Happy Memorial Day everyone! It is Monday night and I’m posting my Sunday Ruminations. Our family and I went to Estes Park yesterday after church for the remainder of Memorial Day weekend. We met my sister and brother in law there and were privileged to get to use his parents’ condo to relax in. I forgot my backpack and so didn’t have my computer with me so didn’t get a chance to recap the Sunday. Here are my ruminations on the day.
— We didn’t give an invitation and I preached on prayer but we had one person receive Christ yesterday. How awesome is that? So cool to see the Spirit draw people REGARDLESS of the message topic.
— 732 in church today. Each service was down from normal but pretty even over the three. Thought it was a good turnout for Memorial Day weekend.
— Over the past several weeks we’ve been taking questions from Elementers on their “Life’s Toughest Questions”. Today we took on the #1 most requested topic…prayer. “Does God hear me when I pray?” Had some GREAT questions come in on prayer and I hope I brought some answer to their need.
— Prayer is such a tough subject to preach on. I’m still trying to figure prayer out. Why some prayers get answered “yes” and others don’t. Why sometimes God is silent and others He seems as real as a person talking to you. It’s a HUGE topic. Still feel we need to do a whole series on prayer. Haven’t felt the right timing yet.
— I was actually NOT looking forward to taking on this subject because I feel so ill equipped to speak on it. I’ve preached specifically on prayer twice now at Element, and both times felt like SO MUCH more was still out there to be said. Like I said, I hope what was spoken and the Word of God was helpful to people.
— I did have one out of town guest tell me after service “I’ve really been struggling with prayer lately. I know that God wanted me here today to specifically here this message.” She told me that following first service. It was a HUGE encouragement. I think God had her there not only to hear the message, but to encourage me as well.
— It’s funny cause I saw Adam say the same thing on his blog today, but I felt more tired today after service than I have in a LONG time. I told Grant afterward “I’m exhausted”. I usually feel pretty good till I get home and sit, then I’m wiped, but Sunday just took it out of me.
— Adam had a new band member help lead today on the song “Your Name”. Kevin, you did an AWESOME job! Thanks for serving Kevin. Thanks for letting others lead Adam.
— Still diggin’ the “I’ve Had Questions” song. Band nailed it again.
— Great to have Grant and Andy back this week. The front door and lobby just isn’t the same without Grant. Andy rockin’ the sound booth again this week fillin’ in for our regular sound tech. It’s weird anytime any of my team is gone. I rely on them more than they know on Sunday.
— Random thought: I drink so much water and hot tea on Sunday that I’ve got to set a record for trips to the bathroom. Seems like I’m in there more than anywhere on Sunday. lol
— I quit drinking pop or coffee over the weekends starting on Saturday mornings. I drink only water or hot tea Saturday and Sunday and it has really helped my voice. I drink so much on Sunday though that I can’t hold it all in.
— Pastor Kody moves here this week. Keep praying for God to provide housing for them here and the sale of their house in Oklahoma.
— We might get the AC all working before summer. That would be nice huh? We had 2 new units working Sunday in the worship center, but I here it was hot enough in e:kidz to do a lesson on a place NOT called Heaven this Sunday. lol Need to get that unit working properly.
— The theater was always hot too wasn’t it. We need to get that fixed.
— Announced our next sermon series called One Prayer. I am SUPER excited about doing this series again. We did it last year as well. You can find out more about One Prayer HERE. This years theme is “God is…” We’re gonna take on four characteristics of God and how they relate to us, Element Church and our city.
— Literally thousands of churches and hundres of thousands of Christians around the world will be partnering together to do this sermon series in June. We have prayer calendars you can pick up at church. We’ll be reading through the Gospel of Matthew together and praying some common prayers together as well. It’s a GREAT opportunity for our church to be unified in prayer and Scripture reading for one month.
— The late start to the week tomorow means LOTS of work this week. Can’t wait to get started. Hope the staff had an awesome day off today!
Following Christ,
Jeff
