From the Pastor s Desk Boas ng in Weakness

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Darrell Lang
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1 The Covenant Corner Winthrop Evangelical Covenant Church Inside this issue: Funnies 3,4 What s Happening? 5 Care Connection 6 Tenth Avenue North in Concert at Crossview The 7 Billion Rule Ma Henderson Completes Eagle Scout Project From the Pastor s Desk Boas ng in Weakness Here s a little factoid you can use at your next party: apparently, the longest English word that uses only one vowel is Strengthlessness. As in, the quality of having little or no strength. As in, My body s strengthlessness was evident after running a marathon. More than a little factoid, though, strengthlessness is actually am important Christian word. In fact, I have been very fascinated with the interplay between strength and weakness as it relates to the Christian life. After all, we know that it is only through Christ s work (and not our own) by which we have been saved. This is why Paul writes, But [the Lord] said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ s power may rest on me. (2 Cor. 12:9). Paul contends that it is exactly in our strengthlessness that we see God s working all the more clearly. It is also a recognition that as amazing as we are we are still unable to work our October 5th 2014 way toward God. And no matter how talented, we are still humbled when we consider ourselves next to the One who has created all things. We live in a world, though, that rewards the powerful and productive. We want people (or expect people) to be productive members of society and because of this we look down on those who can t keep up with the rest of us. This is also why we feel very small when we are in the presence of someone who seems to be able to do everything better than us. The simple truth is that we equate ability with worth. Those with fewer talents/skills/intelligence are seen as less worthy. This kind of context doesn t exactly lend itself to boasting in one s weaknesses. But, of course, as Christians we live within a different context. Within God s Kingdom, our perceptions of worth and strength are challenged. Later on in his letter, Paul reminds them that Jesus was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God s power we will live ( Pastor continued on page 3)

Of course, by then there would be even more people, so you d have to start over. And your arm would be sore. That s an enormously huge number of people. Nearly inconceivable, you might say.

2 The 7 Billion Rule Page 2 By Dave Barnhart, from ministryma ers.com There a [sic] seven billion people, give or take, alive on the planet. If you could give every single one of them a one second handshake, it would take you 221 years without rest, give or take. Of course, by then there would be even more people, so you d have to start over. And your arm would be sore. That s an enormously huge number of people. Nearly inconceivable, you might say. Just keep that concept in your mind and add this one. Imagine a standard bell curve of seven billion people. Let s just pretend this bell curve can represent any measurable quality of people that we want it to: intelligence, morality, athletic ability, education, religiosity, etc. I know that the reality is different, and that the curve may not even be bell shaped, but just stick with me for a minute. The vast majority of those seven billion people, let s even say 90% of them, are going to fall into the middle of this curve. In all of their diversity, these people are going to be able to pass for normal in whatever context they happen to be. This percentage could be higher or lower it doesn t really matter. I just want to point out that 90% of seven billion is still six billion threehundred million (6,300,000,000). That s still a lot of people. Now it would only take you 200 years to shake everyone s hand. Let s imagine the very ends of the bell curve each represent 5% of the entire population of the planet. Both ends together are still sevenhundred million people (700,000,000), or more than twice the population of the United States (317,000,000). Now we re down to a nearly manageable number. If you only shook the hands of five percent of seven billion people (three hundred fifty million), one each second, it would take you only eleven years (without sleeping or bathroom breaks.) What this means is that if 5% of the entire world s population is abnormally mean, or stupid, or deranged, that population is larger than the entire United States. Even if we want to be charitable and say that only 1% of the world s population is horrible in some way, we re still talking about seventy million people, somewhere around the population of the U.K. or Turkey. (No offense to the people in either of these countries). The reason I ve asked you to perform this thought experiment is that whenever you turn on the news or see something viral on the Internet, you need to remember that simply because the world is a big place, at any given moment, there are at the very least seventy million people in the world doing something that, in your opinion, is monstrous crazy immoral dangerous (Continued on page 3)

3 stupid cruel You can, at this very moment, turn to the news or the Internet to find examples of someone doing something awful. Maybe someone was arrested for juggling babies and chainsaws, or someone married his horse, or someone kidnapped someone else and tortured them, or someone started a war, or someone pays strangers to eat their boogers. It doesn t matter. If you want to find evidence of the collapse of civilization and the end of the world, if you want to find support for your dismal view of humanity, it s only a click away. But This is just a thought experiment, and the fact is that the bell curve and the math above is probably baloney. Because most of us are a strange mixture sinner and saint, villain and hero. Five percent of the time, I m not at my best, and five percent of the time, I m awesome. And if the bell curve is true, it means that at any given time in the world, there are at the very least seventy million people who are creating art inventing new technologies helping people in distress eradicating disease teaching others making the world better sharing the gospel You can, at this very moment, turn to the news (maybe) or the Internet to find examples of someone doing something awesome. Someone was arrested for protesting an injustice, or someone found true love, or someone liberated someone else from captivity, or someone brokered a peace, or someone makes gourmet dinners for hungry strangers. It doesn t matter. If you want to find evidence of the Kingdom of God and end of the world s darkness, if you want to find support for your view of the grace and beauty showered upon humanity, it s only a click away. The choice of how you see the world is entirely up to you. ( Pastor continued from page 1) with him to serve you (2 Cor. 13:4). In one context, we are all trying to prop ourselves up over one another (a tiring proposition, to be sure). In another context, we recognize who we are in Christ and rely upon His strength in order to serve and prop others up. One context is a constant uphill battle, while the other is quite freeing. What a joy it is to follow a God who gives new meaning to our lives! Tenth Avenue North in Concert With Phil Wickham, as part of their From Islands to Cathedrals Tour. WHEN: Friday, October 24th, 7pm WHERE: Crossview Covenant Church in Mankato 2000 Howard Drive W North Mankato, MN TICKETS: $20 General Admission/ $30 Deluxe For more info, see the Denominational Doings bulletin board or call (507) Page 3

4 Parents as Spiritual Mentors to Be Hosted by Winthrop Covenant Winthrop Covenant Church will be hosting a parenting seminar next month entitled Parents as Spiritual Mentors. The seminar will be taught by Steve Burger, who will seek to answer the questions Is it possible to draw on the strength of God and find peace? Can I truly know God? Talk to God? Hear God? Lay my burdens on God? Can I have a personal loving relationship with God? Can my children? This gathering is designed to equip parents in helping their children mature spiritually and bring families closer to God. Steve has served as the Director of Christian Formation for adults, children and family ministry for the Evangelical Covenant Church for the past 15 years. He will lead the group in exploring their relationship with God as individual families. Seminar Info DATE: October 18, 2014 TIME: 2 5pm PLACE: Winthrop Covenant Church 107 W. 3rd St, Winthrop FACILITATED BY: Steve Burger FREE of charge Please RSVP by October 11th, by visi ng our website at or signing up on the church info table. Ma Henderson Built New Ticket Booths for GFW Winthrop Covenant senior higher Matt Henderson recently completed his Eagle Scout project by constructing two new ticket booths for the GFW high school football field. He raised the money for his project from donors, and worked with a construction company to build the booths, which he estimates took him about 145 hours to complete. Page 4 Henderson has enjoyed being involved in Boy Scouts and is happy that he could contribute to the community in this way. More info about this story can be found in the Sept. 10th issue of the Winthrop News.

5 What s Happening Church and Local Events Weekly Open Events: Wednesdays Prayer Coffee, 9am at Eunice Sahlberg s home. AWANA, 6pm Thursdays Women s Bible Study, 9:30 11:00am in church library Men s Bible Study, 6:30pm at Chuck Peik s home. (Arrive at 6pm on 10/9 for brats on the grill!) Sundays Worship 9:30am Sunday School 10:45am Need to access the calendar on your mobile device? Scan this NEW code or visit the link below. Church Calendar*: October 5th: Blood Pressure Screening; Communion; AVA Sunday October 7th: Women s Ministry Meeting, 7pm October 10th: MOPS, 6pm October 14th: Leadership Team Meeting, 7pm October 15th: Youth Group Meeting, 7:30pm, NO AWANA October 18th: Clothes Closet, 9am; Food Cupboard, 10am Parenting Seminar, 2pm (see pg 4) October 22nd: Prayer Shawl Ministry at the Ruffs, 6pm October 29th: Youth Group Meeting, 7:30pm SAVE THE DATE! Thanksgiving Smorgasbord, Sun. Nov 16th. Around Town: October 4th: Fall Bazzar and Bake Sale at Augustana Lutheran Church in Gibbon, 9am 1pm. Coffee and rolls will be served before 10:30, lunch from A raffle and silent auction will be held. More info on the bulletin board. October 4th: Stomp Out Hunger with Winthrop Royalty on the high school football field from 6 9pm. Refreshments will be sold, craft vendor booths will be out, and donations will be taken all to support the Sibley County Food Shelf. October 2nd: David Crowder in concert at Northwestern University, 7pm. October 5th: Hymn Sing at Bethel University in St. Paul, 3pm, free. October 10th 12th: Rachel s Vineyard Weekend Retreat, for those suffering from a past abortion decision. For more info call (715) October 11th: Jeremy Camp and Kutless in concert at Northwestern University, 7pm. October 28th: Northwestern University; Lessons for Leaders Luncheon Featuring Author/Speaker Jason Jaggard. For tickets go to unwtickets.com or call (651) December 13th: Amy Grant & Michael W Smith Christmas Concert, 7pm at the Target Center in Mpls. Tickets are available from the Target Center, (612) * The church calendar can also be viewed and downloaded on our website, under Events. Page 5

6 Care Connection Member to member announcements Services Available Items Available The Life Work Planning Center offers career and life planning services for women. They offer a series of personal growth and career development workshops in the New Ulm: one on Tuesdays at the License Bureau from 10am noon, and one on Thursdays at Christ the King Lutheran Church rom 6pm to 8pm. See the church bulletin board for info on workshops in other cities around the area The Life Work Planning Center also hosts a Job Search Support Group in Mankato on October 21st and November 20th, from 1 to 3pm, and a Networking Event on Sept. 23rd from 5 7pm. Both of these events will be held at their Mankato office at 201 N Broad S, Ste A Spouse Loss Support Group will be meeting for 6 weeks in the New Ulm Medical Center board room (on the hospital side). Meetings will be held every Tuesday from Sept. 30th to Nov. 4th from 4:30 to 6pm. There is no charge for these meetings, but space is limited so please call to RSVP. Contact Katie Menne at Dona ons Needed Three beds are needed for a family in our community who had to leave their home recently due to mold. All of their other needs have so far been met; thank you to those who have helped out so far! Please contact Mary Jo Boehning if you can provide a bed. Clothes Closet. The Winthrop Covenant Clothes Closet will be open Saturday, July 19th from 9am noon. The Clothes Closet offers gently used clothing for all ages and sizes, as well as some household items, for free. Ministry Opportuni es Tutors and mentors needed for all ages in the local school districts. For more information, please contact Bix Baker. SUBMIT YOUR NEWS! Next deadline: 10/13 Have some news or an announcement to share? We d love to hear it! Please submit all newsletter ideas or care connection announcements to the church office in writing, or us: wincov@means.net. Winthrop Evangelical Covenant Church 107 W. 3rd St. Winthrop, MN wincov@means.net

From the Pastor s Desk Christmas Reflec ons

From the Pastor s Desk Christmas Reflec ons The Covenant Corner Winthrop Evangelical Covenant Church Inside this issue: Spotlight on Visitation Ministry Funnies 6 What s Happening? 7 Care Connection 8 Must Have Mobile Apps for Chris ans 4 Important