Trying to get a new church going

[mary]

Okay - I am dead serious about this.

I have just had a lengthy phone conversation with a prominent pastor of a particular congregation in the Washington, DC area. I told him that I am trying to get a church started up here in MI that is:

(a) KJV-friendly if not -only;
(b) Reformed (solid), not Reformed (Lite).

He was very enthusiastic. I told him I have about 8-10 families in mind right now that might be interested. He told me that if I could get 25-30 people interested, he would send a seminarian and/or minister up here for a fellowship and see what we might get going.

I know most of you are not of my doctrinal or theological "bent," and of course, most of you are not situated anywhere around here (southeastern MI-northwestern OH-southwestern ON). However, in your beautiful forbearance, and with the incredible kindness and tolerance you all have shown me in the past, if you know of anyone who is and who might be interested, could you please PM me? I am shortly going to get a P. O. box and put some ads in appropriate places.

I do believe that this is the reason that the Lord has left me here "with no bone marrow" (also to pray for and do my best to assist on this forum!). I am to try to get a church going and if it takes every ounce of strength I have left, I am going to do it. I am relying totally on His will, grace, mercy and fortitude.

For His glory, and for His kingdom!

Love to all in our Lord Jesus Christ,

mary

P. S. I'll try to keep my PM box cleaned out more diligently than I have in the past! ;)

[Carmen]

Wow! More power to ya! :D :D :D

Please take care of yourself though, Jesus did that too.

I can send a message to my parent's pastor saying that "someone" is planning a group there. He hadn't sent anything when I asked about congregations in your area. Maybe he knows a few individuals though, I didn't ask about that.

I hope that it all works out to God's glory! How could it be otherwise?

[Anna Marta]

Wonders never cease and Mary you are a wonder. :D Will keep this in prayer and am eager to hear what happens. God is so clever. St. Paul said that when I am weak I am strong. Surely Mary, you fulfill that criteria. God loves to do big things through little people who, though weak, are willing and open participants in HIS plans.

Mary - my hero!

Love
Anna Marta

[mary]

Oh, thank you, Carmen and Anna Marta!!! Your encouragement means so much to me!!! You are beautiful! :) :D Carmen, yes: we need wide dissemination of this when I get this going. I will post the P. O. box when I get it.

This afternoon, after I started this thread, I received a long e-mail from this pastor that details exactly what I need to do. Apparently, he's done this "church planting from a distance" thing a lot. And this is so encouraging: he'd already talked to other ministers of the denomination about my call to him this morning (it's a solid, non-abusive, work of the Lord -- for a change! :cool: ) and they're also enthusiastic, for they have nothing in this area and had been hoping someone here would express some interest! Wow! I also already e-mailed that particular Bible study teacher/attorney I know and forwarded him this minister's e-mail. He has contacts in every even vaguely Reformed church in the western suburbs. :) :) :)

On Sunday, I'm going to get together with another minister I've known for years who currently is out of work and is looking for a place to land. He is from the same geographical area as the minister I talked to this morning is; he's the same age as this minister and I just want to find out if they know each other. The minister with whom I'm going to speak on Sunday has the same preferences, i.e., the KJV and the solid Reformed theology. I'm going to bring a copy of the Washington minister's e-mail to me to give him. I'm going to see what he thinks about the whole idea... Even if he's not interested, it won't matter because I'm still going to proceed.

This is going to get done! The pieces are going to fall together and this area is going to finally have a choice... a real choice. And Rich and I will have a place to worship where we'll be at peace. The Lord must build the house, of course (Psalm 127:1) and I'm praying He can even use a 1 Cor. 1:27-28 nutcase like me to do it! :p :D

Thank you so much for your prayers... This is going to be proof of His promise in Ezekiel 34, that even though false shepherds scatter the sheep, He will gather them again...

Dare I say it? - It's a motto of the Reformed movement: soli Deo gloria!

Love,

mary

[jane]

Mary-

just my thoughts-
I wouldn't wait for the 25-30 people before I gathered. Where 2 or more are gathered....right?

We had this worship campfires at our house a few summers ago- it started with 3 and then became 20 or more on some nights. And then when we were done, it was because we wanted it that way.

Sometimes small things will grow quickly.

good luck.

jane

[Jerry]

[QUOTE=mary;46107]
[COLOR=black]Dare I say it? - It's a motto of the Reformed movement: soli Deo gloria!

English Translation= "Damn the Torpedos,,,,,,,Full speed ahead :D

[mary]

[quote=mary;46107]
Dare I say it? - It's a motto of the Reformed movement: soli Deo gloria!

English Translation= "Damn the Torpedos,,,,,,,Full speed ahead :D

Darned tootin'! :) :) :D

Okay, guys, I didn't tell you before the real beauty of this, but here it is: the minister I spoke with is of a denomination that split from the denomination that encompasses that church I was thrown out of 15 months ago... The split occurred a few years ago. I did tell this DC minister that I'd been part of that church and I merely said, "things didn't go well there." He just replied, "I see."

IF I can really get this congregation up and running here, fairly close to where "pastor" is already bailing water furiously and yelling "Mayday!" then, in a relatively short period of time, he will be "looking for other employment." This other minister is going to do his best to help me - I could hear the wheels turning in his head while I was talking with him - because he realizes every ramification of this and he himself is anticipating what can possibly be accomplished here...

The other minister happens to be someone who "pastor" once told me, when we were "close," he considers an enemy... :D :D :D

I am going to work on this as I've worked on little else in my life, except, of course, for raising my son and the crisis pregnancy counseling.

In the immortal words of Flounder in "National Lampoon's Animal House,"

"Oh, is this gonna be great!"

And the first goat to be led out of "the house" will be "pastor..." :cool: :p

Thanks so much, Jane and Jerry! Prayers and other words of encouragement are not going to be wasted. The e-mails are going to start flying; I've already written to the religion and local editor of a major newspaper around here; I'm going to talk to a minister tomorrow; the full-size flyer and the informational postcard are going to be designed on Monday and will start going out; three Christian radio stations here are going to be called; the P. O. box will be rented on Monday.

The Lord is providing for all this and He will get the glory! It will all go to Jesus Christ, for the purpose of providing for His precious flock...

(I must be nuts: referring to "Animal House" and giving God glory in the same post. Maybe not clinically nuts, just still "a sinner saved by grace." [COLOR=navy]I pray also for humility... possibly a commodity in short supply right now...)

mary

[Carmen]

[QUOTE=mary;46107]
[COLOR=black]Dare I say it? - It's a motto of the Reformed movement: soli Deo gloria!

English Translation= "Damn the Torpedos,,,,,,,Full speed ahead :D

LOL!


Mary, I have contacted my parent's pastor asking whether he knows any individuals in your area that are looking for a Reformed church. I'm waiting for an answer. I also asked if you could contact him for consultation. They have a house-church like system going and it works beautifully. If he says yes, I'll send you his address in a PM.

"The other minister happens to be someone who "pastor" once told me, when we were "close," he considers an enemy... :D :D :D "

Let's put those burning coals on his head. :D

[mary]

[quote=Jerry;46138]

LOL!


Mary, I have contacted my parent's pastor asking whether he knows any individuals in your area that are looking for a Reformed church. I'm waiting for an answer. I also asked if you could contact him for consultation. They have a house-church like system going and it works beautifully. If he says yes, I'll send you his address in a PM.

"The other minister happens to be someone who "pastor" once told me, when we were "close," he considers an enemy... :D :D :D "

Let's put those burning coals on his head. :D

Carmen, thank you so much!!! :D

This morning, we went back to a new, start-up Pres. church that we've been to before and I collared that now-unemployed minister. He was my former pastor in another galaxy, a long time ago... I left that church because I didn't get along with one of the associate pastors... Anyway, I put the idea in his head about a Reformed, KJV church - and he liked it. I could see the interest welling up in him and he will be invited to a start-up meeting (it's supposed to be in April, according to the proposal that the DC minister e-mailed me on Friday... I just have to get a lot of work done between now and then). I also spoke with this church's Bible study teacher and he and his wife will also be invited to the meeting.

I thought up another angle that was right under my nose: my brother (the one who's practically my twin) works as a PR man for a church fund-raising company. He's a Catholic, but he might be a good source of ideas for me. The fact that I left the RCC has been a sore point between him and me for years, but -- I think if I phrase things right, I could possibly wring some ideas out of him for getting this thing going, if not some concrete help in getting the word out via his connections.

Coals heaped on former "pastor's" head? I'm shoveling away, Carmen; I'm shoveling as fast and as furiously as I can!!! :D :D :p

[Theodora]

Hi Mary! WHAT A WONDER you are! Just wanted you to know that I'd seen this thread and that I'll be keeping you in prayer as you venture into new territory. GOOD FOR YOU.

As it happens, our Sat. paper carried an article about a former local Rabbi who, after spending 3 years in New Zealand, is now returning to start what he's calling "Tree of Life Center for Spiritual Growth." (If interested, see article at http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2007/02/03/living/religion/doc45c397f46c005643138106.txt ---it includes e-mail contact information for Rabbi Weisser.) My thought was that BOTH because of Rabbi Weisser's broad spiritual background AND because you have been supported in a Jewish community, that he might be a good resource for you to contact for some possible guidelines for what you're trying to do. ??? Perhaps?? It just seemed to me that this was a possibility worth mentioning. In any case, please do also read on to see my ref. to a book which was written about him. Rabbi Weisser is a true PEACE-maker in our world, in the VERY best sense of the word.

For a little bit of what I know about this deeply spiritual man--and how that came to be---here is what I shared on with some of my local contacts, as I encouraged them to try his Center, beginning with a quote from the article:

This comment is SO very typical of Rabbi Weisser:

" He was particularly impressed with the Maoris, who have devised a way to avoid intertribal conflicts through a pseudo-warlike “challenge” game in which they ultimately resolve differences by remembering their common ancestors."


“I think we could learn something from that,” Weisser said. “Conflict resolution is one of the biggest problems for America. We always seem to try the most aggressive way first. How can you resolve anything without violence if you’re not willing to talk to each other?”

As some of you will know, Rabbi Weisser's story of his experience of having converted a neo-Nazi who was persecuting him in Lincoln was documented in the book Not by the sword.Here is a brief reference to that in a meditation for Advent:

Not by a Sword
Luke 19: 1-10
(William M. Johnson)

Kathryn Watterson's book, Not by a Sword, tells the compelling story of a Jewish canto, Michael Weisser and a grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, Larry Trapp. Set in Lincoln, Nebraska, the true story reveals how the unconditional and unwavering love of God in Michael toward and for Larry finally transforms Larry's life from a bitter sword of hate and despair into a redeeming plowshare reconciling love and hope. http://www.crescenthillbaptistchurch.org/oldsite/advent98.htm

As I said above, c. 1994, I first met Rabbi (then Cantor) Weisser when I visited the South Street temple to ask their advice on a proper gift for my brother, whose third wife was a woman of Jewish descent. Cantor Weisser recommended a mezuzah to be mounted on the door of their home, which I then purchased at the Temple. He and somebody in his congregation then went "the extra mile" with me to give me the proper prayers to be said when this was mounted and what is said with its use. (For further information about the mezuzah, see the article in "Judaism 101" at http://www.jewfaq.org/signs.htm )

I'm not quite sure how the NEXT chapter in our little saga developed, but at some point he invited me to attend his classes in beginning Hebrew, which I think were in late August of 1995 and continued into the fall. (His original intent in offering these for his congregation was so that the congregation could better participate in the Yom Kippur services.) Having been a language major in college, this appealed to me as both a way to provide some better understanding of some customs which my sister-in-law might have had in her background AND as a fun way to engage in some learning which I enjoy. Accordingly I attended those classes in the basement of the South Street temple for several weeks and learned much...not all of it related to the Hebrew language! (My husband and I also attended the Yom Kippur service, where CANTOR Michael's leading of the congregation in worship was indeed a powerful and memorable experience.) I do feel very blessed to have been in a room where Michael's extraordinary warmth and energy reached out to all and it is a pleasure to know that he is now back "home" in Lincoln. As I said, I do hope that his new effort at ministry will go well. If interested, please share on my heartfelt recommendation that this new offering be tried. (Unfortunately, due to ill health and many demands on my own time and energy, I will not be able to take advantage of the new Center.)

Grace and peace to you all...

(signature)
Feb. 3, 2007

P.S. The book Not by a sword is available on Amazon.com. Here is the bibliographical information about the book:

Not by the Sword: How a Cantor and His Family Transformed a Klansman (Paperback)
by Kathryn Watterson

-------------------------------------------------------------
Editorial Reviews

Book Description
The riveting account begins in 1991, when Cantor Michael Weisser receives his first threatening phone call from Larry Trapp, Grand Dragon of the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Nebraska. Trapp, a wheelchair-bound amputee holed up in a cramped apartment filled with automatic weapons, Nazi paraphernalia, and stacks of hate literature, had for years led a campaign of terror in Lincoln, Nebraska. But Cantor Weisser and his wife Julie refused to be intimidated by Trapp's escalating threats. Instead, they made a stunning offer of friendship; after an emotional confrontation with the Weissers, Trapp shocked everyone -- including himself -- by resigning from the KKK and breaking his ties with other neo-Nazi leaders.

Not by the Sword recounts Larry Trapp's life as a racist, his startling transformation in response to the Weissers' kindness, and his subsequent crusade to redeem his past by apologizing to his victims and speaking out publicly against racism and bigotry. Kathryn Watterson movingly describes how one family, along with other individuals from the Jewish, African American, and Asian American communities in Lincoln, feared, fought, and then forgave a man who had tried to destroy them.

This gripping tale gives the reader an inside view of hate mongering, and offers a powerful testament to the triumph of the human spirit and the transforming power of love and tolerance.

Winner of the Christopher Award.



-----------------------------------

Product Details

Paperback: 363 pages
Publisher: Northeastern University Press; New Ed edition (June 7, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1555534716
ISBN-13: 978-1555534714
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.28 pounds

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Okay - I am dead serious about this.

I have just had a lengthy phone conversation with a prominent pastor of a particular congregation in the Washington, DC area. I told him that I am trying to get a church started up here in MI that is:

(a) KJV-friendly if not -only;
(b) Reformed (solid), not Reformed (Lite).

He was very enthusiastic. I told him I have about 8-10 families in mind right now that might be interested. He told me that if I could get 25-30 people interested, he would send a seminarian and/or minister up here for a fellowship and see what we might get going.

I know most of you are not of my doctrinal or theological "bent," and of course, most of you are not situated anywhere around here (southeastern MI-northwestern OH-southwestern ON). However, in your beautiful forbearance, and with the incredible kindness and tolerance you all have shown me in the past, if you know of anyone who is and who might be interested, could you please PM me? I am shortly going to get a P. O. box and put some ads in appropriate places.

I do believe that this is the reason that the Lord has left me here "with no bone marrow" (also to pray for and do my best to assist on this forum!). I am to try to get a church going and if it takes every ounce of strength I have left, I am going to do it. I am relying totally on His will, grace, mercy and fortitude.

For His glory, and for His kingdom!

Love to all in our Lord Jesus Christ,

mary

P. S. I'll try to keep my PM box cleaned out more diligently than I have in the past! ;)

[mary]

Wow, thanks, Theodora... Fascinating link!

Thank you so much for praying for this new venture. Right now I'm feeling a little shaky about it. I think that'll go away once I do what I have to do with regard to the newspaper ads, etc. I just e-mailed the DC minister with all that I've done so far and I'd like his input as to how to word the ads.

Going to do a flyer... Did I mention the P. O. box? It's P. O. Box 6156, Plymouth, MI 48170-1622... :D :D :D (Nothing like cheeky redundancy to boost an idea in a thread, is there?! :p )

Going to do a lot of Zabasearches on people I've known since I left the RCC...

I know Jews who put mezuzot (that's the plural of mezuzah) on their doorposts... Funny thing is, after they believe in Yeshua HaMashiach, those things kind of vanish or something. He gets written in their hearts...! :D

Cantor Weisser is brave, brave man! Thank you so much for posting this!

Love,

mary

[Janice]

way...WAY COOL mARY!!!!

will be praying!

[Jerry]

Dear Mary,,,
I have a Mezuzah at my front and back door....I have never attached a whole lot to it other than I have always thought it was a nice "Statement of Faith" and a referance to our foundation of faith ;)
Love Jerry

[mary]

Dear Mary,,,
I have a Mezuzah at my front and back door....I have never attached a whole lot to it other than I have always thought it was a nice "Statement of Faith" and a referance to our foundation of faith ;)
Love Jerry

Jerry, that Jewish doctor I've been witnessing to, at the insistence of Lubavitchers* who darkened his doorstep with what to him was irritating frequency, put mezuzot on each door threshhold in his office when he was in another building. He moved about a year ago and they disappeared, as did the Lubavitchers. (I don't think he left them his forwarding address... :D ) As he has a Christian Bible and books by Moishe Rosen of "Jews for Jesus" and Stan Telchin (another Jewish Christian: guess who gave him these books? ;) :rolleyes: ) displayed prominently on his bookshelves, I think the Lubavitchers got a little discouraged.

What creeps me out about mezuzot is that, of course, they contain little pieces of paper on which are written parts of the Talmud and the Law, and they're used as talismen or charms. A Jew who believes in their "power" is supposed to touch them as (s)he walks into a room. :eek: Too much evoking or hearkening back, for me, to the old superstitions re: rosaries, scapulars, relics, medals, candles, incense, ashes on Ash Wednesday, "blessed palms," the Blessed Sacrament, etc., etc. Yuck. (I can think back and still hear my mother screaming, "Everybody say a prayer to St. Anthony! I can't find my car keys!" St. Anthony was "the patron saint of lost things..." :p :confused: She should have prayed for herself and everyone else in our family instead of the freaking car keys, if you get my drift. :cool: :) )

Anyway, a mezuzah that's just decorative is fine; I used to observe them being "rubbed" by Jews and I didn't care for that particular use of them...

Love,

mary

*Lubavitcher: a Hasidic Jew who does "missionary work" among other Jews, especially those who are "in danger" of falling away from Judaism due most often to an intermarriage... (My doctor's wife is the daughter of a Protestant minister, hence the frequent visits by Lubavitchers to him.)

[Jerry]

Dear Mary,,,,
I suppose "foundation of faith" was a poor choice of words...My wife and I try to embrace our Jewish Heritage as much as possible.The Mezuzah at our doors is part of that,,,,an ornamental reference to heritage.I think the only time I touch them is when I take them down to paint the door jambs :D ...Ours also are the updated version....Instead of excerpts of the Talmud we wrote out the "Beatitudes" to put in them.....Hehehe an Orthodox Jew visited once touched the Mezuzah ,,,,,fell on the floor and started speaking in tongues :D ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,not really ;) just a funny thought as I was writing this LOL
Love Jerry

[mary]

Hehehe an Orthodox Jew visited once touched the Mezuzah ,,,,,fell on the floor and started speaking in tongues :D ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,not really ;) just a funny thought as I was writing this LOL
Love Jerry

Hey, Jerry, I'd believe it! ;) ;) :p Anything can happen in today's totally weirded-out "religious" world!!!

Just as long as that unclean camel doesn't defile any of your mezuzot! Now, that would really be a day-ruiner! :D

Love,

mary

[Reg]

Mary,

Definitely one for my prayer list.

I'm also contemplating starting something here in my area. Not a church as such but more a support group. Not sure when. Have to wait for God's timing on this one.

First, I have to get my house in order. Currently it's the knee replacement. That will keep out of circulation for a few months. I actually hope to be golfing by July. :p I've sold my business. Closing the end of March. I will still be somewhat involved with some of my clients for a little while until they adjust to their new rep. So, maybe by this time next year I will be completely free to start something. :eek:

[mary]

Thanks so much, Reg - and I will definitely keep your new ventures in prayer as well. :) First item on the agenda, of course, that knee replacement - and don't try to rush things, i.e., your recuperation. Rushing things with a joint replacement only sets you back a given amount of time; I found that out firsthand.

My husband was one of those who took the "early retirement" offered by Ford Motor Co. yesterday. It'll definitely be weird having him around all the time, or most of the time. He needs something else to do; he has some hobbies, but... Well, it helps to know that 10,000 other Ford employees are "facing a new life" today.

I have a list of about 4,600 things that need to be done around our house. Maybe one a day would make a "dent..." I would certainly be happy if he tackled one a day, or whatever he feels like doing.

Maybe he'll feel like helping me out on the new church venture... :confused: :)

mary