V I N E   S T R E E T 
 
 
A Village Of Unconditional, All Forgiving,
Never Ending LOVE.
 
 
Feeling unchurched? Over-churched? Anti-churched?
 
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H O W   W E   W O R S H I P

Join Us Sunday Mornings

9:00 A.M. Village

Start your Sunday off in a casual, low-key gathering where we share breakfast and chat about Jesus and life. Small groups for all ages – Nursery Available!
 
 
This ain’t your old fashioned
Sunday School!
 
Join us September – May!
 
 
 

10:00 A.M. Worship

“A little something for everyone and a lot of Jesus” is how we worship. Come as you are and experience our energetic, spirit filled service with moving messages and music ranging from contemporary Christian to traditional hymns.
 
 
This service is geared for all
generations!
 
 

Teaching & Preachings

We teach and preach a Jesus that is real and authentic … Taken straight from the gospels with no biased or politics attached. Whether you’re an active participant or a “fly on the wall” listener, we have something for you.
 
 
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interests you!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
B I G  I D E A 
 
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).
 
Pastor Bob
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C H U R C H   M E D I A

Recent Devotionals

March 2023

LentDevotion#27 – 3.24.23

“LentDevotion#27 – 3.24.23”.


LentDevotion#28 – 3.25.23

“LentDevotion#28 – 3.25.23”.


LentDevotion#27 – 3.24.23

“LentDevotion#27 – 3.24.23”.


LentDevotion#26 – 3.23.23

“LentDevotion#26 – 3.23.23”.


LentDevotion#25 – 3.22.23

“LentDevotion#25 – 3.22.23”.


LentDevotion#24 – 3.21.23

“LentDevotion#24 – 3.21.23”.


LentDevotion#23 – 3.20.23

“LentDevotion#23 – 3.20.23”.


LentDevotionSunday#4 – 3.19.23

“LentDevotionSunday#4 – 3.19.23”.


LentDailyDevotion#21 – 3.17.23

“LentDailyDevotion#21 – 3.17.23”.


LentDevotion#22 – 3.18.23

“LentDevotion#22 – 3.18.23”.




 
 
 
 
 
F R O M   T H E   B L O G

Recent Posts

THE KINGDOM OF GOD: ARE WE THERE YET?

Nope.

In her book, “The Gospel People Don’t Want to Hear,” Lisa Cressman talks about the importance of “trust” within a church that’s trying to build the Kingdom of God. This is an excerpt from her book:

There’s a reason we’re not living in the Kingdom of God yet: we haven’t built it yet. We know we’re supposed to build it, and we know God has equipped us with the resources and grace to accomplish it.  

Yet, why haven’t we?

In short, we don’t trust God or each other.

We don’t trust … the process, the outcome, who we will be or what we will recognize of our world when we get there.  We don’t trust we’ll like it. We don’t trust we’ll be given the courage to get through the pain and uncertainty of the changes, and come out better off than we are now.

We like the idea of the reign of God, but we want to keep what we want to keep when we get there. That brings us to rather an impasse. We are only willing to build the reign of God to the extent we trust God and each other.

We ask people to pay a steep price to follow Jesus into an uncertain future, rather than try to return to the past. They’ll only go as far as they trust us and trust God.

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TRUST:

  • The quality and depth of trust dictates the quality and depth of our relationships: God with us, us with God, us with one another.
  • Trust and distrust are built on what is witnessed and what is absent from view, and perception trumps all.
  • Trust is built from hope, faith and love.
  • We can build trust through intentional practices to diagnose, experiment, and appraise.
  • The reign of God can be built … to the extent we trust one another.

FOR REFLECTION:

How has Jesus built trust with you? How does God build faith, hope and love? Where does God seem to be untrustworthy?                                                                                                                                                                                                          In what ways do you know yourself to be trustworthy? Less trustworthy?                                                                                             What perception of your trustworthiness do you believe others have of you? In what ways might they perceive you to be less trustworthy?                                                                                                                                                                                        Describe how you build trust with others?

  

Mental Health Nugget:

I’ve also been reading Alan Noble’s wonderful little book on Mental Health, “On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living.” Here’s a short reflection based on his book.

Ever have this thought? The world would be better off without me because I am the one who is messed up, who can’t seem to get it together. I have a favorite prayer for those moments: “Lord, PLEASE STOP THE WORLD – I want to get off!

That’s not the answer.

Alan Noble thinks the Apostle Peter might have a good idea. Peter says in 1 Peter 5: 6-9 (see below): Whatever you are going through, the world is filled with people suffering similarly. There are unique qualities to your experience, but you are not alone. There are Christians suffering in similar ways all over the world. Some suffer much less than you, some suffer more than you can imagine, but this burden of life is something we carry in common. So, when you feel worthless or overwhelmed with anxiety, it’s not a sign that you lack faith or are not a true or good Christian. Millions of your brothers and sisters in Christ feel the same way right now.

But, there is another implication: if our suffering is common, then we should not hide it but instead help others bear it.

1 Peter 5: 6-9:

6-7 So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.

8-11 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So, keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.

<>< <>< <><

Continued blessings on your spiritual walk-through Eastertide …. Peace be with you,

Pastor Bob <><

 


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THE CHALLENGES (and rewards) OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE

In Autumn of 1936, Evelyn Underhill gave a series of radio broadcasts to present some of the great truths concerning our spiritual life in simple language, “treating it – not as an intense form of other-worldliness remote from the common ways and incompatible with the common life.” Her goal was also to make these talks completely compatible with the Christian faith.

Here are some of my favorite excerpts from her broadcasts. See if you can relate to any of these.

  • Following Jesus and dedicating your life to His Way means discipline of thought and of feeling; a more careful use of leisure; and filling our minds with ideas that point the right way, instead of suggestions that distract us from God and spiritual things.
  • It also means, at some point, sometime given solely to Communion with Jesus; and perseverance in this practice – even though we first seem to get nothing from it.
  • There are few lives with no pauses in the day. Use even the few minutes that you have to cultivate Communion with God, and let the spirit of these few minutes spread through the busy hours.
  • We must expel from our lives any thoughts and acts which are inconsistent with these times of Communion. For unless we are prepared to make God the center of our lives, setting the standard for everything else in our life, then we have no hope for results.
  • “We cannot begin the day with a real act of Communion with God, the Author of peace, and then go on to read a bloodthirsty newspaper at breakfast.”
  • It is this constant correlation between inward and outward that really matters. And this has always been the challenge for humans, because there are two natures in us, pulling different ways, and reconciling them is a long hard task.
  • The spiritual life does not require a definite and exact plan of study. But, it does require a definite plan of life; and courage to stick to that plan, not merely for days and weeks, but for years. This is something which cannot be hurried; but, if not taken seriously, can be infinitely delayed.
  • Looking at people’s behavior, it appears that God is far less important than their bath, morning paper, or early cup of coffee or tea. A life with God must begin with a full and practical acceptance of the truth that God alone matters. This must begin first in our own character and actions; then in our homes; then our surroundings, our workplace, and our country.
  • We must be prepared that this will cost us a lot.; frequently thwarting our own preferences, and demanding real sacrifice. Our goal is to accept our spiritual calling with all it involves. Not merely turning the pages in a magazine and looking at the pictures, but “putting on overalls and getting on with the job.”
  • The real spiritual life must be horizontal, as well as vertical. That means it must spread more and more, it must be larger, fuller, richer, and more generous, than the natural life alone could be. The spiritual life must invade and transform all “homely” activities and practical things. In essence, it means the offering of our whole life to the Father of all life.

Continued blessings on your spiritual walk-through Eastertide …. Peace be with you,

Pastor Bob <><

 

 

       

 

 

 

 


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HOW BAD CAN IT GET?

 SUNDAY’S SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118 (New International Version)

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.”

19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. 21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. 

22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. 25 Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. 27 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.  

28 You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

 

            Have you had this specific thought lately: “How bad can it get?” That question is a pretty constant thought the runs through my mind once or twice a week. When we look around us … in our town, and state, and country, and world … it makes us wonder, how bad can it really get before this whole thing collapses?

On the other hand, have you had this specific thought lately: “How good can it get?” I don’t ask that question enough. Because frankly people, God is doing some amazingly beautiful things all around us.

I wonder what your eyes see first: How bad it is … or how good it is. Trust me – it makes a big difference!

Psalm 118 arises out of the constant questioning by the Jewish peoples: “How bad can it get?” Because life had really gotten pretty bad for them. As you can read in the Psalm, they have been rejected and captured and exiled to Babylon. Families split apart. The Temple destroyed. The practice of their faith has become a relic of the past. Here they are, God’s Chosen People, the people called to bring the one true God to the world, scattered and tattered. They were wondering, “How bad can it get?”

But as the Psalm tells us … the people who have been rejected are now the “chief cornerstone.” The nation of Israel is no doubt at one their lowest points in history. They have failed God. They have lost their religion. They have lost their community of fellow Jews. They have lost their home … the city of David … to the enemies.

It’s hard for us to imagine what it would be like to suffer in this way. But think about it, as you’re complaining about how bad it could get for you. Let’s see: screwing up at work doesn’t compare; breaking a leg doesn’t compare; having a car accident doesn’t compare; paying $4 for a gallon of milk doesn’t compare; and even running out of gas somewhere between nowhere and the end of the world doesn’t compare.

On the other hand, most have us do have a situation (or more than one) that seems like it is as bad as it can get. Because whatever happens to us personally are always the most challenging parts of our life. For example, the war in Ukraine is about as bad as it gets for the Ukrainians. And even though it hurts us to think about it, it doesn’t hurt us like it hurts them. To us, it’s across the world. To them, it’s personal. It’s their own family. It’s their own home. It’s their own church. It’s their own city. You see … it’s them. Not us. And this is a big difference, no matter how upset you are by the war.

Still, there are things in your life right now that have you wondering, “How bad can it get?” Privately, think about what those things are for you. Maybe it’s just one thing. Maybe more. But these are the things that kick us in the gut and pull the floor out from underneath our lives.

Recently in our Sunday messages, I have talked about the prophets Samuel and Ezekiel. In the story of choosing David as the next king, Samuel the Prophet teaches us that God does not see things as we see them. God has the advantage of seeing the “big picture.” In fact, God sees the ultimate picture. And in the Book of Ezekiel, we learned about the power of God to turn ashes into life. All it takes is a breath … the breath of life … which only comes from God.

So, you may think you have it bad, and you could certainly be right. But you also have it good, because for every bad thing that happens in your life, God is already working to make it good. We may not have the eyes to see the good yet, but remember, it is always there and always working.

Try this: when your mind gets caught up in your troubles, give yourself a pause, step away from the world for a moment of two, and be alone with God and listen. Quietly. God already knows every issue you are having that creates worry, or fear, or intense anxiety, or unbearable sadness. So, what you want to listen for from God is how God is working right in that moment in your life.

It’s happening. Trust God. Samuel did … and he found a young ruddy king in the backfields of Jessie’s land taking care of sheep. I wonder what David was thinking that day BEFORE Samuel showed up. Maybe, he thought, “How bad can it get?” But God was already working.

Ezekiel saw God at work. For starters, he had the eyes to see. And from looking, he wondered. “How bad can it get?” But God was already working, and before God was done, new life had arisen from dust and bones. For sure, Ezekiel thought this was the end of the line for God’s “Chosen People.” I mean, could it get any worse?

Now, take your own unpredictable and precious life. Where is God absent from your life, at least as you see it? Then, after spending a little time with God, look around with new eyes. Not to offend any of you, but the answer is … YES, it could get worse. And it might. But … it doesn’t have to. Use your new God-gifted eyes to see that in the very midst of the hardest thing in your life right now … God’s got it. Always has. Always will.

See you Sunday in worship!                                                                              Pastor Bob <><


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 Pastor
 
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Music
 
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Address: 249 S. Vine Street Arthur, IL 61911
Phone:217-543-2292