Weekly Words From Randoon …

For the week of 8/26/07

Welcome one and all!

NEWS FROM SANCTUARY –

Wednesday’s at Golden Gardens is concluded for the Summer.

Monday 9/10 – Monday Night Football begins at GOOFY’s BAR & GRILL – 85^th and 15^th.

Fall Series on Colossians “A God so Big, A God so Small” – begins 9/16

Next Sunday 9/1 – Psalm 19 “The Design” + Lord’s Supper and Community Lunch at Romio’s following service.

8/26 ATTENDANCE – 92, OFFERING - $3,825.

PRAYERS –

God be with a young woman hospitalized for deep depression.

Christ, our Lord, we pray for all those who suffer with psychological disorders.

Holy Spirit, bring healing and comfort to all those who are ill and strengthen all caregivers.

Lord, be our guide as Sanctuary and other partners dream about planting many new churches and ministries.

God, help Pete and Lily Armstrong adjust to life at Calvin Seminary beginning this week and guide them on their journey into ministry.

REFLECTIONS –

It was a joyous yet emotionally wrenching day for me today. Peter Armstrong, after 3 years on our staff, an integral part of our community, and a founding partner in Sanctuary and The Green Bean finished his 3 year stretch at Sanctuary.

Pete and Lily are off to see what’s next in life. They have some exciting ideas about church planting. They have tremendous gifts and skills. And, they’re off. Hearing Pete preach Psalm 136 “his love endures forever today” was funny and heartwarming and hard. Pete used the Psalm to tell us about God’s saving history with Israel – and God’s saving, providing history with Sanctuary and the Green Bean. The reflections were awesome. But, when Pete got personal about his staff colleagues, I started bawling and couldn’t stop. I am down two quarts of mucous on account of Mr. Armstrong.

Pete reminded me and all of us that we are not called to be a comfy, staid community that ‘feeds itself’…but, instead a growing, expanding, parenting, multiplying community that lives in Jesus Christ for the sake of others. So, as a church we are always going to receive God’s gifts of people on staff and volunteer leadership….and reciprocally, we will send God’s gifts of people out to plant new missional, faith communities.

This process challenges us. It’s hard to give up our brightest and best. WHAT ABOUT US?, we want to say. The answer. IT’S TRULY NOT ABOUT US! It’s about the kingdom of God. Days like today; departures like Pete and Lily remind us of what we are about. And, days like today challenge to offer ourselves not to ourselves or each other BUT TO GOD “as a living sacrifice”.

Peter, we would not exist as a church without you. You are irreplaceable. Everyone is irreplaceable…but, no one is INDESPENSIBLE, especially when we are DISPNESED to further the work of God in Seattle and around the world. Thank God for Pete and Lily. Thank Pete and Lily for the way they have shaped us…..and God bless and guide the bunch of us as we move forward in FAITH, HOPE & LOVE.

Blessings and love to all,

Dr. Randy L. Rowland

Sanctuary

2854 NW 59th Street

Seattle, WA 98107 USA

www.sanctuarycrc.org

206.953.0909