why people don't read their bible.  This is a tough one because no one can make a person seek God. If you are a Christian, someone who has made an educated, conscious decision to become a believer in Jesus, then one of the things I highly recommend you do is to start the discipline of reading your bible. At first it may seem just as hard as starting a new diet or going to the gym, but it is a requirement if you truly want to experience all that God has for you. The bible is different than all other books ever written because of the infinite spiritual wisdom encoded into the words of this amazing book. The words were encoded many years ago by the Holy Spirit who helped author the book through humans. These words are now available to all off us and are decoded by the the Holy Spirit, the author,  who is given to all people who profess Jesus as their Lord and savior. The bible is a spiritual key that can unlock the wisdom of God into your life. It will be a personal message directly from heaven into your life and your circumstances. No matter what circumstances you find yourself in, God has an answer, and the gift of peace for you and the ones you love. Too many Christians are missing this amazing power simply because they are not utilizing the gift that God has given to us, the bible. 

Hope to see you all soon! love, pastor kent

We All Have Three Options....for reading the Bible!

I have something to confess. From the time I entered LeClair School for kindergarten in 1961, until I graduated from Edwardsville High school in 1974, I don't remember ever reading an entire book. I am quite sure of it! My learning took place from what little I paid attention to in class, and a little bit of reading here and there from the hundreds of text books that I rarely took home.

The cost of me not reading, many missed life opportunities. This life of not reading changed during my college years when I began reading ferociously. It was then that I discovered what an amazing world I had been missing. My appetite for reading since then has never changed. I had a lot of making up to do. Reading has changed and continues to change my life.

Of course what you read is very important. Reading about others thoughts on ideas or on things that interest you can be fertilizer to your brain. Reading not only can teach us, but it stimulates new possibilities within us. The bible calls this new knowledge "revelation!"

Now, most of my reading is Christian oriented.  However, I love to read opposing material and books written by people who think differently than I do. It expands my perspective on where people are coming from.

I have found through simple polling that today many people who identify themselves as Christians rarely, if ever, read the bible.  Yet, I find many times the people who are the most opinionated about Christian doctrine, are often people who have spent very little time, if any, reading the book that evokes so much emotion.

Top reasons people don't read the bible:

1.)  No time...too busy.
2.) It's boring!
3.) Too hard to understand. So I go to church and let the pastor explain it.
4.) Not a priority!

I would say I have used all of those excuses at one time or another in my younger days!

Today I am going to answer the first two. I will get to 3 and 4 on the next post.
We all have three options when it comes to finding time to read the bible. They are:
1.) Before
2.) After
3.) Instead of

You can read before you get into your day, which could mean getting up earlier. You can read after your day, which could mean going to bed later. Or, you can read the bible "instead of" ...well you name it.  Now on to it's boring.

The bible was boring to me until I learned that God still speaks to us individually through this spiritual book. It's called "Revelation!"  God will speak to you personally when you begin reading the bible not as a text book or some ancient history book, but as a communication device that has infinite spiritual wisdom encrypted into the words that will unlock the heavenly vault of wisdom to those who are earnestly seeking God. You want your life to be filled with the things of God?  His direction, His protection, His wisdom? Then seek Him in the bible. The words you read as you are seeking Him turn into a combination which unlocks the vault to God's Kingdom for your life! You won't understand this until you experience it!

Good reading!  See you soon. Love, pastor kent