Spring News

Well, it's sunny, blue skies and a cool 70 degrees. It's Spring in Central Illinois. Enjoy these two days it probably won't last.

Yes, many of you have responded to my sermon intro yesterday about comments following sermon with "that was your best sermon ever". Very funny people...it's why I love you so much. Hey it's better than critical emails right?

It was very touching to have thousands of people praying for the elders yesterday at the end of the Acts 20 study - we really do spend many hours praying over, for and about the sheep of this flock and it was very humbling to have the flock pray for the shepherds.

The atrium is coming! In about a week, the ground breaking and work on our expanded atrium will be begin. Lord willing, we'll be done by December 1 in time to invite our lost friends, family and neighbors into our home for Christmas. The builders are really working hard to disrupt our ministry activities as little as possible, but there will be some weeks in September and October that will definitely challenge our traffic flow and crowd us even more. Pray for our patience as a congregation and staff as we move through this time.

I'm running ludicrous amounts of mileage again as I train for my fourth "last" marathon in October. I'm really enjoying running with a goal again. I'm spending lots of time on the trail these days, so if you see me, say "hi" - but forgive my winded response. I don't listen to music when I run...never liked things in my ear...so I invite God on the runs with me. We have good conversation that ranges from "thanks for that beautiful cardinal" to "be with the staff at Eastview" to "please come back right now!"

It is summer time and many of our staff, volunteers and members are all over the country on vacation - summer is such a hectic time. Just a word of reminder...don't make it so hectic that you miss God in all of it.