Seasons

In my prayer time this morning I was reflecting on how God leads us through seasons of life. From childhood to teens to young adult years. For some there will be a season of early married life, for others life as a single adult. There will be seasons invested in discovering our calling and building our careers. For some, there will be child-rearing. They will be seasons of blessing and there will be seasons of struggle. But through it all, God is with us.

Sometimes I find myself reflecting on earlier seasons of life. This Saturday would have been Nicole's birthday. Special days have this way of reminding us of the past seasons. And there is always a part of us the longs for what was and laments its passing. But I believe every season is a gift from God. And so I try to be thankful for the seasons that are past and embrace the new season that is to come.

Even as a church we go through seasons. Seasons of busyness and seasons of rest. Seasons of blessing and seasons of struggle. Sometimes people move on and then God brings new people into our community. Some ministries end and new ministries emerge. And while our human tendency is to lament change, I would encourage us to be thankful for what was and to joyfully embrace what is to come. I believe that as wonderful as some of our past seasons have been, God has even greater things in store for us in the future. The best is yet to come.

I don't know what season you are going through. You may be in one of those times of having to let go of something of the past in order to embrace the future God has for you. To be honest, that is where I am in my own life. And I believe that is where we are as a church. We are entering a new season of life and ministry. In my personal life, I'm finding myself both grateful for the past and excited for the future. And for our church, I feel the same way. I'm grateful for the seasons of ministry we have enjoyed in the past and I am excited about what God is preparing for our future.

We don't always get to choose the changes that come in our lives. But we can choose how we respond to them. We can live with closed hands, desperately trying to hold on to the past. Or we can live with open hands, prepare to receive with joy whatever God has for us in the next season. I would encourage the latter.

Have a blessed day and I look forward to us being together this Sunday as we wrap up our relationship series “This Is Us.”

Love you all.

P. Steve

Inside

I was re-reading the Book of Revelation recently to prepare for a session of the Bible 101 class. In chapters 2 and 3 there are seven letters written to seven churches. The letters are a combination of encouragement and admonition. To the Church of Sardis God gave this message, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.” I'm sure those were hard words to hear, but God was saying something important to them, and ultimately to us. This was a church that looked vibrant and alive on the outside, but on the inside was not.

We are living in a time when it is very easy to put on a façade. Particularly with social media, we can easily give an outward appearance of spiritual vitality but inwardly our heart is not there. I think in this letter to Sardis, John is cautioning us against a faith that is only outward. And he is reminding us that God sees and knows the true state of our heart. Human beings see what is on the outside, but God sees what is inside.

And so I think the application for us is to not worry so much about what people see, but to give considerable attention to what God sees. I think it is okay that the world sees our imperfect faith, believers in Christ who do not always get it right. In fact, I think that is helpful. It allows our unchurch friends to see that we don't have to have it all together in order to be a follower of Christ. Our outward impression doesn't have to be perfect. But what really matters is what is happening on the inside. What matters is that God sees a sincere heart that is truly seeking him, a heart that loves him even in our imperfections. We all want to be good witnesses. But faith is not façade. It is the true state of our hearts. It is who we are on the inside. Ultimately, I would encourage us to live our lives for audience of one.

Before I sign off I want to remind us of a couple things. For any who are not yet members of Rock Church, there will be a membership class this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. It will be hybrid (in-person and online.) You are welcome to attend in person at my house (next door to Rock Church Plaistow) or on Zoom. To sign up for either, please email Lynette. Also, on June 5th will be offering an opportunity for baptism. Baptisms will be celebrated as a part of worship at our Plaistow location. If you would like more information, please see your newsletter and contact Lynette

I pray you have a blessed week. I can't wait to be back together to continue our relationship series “This is Us” this Sunday. I love you all.

Pastor Steve

Membership

Have you ever been a member of some group, organization or club? In my teen years I was a member of the Columbia House Record Club. I got 11 records for a dollar! It was awesome (at first.) I've been a member of various sports teams over the years. And in my junior year in high school I was inducted as a member of the National Honor Society. I'm sure if I gave it a little thought, there are many other things that I have been a member of over the years.

But the one membership that had the greatest meaning to me was when I became a member of my local church. As a child and teen I was actively engage in the Tilton-Northfield United Methodist Church. Somewhere around age 13 I became a member of my church. I've always considered membership in the church to be a big deal. But recently someone asked me about it. And I had to stop and really consider why that matters. What is the purpose of membership in a church? Why would we do it?

Back in the 1990s American Express had a slogan that they used in all of their ads “Membership has its privileges.” And that is often the way we think about membership. But is that why membership in the church matters? For the perks? Does being a member mean we suddenly get free coffee on Sundays, preferential parking or a better seat at worship? Not really. Membership in a Christian Church is a little bit different from other organizations. It is less about privilege and more about commitment. It is an intentional decision to outwardly declare “this is my church home, my church family.”

When we choose to become a member of a church several things happen. First we make a public profession of faith. We stand up before our church family and declare openly that we have chosen to be a follower of Jesus and we are committing our hearts, and our lives, to him. Also, in membership we are declaring our connection. Having professed our faith, we are now saying that we desire to live out that faith as a part of this church family. It is to belong.

Finally, membership is a statement of commitment. When we accept membership in a church we are professing our desire, and intention, to engage ourselves in the work of the church. To be a member of a church is to say that we will invest our time, talents, abilities and resources in the ministry of that church. It is, in essence, a public declaration that I believe in the mission of the church and I want to serve as a part of it.

On Sunday May 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. we will have a membership class where we will talk about what it means to be a member of Rock Church. The class will be “hybrid,” allowing people to attend in person (at my house in Plaistow) or on Zoom. If you would be interested in learning more about membership at Rock Church, you can sign up to be a part of the class by emailing Lynette at Lynette@rock-church.org.

Have a blessed week. I look forward to us all being together on Sunday as we continue this great new series on relationships “This is Us.”

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

Praising God outloud

Do you ever have days when you feel like you just have to praise God out loud? Sometimes I just want to shout from the rooftops how good God is. Some of you may have heard that on Saturday I had a stroke. Even as I put those words from pen to paper it is a little hard to believe. For the most part I am a healthy person. I take reasonably good care of myself. I am rarely sick. But apparently I have a PFO. A tiny hole in my heart that makes it possible for a blood clot to make its way through and affect my brain. The stroke impacted the vision in my left eye and diminished strength and function in my left arm and leg.

Praise God! We recently celebrated 6 baptisms at our North Shore Campus!

And yet, a day later God had already brought significant restoration. And yesterday as I went out to put something in the mailbox, I caught myself jogging to the street and taking the steps two at a time coming back into the house. As nearly as I can tell, I am 100% healed from the deficit of the stroke. Looking back on the whole experience I am extremely aware that this could have gone a completely different direction. I know that not every sickness ends in God's miraculous healing. And I honestly don't know why God has chosen to bless me in such a way. But I am grateful! And I just want to give praise to God today for His power, help and healing in my life.

Experiences like this also remind us that life on this earth his brief. And every day is a gift. So, for myself, and I pray for all of us, I want to live out this gift of life to its fullest. I don't want to miss a single opportunity to serve God, to bless others and to share his love. Every new day is an opportunity to use whatever God has given us to do his work and advance his kingdom.

Life is not always easy. There have been struggles and setbacks. There has been hardship and, at times, loss. But in the midst of it all, God is good. And today I praise God for all that He has done, and all He is doing, in my life. And I would encourage all of us see where God is at work in our lives, and give him praise!

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

Another Language

I've always wanted to learn to speak Spanish. Recently a friend who speaks fluent English and Spanish offered to work with me. Most of the time we take it slow and easy, just a word or brief phrase at a time. But occasionally he will rattle off two or three sentences at a normal conversational speed. Almost immediately I am lost. Even if there are some words in sentence that I've heard before, I still don't really understand.

I think sometimes when we are trying to share our faith with a non-believer it can feel like we are speaking a foreign language. Within Christianity we have words, phrases and concepts that those outside of the faith simply do not understand. Words like repentance, salvation, grace and redemption makes sense to many who have grown up speaking the language of faith. But they often sound like another language to those outside the faith.

And yet the Good News of Christ is shared primarily through words. So how can we do that in a way that makes sense to those who have not grown up speaking our language? After all, if we are going to share, we want it to be understandable and effective. I think there are a few things we can do to help us speak their language and communicate the gospel in a way that makes sense.

First, take it slow. Even with my very limited understanding of Spanish, if the person speaks slowly, and clearly, I can understand some of it. Similarly, when we are trying to share the gospel with someone who does not yet know Jesus, don't rush the process too much. Take the time to build a relationship on a foundation of trust. Then share the good news of Christ in amounts they are able to absorb and process. There is no set formula. You just have to get to know the person well enough to have a sense of this.

Use language they understand. It is possible to share the gospel in words that make sense to someone who does not have a theological degree. Use everyday language and try to avoid the kind of church vocabulary that really only connects to longtime believers. Another good approach is to tell personal stories. One of the most compelling ways to share Christ is to simply share how God has been at work in your life. Share how your faith has made a difference, how knowing Jesus has brought you through challenges or struggles.

People are often more receptive to the good news than we realize. But to communicate the gospel effectively we have to speak their language. Be bold. Share your faith. But try to do it in a way that others can understand, connect to and apply to their own life.

Have a blessed week.

     Love you all,

Pastor Steve

Another language

I've always wanted to learn to speak Spanish. Recently a friend who speaks fluent English and Spanish offered to work with me. Most of the time we take it slow and easy, just a word or brief phrase at a time. But occasionally he will rattle off two or three sentences at a normal conversational speed. Almost immediately I am lost. Even if there are some words in sentence that I've heard before, I still don't really understand.

I think sometimes when we are trying to share our faith with a non-believer it can feel like we are speaking a foreign language. Within Christianity we have words, phrases and concepts that those outside of the faith simply do not understand. Words like repentance, salvation, grace and redemption makes sense to many who have grown up speaking the language of faith. But they often sound like another language to those outside the faith.

And yet the Good News of Christ is shared primarily through words. So how can we do that in a way that makes sense to those who have not grown up speaking our language? After all, if we are going to share, we want it to be understandable and effective. I think there are a few things we can do to help us speak their language and communicate the gospel in a way that makes sense.

First, take it slow. Even with my very limited understanding of Spanish, if the person speaks slowly, and clearly, I can understand some of it. Similarly, when we are trying to share the gospel with someone who does not yet know Jesus, don't rush the process too much. Take the time to build a relationship on a foundation of trust. Then share the good news of Christ in amounts they are able to absorb and process. There is no set formula. You just have to get to know the person well enough to have a sense of this.

Use language they understand. It is possible to share the gospel in words that make sense to someone who does not have a theological degree. Use everyday language and try to avoid the kind of church vocabulary that really only connects to longtime believers. Another good approach is to tell personal stories. One of the most compelling ways to share Christ is to simply share how God has been at work in your life. Share how your faith has made a difference, how knowing Jesus has brought you through challenges or struggles.

People are often more receptive to the good news than we realize. But to communicate the gospel effectively we have to speak their language. Be bold. Share your faith. But try to do it in a way that others can understand, connect to and apply to their own life.

Have a blessed week.

     Love you all,

Pastor Steve

The Right Start

We are just coming off our 40-day journey. Throughout the season of Lent we set aside special time pour into our own spiritual growth. Hundreds of you chose to participate in the daily email devotions, first five video teachings, scripture reading plans, fasting, prayer services and other opportunities for spiritual growth. All of this got me thinking about how we start our day. I've come to believe that how we start our day is of greater importance than we often realize. The right start can make all the difference in our attitude, productivity and sense of joy. The right start to a day can lay a foundation that a great life can be built upon.

There are lots of ways to start your day. For many, of course, the day begins with brushing our teeth and taking a shower (both of which I certainly encouraged.) But what happens after that can make all the difference. Some will then turn on the TV to see the weather and the latest news. Others will start by checking Facebook, Instagram Snapchat or Twitter. And then others will immediately open their phone and begin responding to emails and texts. But I would like to offer a different approach for consideration. Instead of turning on the phone, picking up a newspaper or firing off an email, what if we started our day with God.

I'm not saying we can't shower first and put on a pot of coffee. But imagine the difference it would make if the first thing you really engaged your heart and mind in every day was your walk with Christ. Can you imagine what a different start the day would have? Rather than the chaos of our emails and texts, we could have the peace of Christ. Rather than immerse our minds in the latest bad news, we could fill our minds with the good news of Jesus.

Personally, I'm an early riser. There was a time when every day I hit the ground running. I felt there was so much to be done I did not have the time to begin the day in prayer, scripture or some other devotional practice. But over time my perspective changed. Now I feel the very opposite. I couldn't imagine not starting my day focus on Christ, immersed in the presence of the Holy Spirit. What I've discovered is that when I get my day off to the right start, everything else goes better. So, if you are not doing this already, I would encourage you to give it a try. Set aside the first few moments of your day to pray, read your Bible or journal. Many begin with the First Five daily video devotion. If any of you would like to receive a daily email with the direct link for that day’s First 5, please email me and I will add you to the list.

Spending time with Jesus every morning gets our day off to the right start. It lays the foundation of peace, hope, love and joy that we can carry with us throughout the day. With that foundation of Christ in place, you are ready to face whatever the day may bring.

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

BTW, I know some of you have heard that Grace Duff, one of our Rock Church young adults will be part of an outreach team doing evangelistic mission work this summer at Yellowstone National Park. She is currently raising support for the work. If you would be interested in helping, you can donate at this link. https://give.cru.org/1146823

A Holy Week

When you hear the word holy, what comes to mind? Holy cow! Holy smoke! Or maybe it's not an exclamation, but an attitude, like holier-than-thou. Often when we use the word holy we think of it in terms of being self-righteous or morally superior. But holy does not actually mean righteous or moral. It actually means “set apart”, dedicated to, or consecrated for, God's purposes. So we talked about living a holy life, we certainly hope that it will be a life that is godly and morally upright. But what it really means is to live a life set apart for God. It is to live in such a way that we have dedicated ourselves fully to Him.

This week is Holy Week. A week cannot be morally superior or self-righteous. To say that this is a holy week is to say that it is a week set aside for, dedicated to, the things of God. This is a week when we are particularly mindful of our faith and of the sacrifice and saving work of Jesus. I have to say that from me, this has felt very much like a Holy Week. Having gone through this 40-day journey of Lent in order to prepare spiritually, this has really felt like a week set apart for the things of God. In the next few days, as we experienced Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and ultimately the celebration of Easter, that experience will only intensify.

On Thursday at 6:30 p.m. we will hold our Maundy Thursday service at our Sandown campus. Through this service we will remember, and experiencing anew, the events of Jesus final evening before his death. We will walk through the anointing of Jesus, the Passover meal, the garden, the betrayal, the arrest and the trial. We will celebrate communion as we remember the Last Supper. Then on Friday we will hold our Good Friday observance at 7 p.m. at our North Shore campus. In that service we will journey with Jesus down the Via Dolorosa, the way of suffering. We will remember the nails and the crown of thorns, the cross and the temple curtain.

These are not easy services as we remember the struggle and the suffering that Jesus faced on our behalf. But they are important. We cannot fully experience the joy of the resurrection without experiencing the struggle of the cross. So my hope for all of us is that this would truly be a holy week. A week that we set aside for God's purposes. A week focus on the sacrifice of Christ. I would encourage us this week to set aside a little extra time for prayer and the study of God's word. And if possible, I hope you will set aside one or both evenings of these special services so you can join us. And I pray that you are able to experience Christ in a more powerful way than ever this Holy Week as we draw near to a celebration of new life.

Have a blessed week! I look forward to us being together for our special services and on Easter morning.

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

Pulling and Drafting

I saw a group of cyclist out for a ride recently. I could tell by their bikes, their attire and their formation that they were avid riders. Suddenly I was brought back in my mind to an earlier season in my own life. Many of you won't remember this, but many years ago at church had a cycling group that went out every Saturday morning for a 25 to 30 mile bike ride. We call ourselves the “Holy Rollers.” (original, I know). We were pretty serious about it. Good bikes. Clipped in pedals. Bike computers to track our speed, distance, spin and calories. We even had custom shirts!

But one of the things I most remember about those group rides was pulling and drafting. If you have ever watched a group of cyclists go by, you've probably seen this. The riders pull into tight single-file formation. They pull in close enough that the front wheel of one cyclist is just a few inches from the rear wheel of the one head of them. By doing this, a draft effect is created that helps the cyclists to pull one another along, allowing them to go faster and further expending less energy. The rider at the front of the line is essentially pulling as all those in formation behind them who draft.

What really made this work is that from time to time the cyclists in the front would drop back in the formation as a new rider would take the point position to pull. Once we got good at it, it was a thing of beauty, each group member taking turns pulling and drafting. It often reminded me of the nature of Christian community as I believe God intended it. In life, there are times when we really need to draft. We need to be surrounded by others who will help to pull us along when we could really use a little support and assistance. Then there will be times in life when we can pull. There are those seasons when we are feeling strong and can help to pull others along. When we alternate our times of drafting and pulling it allows us all to get through life better. This, I believe, is why God gave us Christian community.

I've also been out, at times, cycling by myself. But to be honest, I did not enjoy it in the same way. I did not go as far and I certainly did not go as fast. And to be honest, I missed the fellowship of the other riders. It was a completely different experience to go out on my own. I think during Covid, for many of us it felt like cycling on our own. We missed that support and fellowship. So I, for one, I'm grateful that we are coming back together. I can feel community being restored in a way that allows us to support others and be supported, to draft and to pull. And I look forward to it continuing to grow stronger in the days ahead.

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

Men: Just a reminder that there is still time to register for the Iron Sharpens Iron one day regional Men’s Conference on Saturday April 30th. You can get all the details in the newsletter.

Who's your one?

I'm convinced that at any given moment every one of us knows at least one person who does not yet have a relationship with Jesus, but would be open to an invitation. With Easter right around the corner there literally could not be a better time to invite an unchurched friend or neighbor to join us for worship.

Historically, it has always been true that Easter is a great time to invite guests. There is an openness to the invitation that is more pronounced at Easter that almost any other time of year. But I believe this year, for several reasons, the potential impact is multiplied many times over. I believe this is true first because the rate of new Covid cases is at its lowest point in nearly two years. And from what I've seen people are more eager than ever to reconnect with family, friends and neighbors.

After two years of limited social contact, even isolation, many are starved for real, in person community. The Christian church is the very definition of loving community. Rock Church is a place where people from all walks of life can find love and acceptance. We work very hard to be a place of intentional welcome to people of every race, economic status and political persuasion. Following the separation brought about by Covid, people are more open than ever to an invitation to experience true community.

I believe this is also a time when many people are seeking spiritually. With so much stripped away during Covid, I believe people have begun to rethink the value and importance of worldly things. As a result, more and more people seem to be seeking spiritually, trying to find a deeper and more meaningful expression of life. The church provides a place for seekers to explore faith and rebuild their lives on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

I would like to ask all of us to think about “who is our one?” Who is that one person, that one family, within our circle of relationships that we could invite to join us for Easter worship? More than ever, people all around us are in need of the joy and hope that is only found in Christ. We have this opportunity to share that hope and joy this Easter with a simple invitation.

So who is your one? I would encourage us to begin praying for that person immediately and then to take the bold step to invite them to join us for worship. Invite them to come and experience the blessing of Christian community and the hope of the Gospel.

I look forward to us all being together this weekend as we continue our exploration of what it really means to be like Jesus.

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

midway

Tomorrow is day 20 of our 40-day Journey. It is hard to believe that we are already midway through the spiritual experience. How's it going? I hope and pray that you're using this 40-day journey as an opportunity to go deeper in your faith and closer to Christ. Whether it is spending a little extra time in prayer, journaling, engaging the daily emails, First 5 videos, fasting, prayer service or any number of other opportunities, I'm praying it's helping you to become more like Jesus.

Something I've noticed about this 40-day journey is that every week our in person attendance at worship is going up. This past Sunday we had our highest regular Sunday attendance in 2 years. No doubt that is being influenced by the combination of the rapidly declining rate of new Covid cases and the warmer weather. But from some of the conversations I've had, I am also seeing an increasing hunger to be in community, to worship God corporately and to engage with God in deeper ways as a result of this 40-day journey that we are on. And now, here we are already at the midpoint.

So as we find ourselves halfway along on this journey towards Easter, I have a few thoughts I want to share. First, if you have not yet found your way to engage in this journey, it is not too late. You can begin today with any of the special focuses has we've talked about. You can spend a few minutes in prayer or in the Word of God right now. You can sign up at this link to begin receiving the daily emails and videos starting tomorrow. You can join us for prayer service on Friday at 7 p.m. in Plaistow. It is never too late to take a new step in your spiritual journey.

If you have been participating in some way, I would urge you to stay the course. Unfortunately, sometimes we start strong our journey but then the busyness and distractions of life sidetrack us. And somehow, before we know it, we are off the path we intended to follow. This is how the enemy tries to keep us from growing stronger in Christ. He puts stumbling blocks and distractions in our way. So my second encouragement is to stay the course to the end.

The third thing I would say is “share the joy.” As we grow in Christ, our joy is multiplied. Share that joy with others. There are so many around us who desperately need the hope and joy that Jesus alone can bring. As we approach Easter there is no better time to share that joy and to extend an invitation to worship and Christian community.

So as we hit the midpoint, I hope this 40-day journey has been, and will continue to be, a blessing in your life. I think it has been wonderful so far and I believe God has even greater things for us in the days ahead. 

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

Praise Report: Mike Hills, a member of our church family who underwent a heart and liver transplant a number of weeks ago is recovering well and had transition to Northeast Rehab, 70 Butler St. Salem, NH 03079. Visitors are limited, but cards are welcome.

Praying Through

There is an old expression in the church that I don't think we hear as much as we used to. The expression is “praying through.” Praying through is the idea that we persevere in prayer until the answer comes. It might take the form praying through the night for sick or struggling loved one. It might be the long-term persistent prayer of a parent for a wayward child. It might be weeks, months, years of prayer for a friend or family member who does not yet know Christ, that they might be saved. It is the idea of a persistent prayer that pushes towards a breakthrough.

The concept is Biblical. Jesus tells a parable about a persistent widow who continues to come over and over to a certain judge that she might receive justice in her cause. I think this is a phrase that we ought to return to our lexicon. With all that is going on in our world, I would encourage us to not just pray an occasional prayer, but to “pray through.” To be persistent in prayer, storming the gates of Heaven, for all those areas of our lives where we need a breakthrough; healing for a medical need, resources where there is a need for provision, peace restored in Ukraine.

During this 40 Day Journey I hope you are finding some extra opportunities to spend time with God in prayer. Personally I'm trying to do that in several ways. Each morning I'm setting aside a little extra time for daily prayer and journaling. I am fasting one day a week and the time that is freed up I use for prayer and additional scripture reading. On Friday nights for the next several weeks we are leading an informal time of group prayer. We are offering this prayer time in the sanctuary at our Plaistow campus at 7 p.m. I know Friday nights can be tough, but if you can break away for a bit we would love to have you join us. It is open to all.

I also want to share with you a very exciting update. We are now close to $20,000 for the Ukraine Relief Fund. There is still some money left in the matching fund. So if you would like to be a part of this exciting and important initiative, it is not too late to have your gift matched and double the impact. You can go to www.rock-church.org/give to donate online or you can put a check in the offering on Sunday with Ukraine in the memo line.

I also want to remind everyone that our Rock Church youth group is up and running again. This past week we had just under 20 kids. The group meets Wednesdays at 5 p.m. at our Plaistow campus. We feed the students dinner and then break out for life group. We would love to have all middle school and high school students join us tonight or any Wednesday. Also, if anyone would like to take a turn providing a simple dinner for the kids, please sign up at this link.

Have a blessed week. I look forward to us being together this weekend as we continue our series “Like Jesus.”

I love you all,

Pastor Steve

Oh, one more thing. I am going to be offering a new 6 week course entitled Bible 101 on Monday nights. This will be a hybrid class, so you can participate in person at my house in Plaistow or connect online through zoom. You can sign up for the class at this link. In person registration is limited to 10 people. Zoom participation is unlimited.

Praying for Ukraine

I have to be honest, until a couple of months ago I did give a lot of thought to the country of Ukraine. But the unsolicited aggression that has ravished their country in recent weeks has put this nation and its people near the top of my prayer list. The daily images of destruction and death are heartbreaking.

The combination of the nightly news, social media and other online accounts have made this crisis in Ukraine so highly visible that we can't help but think about it. Personally, I have found myself responding in three ways. First and foremost in prayer. Everyday I pray for this country and its people. I don't personally know anyone in Ukraine, but they are human beings, some of whom have been displaced from their homes and separated from their families. Some have lost loved ones, while others have seen their homes destroyed and their livelihoods erased. I would encourage all of us continue to keep them in prayer for comfort and strength, and for an end to the aggression.

As we see the pain and suffering this crisis has brought about, I find it also gives me perspective. We all have our daily struggles and I am certainly no exception. But lately when I am facing one of my “first world problems” I can't help but think about what the people of Ukraine are going through. It not only gives me a heart of compassion for them, but it helps me to keep my own struggles in perspective. The intent is not to minimize the struggles that any of us may go through, but it does help me to see how incredibly blessed I am, even on the days that are hard.

The third response I find emerging within myself is a desire to help. Because this humanitarian crisis is unfolding halfway across the world, it is difficult to do much of anything in a hands-on way. But we can support the relief efforts financially. In that area, I actually have some exciting news to share. We have had an anonymous donor offer a $10,000 matching gift. So any donations made for the relief efforts in Ukraine through Rock Church will be matched dollar-for-dollar, allowing our individual gifts to have doubled the impact. I'm excited to announce that this past Sunday we already raised over $2,500 from the special offering and through the connection cards. But you can still get in on the matching Grant by donating online at www.Rockgiving.org (click the egiving link, look for the Ukraine line.) We will also continue the special offering at church this Sunday.

So I would ask us to continue to pray for the people of Ukraine and to share as we are able in the relief efforts. I also want to share a couple of other quick reminders. Friday evening we will hold a prayer service at 7 p.m. at our Plaistow campus. These Friday night prayer times are open to all so I hope you will join us if you can. Also, don't forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night!

Love you all,

Pastor Steve 

Today's the day!

For weeks now we have been preparing for the start of our 40-day journey, and today's the day. If you are reading this blog on the day it is published, today is Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. And for us at Rock Church it marks the beginning of this journey into a deeper and full of connection with Christ. If you were raised in a more traditional or liturgical expression of the Christian Church you may be very familiar with Ash Wednesday and season of Lent. If not, these may be very new concept to you.

Lent is the season of preparation leading up to Easter that has been observed by the Christian church since the fourth century. The Biblical foundation for Lent is the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness prior to the start of his public ministry. Jesus spent that time fasting and praying as a way of preparing himself spiritually for what was to come. Ash Wednesday is a special observance to mark the beginning of this season. I mentioned in an earlier writing that the ashes represent repentance and remorse for our sin. Tonight at 6:30 pm we will hold a combined Ash Wednesday service at our Plaistow campus as a way to mark the beginning of our 40-day journey together. I hope you'll all be able to join us. We don't have the opportunity to all be together in one service very often, so I'm really looking forward to us being together as one church family.

But even more, I am looking forward to how God will use this 40-day journey in our lives. My prayer for you is that these forty days leading up to Easter will be a time when you are fully immersed in the presence of Christ. I pray that we would begin each day mindful of who we are and whose we are. Now more than ever we need to strengthen our foundation in Christ. I pray that by starting every day intentionally focused on Jesus, and striving to become more like him, it will accomplish two things. I pray it will give us the strength we need to navigate these difficult times in which we are living. And I pray it will allow each of us to be a reflection of Jesus in such a beautiful way that people cannot help but see the Christ in us and be drawn to him.

This Sunday we will launch a new teaching series that goes hand-in-hand with the 40-day journey. I would invite and encourage you will be with us all six weeks of the series entitled “Like Jesus.” I believe God has something great for you in this!

Have a blessed day and I look forward to us being together tonight for Ash Wednesday service and this weekend as we begin this new series.

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

BTW, if you have not yet signed up to receive the daily emails for the 40 Day Journey, you can do so by emailing Lynette at Lynette@rock-church.org.

Also, we are looking for folks who would like to take a week to prepare either dinner or dessert for Wednesday night youth group in Plaistow. It is to feed 15 to 20. Simple meals for teens (tacos, pizza, mac and cheese, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.) If you would like to sign up for a week, you can do so at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a054aa5a629a75-rock17. You don’t have to do dinner and dessert. You can choose one or the other.

It’s coming together!

From my window I can watch every day as progress is made on a new pavilion at Rock Plaistow campus. This is a project that has been years in the making. First it was the planning and fundraising. Then there was covid and various hurdles with the town. But now, in God's perfect timing, it is coming together. And I'm not going to lie, I'm super excited. I can already envision so many ways that this will be used for ministry. Youth group and day camp, outdoor concerts and services, men's and women's BBQs, For Our Community events and so much more. When I think about all of the groundwork, literally and figuratively, that had to happen for this project come to fruition, I just have to praise God!

What is even more exciting to me is that I see in the Pavilion a metaphor for our whole ministry. Over the past few years we have had more than our share of setbacks and hurdles. And the enemy has tried to use all of that to discourage and distract us in order to keep us from fulfilling the work God has called us to. But during those challenging times, your Rock Church leaders have been hard at work doing the ground work, laying a foundation upon which to build the future of our ministry. And as we begin to emerge from covid, we see it coming together in God's perfect timing.

We've used this time to redevelop various areas of ministry, to improve our facilities, to launch new initiatives, to renew our vision statement and goals, to expand and improve our digital ministries, to invest in our For Our Community outreach and much more. So as difficult and challenging as the past few years have been, God has used that time to strengthen us, to clarify our vision and to prepare us for a bright and hopeful future as a church.

A week from today we launch our 40 day Journey. This time is meant to be a spiritual journey, preparing us for the celebration of the resurrection of Christ. But I also see this as a resurrection of our ministry. I believe in the coming days we are going to see all of the ways that God is restoring life, energy and passion to our ministry. We are coming back together as a body. We are stepping out in new and exciting ways. And we are fulfilling our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who love God, love others and do good.

I want to encourage us to fully engage in this 40-day journey that we're beginning next Wednesday. Challenge yourself. Step out in some new ways spiritually. Let this be a time when your faith is renewed and strengthened. I believe God has amazing things in store for each one of us and for our church in the days ahead! If you haven’t already signed up for the daily email, contact Lynette at Lynette@rock-church.org

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

Also, don’t forget that Rock Church Youth is back! We invite any middle school or high school students to join us every Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at our Plaistow campus. Parents, don’t worry about dinner, we will feed them physically and spiritually!

Stretching

There are aspects of my spiritual life that I'm pretty comfortable with. Every morning I spend time in the word of God and in prayer. I like to journal. I love to spend time in God's presence in worship. But if there is one spiritual discipline that has been a stretch for me, it's fasting. Fasting, going for time without food (or something else), is intended to go hand-in-hand with prayer. It is an expression of sacrifice. It is meant to help focus our prayer and open up additional time with God.

But to be perfectly honest, I've often struggled with fasting. It is clearly biblical and I know that many people find that it strengthens their prayer life. I see the value, but it has definitely been a stretch for me. In 14 days we will begin our 40-day journey at Rock Church. Our goal is to use this time leading up to Easter to stretch ourselves spiritually, to be drawn deeper into our discipleship journey and grow increasingly in the likeness of Jesus.

There will be a variety of elements and resources to help guide you on this journey. We will begin with an Ash Wednesday service at our Plaistow location on March 2nd. We've planned a special teaching series entitled “Like Jesus” that will begin on Sunday March 6th, will continue through Holy Week and will culminate on Easter morning. We will offer daily resource for the 40 days of this journey that will include daily scripture readings that follow the theme of the Sunday messages, a written devotion and prayer as well as a link to a daily video message that I will share with you.

There will also be other ways to stretch ourselves and grow during this 40-day journey. Some will journal throughout the 40 days. I hope we will all be in worship each Sunday during the journey. Every Friday there's going to be a prayer service at our Plaistow location from 7 to 8 pm. And for me... I am going to fast every Friday and pray specifically for our church. It will be a stretch for me, but I believe it is exactly what God is calling me to do. And if any of you would like to join me I certainly invite you to do so.

Personally, I can't wait for Lent to begin. I'm so excited about this 40-day journey and how God is going to use it in our church. I hope there will be aspects of this journey that are a stretch for you. Because I believe if we will stretch ourselves, God will use that to help us grow in ways that will be a true blessing to our lives. I do want to remind us that the daily email are “opt-in” only. In other words, we will only send those to you if you ask to be put on that special email list. To sign up to receive daily emails, please reply to Lynette at this address.

This Sunday we will continue our mini series “ONE” based on Jesus’ prayer in John 17. I look forward to us all being together this Sunday for a great time of praise and worship.

Love you all,

Pastor Steve

P.S. For those of you with Middle School and High School age youth, don’t forget that tonight (Wed. Feb 16) we will hold our Youth Group info dinner at 5 pm at our Rock Plaistow location.

Counting Down

Twenty-one days. In 21 days we begin a 40-day journey that could change your life. March 2nd is the day we will begin this adventure. For centuries Christians have used the season leading up to Resurrection Day, Easter, as a time of spiritual preparation. We call this season Lent. It is the 40 days prior to Easter, not counting Sundays. Although the season was originally meant to be a time of spiritual exploration and growth, over many years it has broken down to a modest observance if observed at all.

But this year at Rock Church we are going to use these forty days to go on a spiritual journey together. We're going to take what was ancient and make it new again. We're going to take this journey together as a body of Christ. The theme for our journey will be “Like Jesus.” To be a Christian is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Contrary to what we have often been taught, the goal of discipleship is not simply to increase knowledge. It is not some legalistic observance of a set of rules. Ultimately, true discipleship is becoming like the one we follow. So for us, to grow deeper in discipleship is to become more and more like Jesus. Knowledge may inform that, good works may reflect it, but in the end it is transformation into the likeness of Christ that makes true disciples.

So on this 40-day journey we are going to explore and experience what it really means to become increasingly “Like Jesus.” This journey will be experiential and, if we allow it to be, transformational. Of course, it is entirely voluntary. There will be a variety of ways that you can participate. I would encourage everyone to prayerfully consider what aspects of the journey you want to engage in.

At the heart of the process will be the teaching series “Like Jesus.” Each of the six Sundays of our journey the message will explore different aspects of what it means to be like Jesus. This is the foundation of the journey. I would invite you to make a commitment to be with us in worship every week during the six weeks of this journey. Based on the weekly theme there will also be a daily email with a prayer focus, devotional thought and a link to a brief daily video teaching. These emails will be opt-in only. In other words, you have to decide that you want to do the daily component of this journey. If you would like to be added to the daily email list, please email Lynette and let us know.

There will also be other daily or weekly opportunities. For example, some may choose to fast one day a week for the six weeks. We are going to offer a weekly prayer meeting for those who want to be a part of an intentional time of corporate prayer each week. Some may choose to journal throughout the journey has a way of reflecting on how God is working in your life. And each week, out of the message, there will be action items. Ways to put into practice being more like Jesus.

We will kick off this 40-day journey with an Ash Wednesday service on March 2nd at 6:30 p.m. at our Plaistow campus. This will be an opportunity for us to be together we a whole Rock Church family. So let the countdown begin. In 21 days we will begin a spiritual journey as a church that will help us to experience God at a deeper level and to grow in our likeness of Christ, that we may increasingly reflect the Jesus within us.

This Sunday we launch a 3 week mini-series based on John 17 entitled “One.” I look forward to us begin together in person or online this Sunday. Have a great week. I love you all.

Pastor Steve

My First Sox Game

As a kid I was a huge baseball fan. I collected baseball cards. I love to play baseball. And I love to watch baseball.  As a teenager I got to go to my first Red Sox game, live and in person, at Fenway Park. It was amazing! I think I still have the program book and scorecard somewhere. I had always enjoyed watching the game on TV. But being there live took it to a whole new level. Seeing the players in person. Hearing the roar of the crowd. But more than that, being a part of the experience. There was an energy, excitement and a sense of engagement unlike anything I had known before.

Over the past couple of years, I think one of the most important things we did at Rock Church was to significantly improve our livestream worship. We invested resources, time and energy into making it the best at-home experience we possibly could. Particularly during those months that we were not able to gather in person we wanted to be sure we could continue to worship together virtually and stay connected as a congregation.

But I want to take a moment to remind us that there is something special that takes place when we gather in person. There is nothing quite like the experience of raising our voices together with fellow Believers in praise and worship to God. There is something powerful about the presence of the Holy Spirit when God's people come together in person. When we fellowship together, when we pray for one another, there is nothing quite like the in-person gathering of God's people. There is a shared love that is felt. There is a life and energy that is palpable.

This is not to say there is not still an important place for the livestream as we continue to emerge from Covid. When we travel, are sick or are otherwise kept from attending in person, it allows us to still have an experience of worship that is helpful and meaningful. For those who are in situations where they (or someone they spend time with) are health compromised, the livestream provides a safe alternative. And the livestream is a great evangelistic tool. It is a way for people who have never attended worship to get a sense of what it is like before attending in person.

So, the livestream can be a great resource and I certainly encourage us to use it for ourselves or as a way to invite others. But as the author of Hebrews writes “let us not neglect to meet together.” There is something special that happens when we gather for in-person worship. I want to encourage us not to miss the opportunity to be together as God's people whenever we can be. I promise you, it will be a blessing!

I look forward to us all being together this weekend, online or in person, for a great time of community and worship.

I love you all,

Pastor Steve

Coming full circle

I was reflecting recently about my first real ministry position. Before I came to Sandown, while I was still in college, I was the youth leader for the Tilton Northfield UMC. Before my second year of seminary I was appointed as pastor of St. Matthews in Sandown. One of the first things I did was start a youth group. For many years Nicole and I were the youth leaders ourselves. Over time, as the church grew, additional leaders got involved and we were able to pass the baton to others.

But I have to say that nearly 40 years after my first youth ministry position I still have a heart for a young people. I still have a deep-seated desire to see our church reach our teens with the love of God and the hope of Christ. I think the reason I have always had a concern for our youth is twofold. First, it's a tough age. What our young people face growing up is far beyond anything I ever had to deal with. The stresses, the struggle and the temptations that our students face on a daily basis are almost overwhelming.

On the flip side, this is also a season of life that holds great opportunity and potential. Who our young people will become, and how they will live, is greatly shape during these teenage years. This is particularly true in terms of their values and their faith. When it comes to a ministry investment, these formative years of childhood and youth pay the greatest dividend. It is very often in these early years that people make faith decisions that carry through their entire lifetime. So I have always had a great desire for our church to invest significantly in our youth.

Over the years our youth program has seen its ups and downs. The challenging thing about youth ministry is the kids grow up. So it tends to go in waves as kids graduate out and new students get involved. Right now, after two years of covid, our youth ministry has come to a virtual standstill. But the need for youth ministry is greater than ever. So it's time! Time to relaunch. Time to reinvest in this critical stage of life. And for me personally, I've come full circle, right back to where I started in my earliest years of ministry.

For several months now I have felt God calling me to get reconnected to both youth and young adult ministry as a leader. Back in September we launched a new young adult group that is hosted at my home on Sunday nights. In a few weeks we are relaunching youth group. On Wednesday, February 16th, we will hold a dinner meeting for parents and youth at our Plaistow campus beginning at 5 PM. It will be an opportunity to hear our plans for the relaunch of youth group and to meet our amazing team of youth ministry leaders.

I would ask every one of you who has a middle school or high school student to join us. Parents, we need your help and support in getting our kids connected. If you would like to attend the dinner, have questions or might be interested in volunteering please drop me a note via email.

And I would ask all of us to please keep our young people in your prayers as Rock Church seeks to help them come to know Jesus and grow in faith.

Love you all!

Pastor Steve

PS, this coming Monday Jan 31 is our Women’s GROW program. So Sunday we could use 3 or 4 volunteers to help move chairs and set up a few tables right after our 10:30 service in Plaistow. If you can stay and help, please email Rachel Jones.

Coming Soon . . .

January always feels like a quiet month in the life of the church. After the busyness of the holiday season, we are often ready for a few weeks of a slower pace. Add to that, of course the New England winter, compounded this year by the elevated Covid numbers, and we all seem content to just stay in and take it a little easier for a few weeks.

But I want to let you know that some exciting things are coming soon to Rock Church. For example, next Tuesday, January 25 is the kick off of the spring session of Mastering Motherhood. We offered this program for the first time this past fall to rave reviews. Mastering Motherhood provides a place of support and encouragement to moms at all stages of life. Every Tuesday night the group gathers for a shared meal, an opening talk and small group time. If you would like to know more, come to the kickoff meal on Tuesday and check it out. Free childcare is provided. If you have questions, email us at this link.

Guys, I want to also make sure you know about the Chili Cookoff. Since there is no football on February 5th, it seemed like the perfect time to get together for some good food, fellowship and a little friendly competition as we decide who will be awarded “The Rock of all Chilis for 2022!” So men, prepare your best chili and come on down. To register to enter, text or call Jim Morecroft at 978-423-5859 or Jim Connors at 603-530-2162. The winner will be determined by people’s choice, so men and their families are invited to come on Feb. 5 to try them all and vote for your favorite.

Families of middle school and high school students, we have a special invitation for you. After a bit of a hiatus, Youth Group is coming back. We are going to start with one combined group in Plaistow, with the plan of multiplying it to all campuses as soon as we have enough leaders to support the expansion. The new group is going to meet on Wednesday nights from 5:00 to 6:30 pm. On February 16th we are going to launch the program with a family dinner and information night. We invite parents and their middle and high school students to join us to hear more about the program and meet the leaders. If you are able to attend the info night, please let us know by emailing Pastor Steve so we can plan for food.

I know that is already a lot, but there is still more! On Monday, January 31 is our next women’s GROW! Ladies we would love to have you join us beginning at 6:00 pm for a light meal followed by the program at 7:00 pm. Choir is coming back together Thurs, January 27 at 7:15 pm at our Sandown Campus. For more information or to sign up, please contact Pastor Beth. Coming up in February we will be hosting an ABC Debt-Free 2 week mini course teaching a Biblical pathway to financial freedom. You can see more about that in the newsletter. Of course, Rock Kids children’s ministry is back in full swing. We have a number of new and returning lifegroups back up and running. There is something for everyone.

So, early January has been a little quiet, but there is a ton of great opportunities coming soon! And of course, on Sunday morning we are continuing our series “New Beginning.” This is an exciting time in the life of Rock Church. I would invite you to find your place to get connected.

Have a great week! Love you all.

Pastor Steve