renews Digital - July 2009 Edition
In this edition of renews Digital:
John Calvin: Reformer & Renaissance Man
Are You Livin' God's Dream?
PFR Partner: Church Growth, Inc. (CGI)
East Coast Pastors Focus on Discipleship
Click here to read this issue of renews Digital.
|
Remembering "The Father's Love"
Paul Detterman, Executive Director
 "Behold,
what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be
called children of God, and that is what we are." (1 John 3:1)
Do
you remember the first time someone special looked into your eyes and
said, "I love you"? How did you feel? Do you remember the last time
someone astonished you with an outrageous, over-the-top gesture of
generosity and self-less giving? How did that change you?
July 4-7, over 640 people, including 100 mid and high schoolers,
encountered the inescapable reality of God's amazing love
at PFR's Christian Life Conference 2009 in Montreat, North Carolina.
As
Christian disciples, we know intellectually that Jesus Christ is God's
ultimate "I love you," an amazing gift to people like you and me -
people God will pursue at any cost because his love for us and his
self-giving know no end. But often it takes a special time apart to
make that knowledge a heart-reality. CLC '09 was one of those special
times.
Every person who came through the Montreat Conference
Center gates needed to hear God say, "I love you." Some people live
each day in absolute trust and eager anticipation of what our loving
Father will do next. For them, Christian Life was probably an
opportunity to deepen that relationship and to be relentless in seeking
ways to share God's love.
Some people have taken God's love
for granted and were running from his embrace. For them, CLC '09
offered a time to stop running and start back "home."
And
some people came to CLC beaten up, beaten down, and aching to discover,
perhaps for the very first time, what God's love might be all about,
needing to hear God say, "I love you, I'll heal you, and I'll never let
you go."
In the profound biblical insight of Ken Bailey, in the
Spirit-driven preaching of Alice Ridgill, in the enduring testimony of
Melicent Huneycutt-Vergeer, or in the edgy reality of David Bailey's
music, people encountered God's love. Some came for the 30-somethingth
time. Some came four hours just to hear a concert. Some came with
pain. Some came with questions. All went away changed.
Wouldn't you like to be part of something like this? You can!
July 3-6, 2010, Christian Life Conference '10
 Jim Singleton, pastor of First Presbyterian Church Colorado Springs will be there preaching God's Word.Dale Bruner, one of the most sought after Bible teachers of our time, will be there teaching God's Word.
Mark your calendar and watch for details. |
East Coast Pastors' Conference
Focuses on Acts 2
What
would a congregation look like that was truly and deeply devoted to the
Apostles' teaching, the fellowship and breaking of bread, and prayer
(Acts 2:42)? What if those practices were at the heart of our
denomination? the heart of your congregation? the heart of our lives?
Join this year's gathering of pastors as Glenn McDonald explores an Acts 2:42-shaped life together.
 Glenn
is organizing pastor of Zionsville Presbyterian Church, a 25 year old
congregation north of Indianapolis. He is noted for guiding the church
in fostering small groups, ministry teams, and a decentralized style of
ministry-prioritizing lay leadership. An avid spelunker and movie buff,
he has written several insightful books.
Worship will be led by Robert Austell, pastor of the Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church (Charlotte, NC).
Cost
for the week is $175/individual, $225/couple. The conference (our 10th
year!) will be held at Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church in North Myrtle
Beach, SC. Click here for more information. A downloadable brochure is also available online. |
Two New Hymns Root Us in the Faith
We
are living and worshiping in an unprecedented time of "artistic
expression." There have, quite literally, been more new hymns and
worship songs written in the past century than were written in the
previous nineteen centuries combined. Given that reality, it is
no surprise that much of the music we currently use in
worship, traditional or nontraditional, will, happily, be forgotten
within another decade or so. But there are also gifted poets among us
writing words and music that even now are classic expressions of
beauty, faith, and praise.
It
is cause for celebration when one of these truly gifted
theologian/poets shares his gift with the Church. David Gambrell,
Associate for Worship, is such a person. Among David's many talents is
a spiritual gift for writing hymn texts. Several of David's hymns are
being used in worship this week at the Calvin Jubilee celebration in
Montreat. They deserve to be shared and sung broadly across the
Church. With very great joy and with David's permission, I am sharing
two of them with you. Enjoy!
Great God of Every Blessing
(Sung
to the tune AURELIA, best known with the hymn "The Church's
One Foundation," this hymn was written specifically for the Calvin Jubilee.)
Great God of every blessing, of faithful, loving care,
you are the fount of goodness, the daily bread we share.
How can we hope to thank you? Our praise is but a start,
sincerely and completely, I offer you my heart.
Your Word is our salvation, the source of endless grace,
in life and death extending your covenant embrace.
In Christ we are one body, each member has a part,
sincerely and completely, I offer you my heart.
Your Spirit is our teacher, the light that guides our search,
transforming broken people into the holy church.
For feeding us with mercy, for wisdom you impart-
sincerely and completely, I offer you my heart.
Now In Peace, O Lord
(Sung to the tune IRBY, best known with the hymn "Once in Royal David's City, " this hymn is a beautiful paraphrase of the biblical Song of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32).
Now in peace, O Lord, you send me as you promised long ago.
Now my eyes have seen salvation; all the world may truly know:
even now the dawn is near, Christ, the living light, is here.
Now you shine with endless glory for your people Israel.
Now the nations hear the story, there is great good news to tell:
go in peace and have no fear, Christ, the living light, is here.
|
New from Faith Alive!
Discover Judges
The
book of Judges tells of a troubled time in Israel's history, in which
the people were often at war as they settled into the land God had
given them. But it's also a time of heroes and miracles by which God
worked to sustain his struggling people to bring a Savior into this
troubled world.
 25% off Bioethics Click here and use coupon code BIOETHICS25.
Bioethics helps Christians develop a biblical perspective on complex
and controversial issues such as abortion, assisted reproduction,
euthanasia, stem cell research, and genetic manipulation.
Bonus holiday units for Walk With Me orders! Order at least one quarter of Walk With Me curriculim by July 31 and get a free Christmas and Easter unit. Click here for more details. |
"Moving Back Into Our Neighborhoods"
The Work of the Missional Church
August 21-22 at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, San Diego
- Learn, discover, and plan together how to develop missional life in your congregation
- Identify practical ways congregation members can make gospel connections with their communities
- Explore hands-on resources for creating experiments in missional life, tailored to your context and people
- Bring your team!
Presenters Alan Roxburgh and Mark Lau Branson. Click here for more information. |
|
Opportunities for Growing Disciples Fall 2009 Small Church Conferences (Wee Kirk)
East Coast Pastors' Conference September 8-11 in N Myrtle Beach, SC Brochure
NPWL Leadership Forum October 14-15 in Oklahoma City, OK
Spring 2010 Small Church Conferences (Wee Kirk)
-
May 4-6 in Sioux Falls, SD
-
May 4-6 in Boise, ID
-
May 11-13 at Glorieta Conference Center, NM
-
May 11-13 in Hancock, MA
|
PFR's Mission
Mobilizing
leaders of congregations within the PC(USA) to be biblically faithful
and missionally minded in their service to Jesus Christ |
Contact Information
Presbyterians
for Renewal
8134 New LaGrange Road Suite 227
Louisville, KY 40222
Phone: 502.425.4630
Email: pfroffice@pfrenewal.org
Website: www.pfrenewal.org |
|
|
Praying with John Calvin
Almighty God,
once you appeared to us in the person of
your only-begotten Son, and every day you show us that same Christ in
the glass of your gospel. Grant that we, fixing our eyes on him, may
not go astray, nor be led here and there by wicked inventions, or the
fallacies of Satan, or the allurements of this world. Help us continue
to be firm in the obedience of faith, persevering through the whole
course of our life,
until we are, at last, fully transformed into the image of your eternal glory,
which now in part shines in us, through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen. |
|
NPWL Bible Study Selling Fast!
Have
you seen the 2009-2010 NPWL Bible Study "Joshua: Living Into God's
Design"? Women across the denomination are finding this to be
- accessible
- inspiring
- affordable
Check it out for yourself and for your congregation.
|
|
Support PFR
The ministries that are PFR are many...
Vision for:
- Participating in God's mission in and through the PC(USA)
- Reshaping our life and witness as Presbyterians to conform to the call and commission of Jesus Christ
Support for:
- Seminary students & faculty
- Women in ministry and leadership
- Small membership congregations
- Congregational transformation
Resources for:
- Discipleship and spiritual growth
- Children and youth
- Leadership training
- Evangelism and outreach
- Vision and transformation
Preparation for:
- GA 2010 and beyond
- A changing world
- A changing church
But this ministry needs support from YOU...
8134 New LaGrange Rd.
Suite 227
Louisville, KY 40222.
Please give generously and regularly.
| |
