Milton House Church Update

It seems that the Milton House group has sputtered to a quiet demise. Jeff & Erica made their change in plans clear in the spring. The rest of us talked with enthusiasm about Friday night pizza and discussing Scripture over the summer, and even set the dates for those and a few Communion Feasts, and never really got off the ground. Communication and connecting has been almost non-existent for several months between most of us. It seems many are moving other directions and only a few have even checked in to find out what’s next. We understand. Life has it’s stages and groups like ours ebb and flow in response.

So, we will no longer be hosting the Milton House group. We have decided to participate in a new Bible study with small group focus launching at our neighborhood church, starting this September. Three others are also planning to participate.

The invitation is open to any and all of you to participate, if something like this sounds like a good option for you to grow and connect in authentic faith with small group accountability. I think there will be childcare. If you are looking for more grounding and growth in your spiritual life, I encourage you to give this a try for a month and see how it fits for you. If not, I encourage you to be intentional about finding something else to keep you centered in God’s truth.

“Personalities united can contain more of God and sustain the force of his greater presence better than scattered individuals.” Dallas Willard

We will continue to trust God to work through the Holy Spirit in all of our lives, and see what His next steps are for each of us. We enjoyed providing a home and opening our hearts for the group for the past five and a half years. Again, we encourage each of you to be intentional and pursue your good next steps in the faith walk. Please keep in touch.

May our friendships continue with a new look this fall. We look forward to seeing each other from time to time and staying connected perhaps through spontaneous get-togethers, too.

Signing off...with love and respect,

Cindi and Glen
Former Milton House Hosts

Wednesday Gathering - June 25, 2008

We are challenged to eat heart healthy food. Well, this was a heart health discussion. We discussed the following questions at the gathering this week, and the consensus answers are inserted:

The Externals...Format...The What:

1. Do we want to meet over the summer? Yes.
2. How often? Twice a month, plus Communion Feast.
3. Do we want to give Friday nights a try? Yes.

• Rotate homes.
• Host orders pizza and provides beverages
• Volunteers can bring a salad or dessert
• We will have time to visit and share and catch-up as well as dig into Scripture together.

The Internals--The Why...Your Life in Connection (so we can figure out the "How" next time)

1. What do you need from a small group? Why participate? If it was disbanded tonight, what would you miss?
2. Are you different today than you were a year ago? What happened to create that change? Did this group impact that change? How? Do you need to take care of yourself in another way?

Some comments:

• I prefer the group stay small for emotional safety
• I want to become stronger in faith and in knowledge of God's word, learn gifts and personal purpose.
• I enjoy reading passages and discussing as group
• I benefit from reflecting on what was said during my week
  
• I watch the lives of others and am spurred on to live life differently...iron sharpening iron
• This group provides a sense of family
• I spiritually gain from being together
• I am challenged to live a life of faith outside the gatherings
• I have noticed that times of true growth have happened in small groups throughout my life and it is essential for me in my faith walk
• Connecting with others is tough to do without a small group community

Questions for the Next Time We Meet...The How

1. How should we focus on growing in wisdom and knowledge of God?
2. How/who will lead and share responsibility?

A variety of options:

• Study a topic?
• Study a book?
• Study passages of Scripture?
• Chew further & apply the passage used in the WACC weekend series?
  
• Discuss life in light of following Christ day-to-day?
• Share in prayer?
• Include social times -- formal or informal (watch a movie, go to a game, celebrate graduations, go to Sunday lunch together)
• What action steps to take in serving one another and the community?
• How do we get to know one another better?
  

God's Continued Faithfulness

A Psalm from Rene:
[Regarding both kids being gone to college in the fall] I am listening to my daughter's music and looking at my son's picture and I am filled with love and a peace I cannot express...........there are tears but they are happy tears..............the Lord has truly placed on my heart and mind that He has a plan for my children and I am so very proud of both of them..............they have the foundation, they have the heart and they have the knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior..............thank you all for continued prayers during this season of letting go and letting God.

From the Heart of Tabeth:
[Regarding her recent surgery] Something was happening in me and around me. I know my walking hastened my recovery. But something even more powerful was happening to heal me. I believe God was at work here letting His love flow through people in the form of kindness. It was everywhere! Kindness is a very powerful healing tool. And also another powerful force at work were the prayers you all sent. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have to say that my experience was more spiritual than it was medical...I’m a bit tired so I won’t be coming to church tonight. Again, I want to thank you so much for your positive thoughts and prayers.

This Week's Meeting

Coming this Saturday night, June 14th @ 6:30 at the Petersons’ (co-host Tabeth Gomez)
COMMUNION FEAST

Bring a jacket or something. We may be eating and hanging out in the back yard, and it will get cool in the evening.

Changes in Milton House
Jeff & Erica will be leaving the group later this summer to investigate and pursue God’s direction in their lives in response to Jeff’s passion, vision, and preparation to be in leadership in a more structured house church. They will go with our blessing, and we will lovingly hold them accountable to find what is next in God’s plan for their gifts and desires. We will have a blessing dinner to honor them and bless them as they go.

Others present on Wednesday threw around some ideas for the future together. There was some strong interest in switching our gathering night to Friday nights — meeting for pizza, conversation, and Bible study at different homes on a rotating basis. We will continue to discuss the details of this idea and may give it a try to see if it is a good fit for now.

Word on the street has it that Rene is planning to be baptized in August at at time when both her family and our group can share in the event. She has talked to Jeff about baptizing her in the Anderson or Diaz pool. No date has been set. She may request that the group jump in to the pool immediately following her immersion as a symbol of support (and celebration). There will be a celebration dinner party following the event, as she publicly shows her desire to follow Christ in obeying His invitation to be baptized. If anyone else would like to be baptized at this event as well, please talk to Jeff, Cindi, Glen, or Rene. The more the merrier!

Time to Pray

• Jeff will be venturing out on a faith journey June 16-June 30 (or up to July 2nd) with a student, Justin, without much of a plan and without much in resources to trust God in grand ways to guide and provide. Remember to pray for them daily and we will send updates as we get information from Erica.
• Tabeth is having surgery on Tuesday, June 17th. Please pray for her and the doctors and medical staff during this time and her recovery. We will send out updates. Pray for Tashi and Isaiah during this time, too, that they do just fine while their mom is gone and during her recovery.
• Jeff & Erica: for them to know the right time to separate from the group formally and for them to have wisdom and opportunity to connect to God’s next plan for community.
  

NO GATHERING ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18TH

NEXT GATHERING: Wednesday, June 25th @ The Petersons

Voice of the Day: Frederick Buechner

This from Sojourners on Wednesday, June 11:

Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back--in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.

- Frederick Buechner
Wishful Thinking: A Seeker's ABC

Wednesday Gathering: May 28, 2008

Tonight, we gathered to talk about James 4:13-17 (Warning about Self Confidence) and we read through James 5:1-6 in preparation/warm-up for the next gathering on June 11th.

At the end of the night, we also talked further about the group: how to build relationships so we feel safe enough with one another to challenge each other in following Christ in response to what we learn in Scripture, and possible changes to the format of the group. We each change and so that does lead the group to adapt. People are sharing openly. We’ll see how God guides our group in the days to come and the conversation will continue. Please continue to pray for one another and this process.

We are off next week, June 4th — the first week of the month.

Next Communion Feast is scheduled for Saturday, June 14th, 6:30pm at the Petersons. Details to follow.

Have a good week, everyone. “If the Lord wants us to, we will do this or that.” James 4:15 (NLT) Be a good “mist.” :-) (James 4:14 (NIV)

Think About These Things

This is the information from the signature of house church e-mails. Are these true for our group? How are we doing, then?

We are committed...

• To participate consistently in gatherings and friendship, as we learn to care for one another, grow together through the joys and struggles, and extend grace.
• To dig in God's Word in conversation together and live differently in response; tough questions and honest sharing are welcome, encouraged, and kept confidential.
• To move forward in serving, identifying opportunities for giving, for sharing resources, and for taking action.
• To celebrate the goodness of God in times of shared life in communion, fellowship, and gatherings.

Sharing in God’s story of reconciliation, community, and blessing...
Looking for our story in God’s story
Walking in honesty together on our journey.

*Mobile: able to move quickly, freely or easily in response to needs
*Exegetical: relating to the study and interpretation of Scripture

“Personalities united can contain more of God and sustain the force of his greater presence better than scattered individuals.” Dallas Willard