Happy Thanksgiving!I hope your week is winding down and you're close to gathering with family and friends. We're looking forward to doing the same. This Sunday, we'll be beginning a new series called "That Awkward Moment" as we take a unique look into the lives of the characters of the Christmas Story. Christmas is a great time to invite friends. You can send someone an e-Card here. On Sunday, we made a huge and historic announcement. Church of the Way has merged with Harmony Grove United Methodist Church in Auburn to form two strong campuses, giving us our first permanent home in Auburn and taking another step toward a permanent home in Gwinnett. Beginning March 1, our morning worship will move to our new permanent home at the Harmony Grove Church of the Way (1385 Harmony Grove Church Rd., Auburn, GA 30011) with 9:45 a.m. Modern Worship & 11:00 a.m. Traditions Worship. Our Gwinnett Church of the Way will meet on Sundays at 5:30 p.m. at the SE Gwinnett Co-Op. This move is another step in the journey to be the church God has called us to be. Archer High School has been so gracious to host us for nearly five years, and we're excited to still reach out to the Archer Community through One Way on Wednesday nights and connecting in the community, but we're elated to have a permanent place to be a mission outpost for ministry. We're excited about new friends at Harmony Grove and partnering to increase our borders to reach more people. God has given us a great gift, and the best days are ahead! This will also free us up to truly find the best permanent location for a Gwinnett Campus. I hope you'll be in prayer about the days ahead. We've got an exciting season before us!Thought for the Week"Abundant peace belongs to those who love your instruction; nothing makes this stumble." Psalm 119:165On the eve of Thanksgiving, it's my tradition to make a list of things for which I'm thankful. With the events in Ferguson, MO, it seems more striking this years. I don't understand why we hurt each other. I don't understand injustice. I don't understand fear of one another. I don't understand why we have such a hard time understanding people different from us...or why we don't want to. There is a lot of ugliness happening in the midst of this mess, but I want to cling to God of peace. All I can do is my part. All I can do is love His instruction and embrace the peace that comes with it. I'm thankful for that this season. I am thankful for...
- The blood of Jesus that covers over all my sins.
- The new life I have in Christ...daily.
- A wife who loves me more than I deserve.
- Four healthy children who love the Church and Christ's mission.
- The diversity in our community and church.
- Leading a risk-taking and missional church.
- Pastoring a church that is truly open to ALL people.
- Mentors.
- Friends.
- The people who have allowed me to mentor them.
- Music. I love music.
- More food in my fridge and pantry than I can eat.
- A house that suits our family.
- Cars that run.
- Getting to do many of the hobbies I enjoy.
- My health.
- Good books.
- The new friends I've already made at Harmony Grove.
- The United Methodist Church allowing me to serve in ministry.
- Fried Turkey, dressing and my mama's pumpkin pie.
- My wife's mac'n'cheese.
- Football.
We all have much to be thankful for. May our nation find peace in the turmoil and in our hearts this Thanksgiving.With Thanks,Carter
I hope you are settling into Fall and having a great week. It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I'm excited about sharing about "Living Generously" again this Sunday as we continue to learn from God how to live life with open hands. In this season of counting our blessings, the natural response is generosity. Truly, gratefulness breeds generosity. Can't wait to see you Sunday!
Also, our Christmas series called "That Awkward Moment" will begin Sunday, Nov. 30. I can't wait to dive into some Christmas stories from a brand new angle this Holiday Season. Mark your Calendars!
Thought for the Week
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9
I don't know what I don't know. I keep thinking that. The farther along I get in my walk with Christ, the more I feel like I know. There was a time I was certain about a lot of things, and my certainty has waned. There was a time I could always come up with an answer; now I've figured out that there is a lot that is unanswerable. I don't know a lot. There's even more that I don't know that I don't know. Did you follow that? We get obsessed with certainty. We want to carefully plan our lives. And we want to understand everything that happens. We want to just have God all figured out. I thinking I've figured out that I don't have God figured out. What I do have figured out what He has revealed to us in Jesus and His Word, the Bible. I've figured out that God loves us so much he sent His Son to die for us. I've figured out that He wants His spirit to live in me and guide me. I've figured out that 'spirit living in me' deal is kind of muddy and messy. I screw up a lot. And there are times I don't even know I'm messing it all up. I don't know why some of my prayers are answered and others aren't. I don't know why good things happen to people that are seemingly bad and seemingly bad things happen to good people. I don't know why one person seems to catch all the breaks and another doesn't catch any. I don't usually know why God puts me in the situations He puts me in. I just don't know a lot...because his ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts. And I don't always get it. What I'm learning is that it's not what I know. It's who I know and by whom I am know. I am my beloved's and He is mine. That's enough to know to walk through all I don't.
In Christ,
Carter
I hope you're having an awesome week. I missed being with you on Sunday and I'm looking forward to diving back into where James left off with "Living Generously." This week we're going to see how God calls us out of our comfort zones to be generous with our lives. God challenges us and calls us to new directions. I can't wait to see you there!Thought for the Week"'Please don't kill my son,' the baby's mother screamed. 'Your Majesty, I love him very much but give him to her. Just don't kill him.'" 1 Kings 3:26Have you ever read this story about Solomon's wisdom? It's nuts, but it's powerful story. Two mothers of newborns come to Solomon with a dispute. They are both claiming to be the mother of a baby. One mother had accidentally rolled over on her baby and killed it. Now, she was trying to steal this other lady's baby. Of course, this is before DNA test or anything. How do you know who the baby belongs to? Solomon says they should cut the baby in half and brings a sword out. That way, both of them can have a part of the baby. Of course, this solution will not end well. One one woman agrees, but the other woman answers with the line above. Solomon knows, at that point, who the true mother is and gives the baby to her. The true mother would do anything to spare her child, even give the baby up. Solomon creates tension and stress to reveal the truth. Have you ever noticed how tension and stress reveal our true character? When we are under pressure or stress, often our true colors show. Are we callous, angry, selfish, or self-centered? Are we faithful? Do we hit our knees in prayer? Do we look to God? Do we turn inward or do what's best for others? Do we have integrity or try to hide our shortcomings? Do we do what's right or what's easiest? What tension are you feeling now in life? What is it revealing about your character? The best news is that God wants to continue shaping our character to look more like His so that when the chips are down, when the pressure is on, when the air tenses up...we respond with God's character.Be blessed and be a blessing!Carter
