WHAT'S UP?
Every Wednesday we send out an email called What's Up! that comes with a variety of information about things going on at the church, and we include a weekly blog post. You can catch those posts below - or you can subscribe to the email here.
the irascible mr. whitaker
by: Brent Wood
03/20/2024
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When I was just twelve years old, my Dad became the pastor at a church in South Bend, Indiana - and also the pastor of Art Whitaker.Art was old and crusty. Difficult. Angry. He was never happy, could find something wrong with just about anything, liked to complain, you get the idea. But he was faithful; he showed up every Sunday, and every Wednesday bringing his attitude with him. He was an unpleasant man, but in all honesty I'm not sure that people paid much attentio
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finding your inspo
by: Brent Wood
03/20/2024
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the word on chocolate chip cookies
by: Brent Wood
03/20/2024
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A Christmas Story
by: Brent Wood
12/06/2023
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My father was a pastor. So I guess I'm in the family business. Yet he and I are very different in so many ways.He was a preacher from the traditional mold. Every message had a very tight outline - typically three points. They were usually alliterated. He often liked to end his messages with a poem or a song - which he would actually sing. (Don't wait for it.)For years he published books of his sermon outlines through Kregel Publications. You can still buy them today
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Christmas Cards
by: Brent Wood
12/06/2023
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It’s always fun to check the mail in December – and to find a Christmas card or two waiting. They are typically sent by friends made along the way or by family that has moved to distant places. For a few moments we enjoy the memories of the past as well as appreciate the fact that someone thought of us. (Sometimes we even make a mental promise to send our own cards next year!) Occasionally letters are included that give updates on the family; more popular nowadays is t
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The Fish on Your Bumper
by: Brent Wood
11/08/2023
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Nowadays it can be a little risky to read the bumper sticker on the car in front of you. All too often they are inappropriate, rude, and offensive - and that's just the religious stickers! Sometimes bumper stickers can be amusing, too. You just have to hope for the best when you start reading. To be helpful I screened a few for you.
Honk if kid falls outSorry for driving so close in front of youDon't believe everything you thinkIf you can read this...big deal. Most ...read more
(trying to be) All Ears
by: Brent Wood
11/01/2023
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(trying to be) All Ears
Maybe you are aware of the fact that I have hearing issues. My problem, it seems, is a little unique, too. I've had several doctors look at me these past few months and say something to the effect of "you are a very unusual case." That's really not what you want to have the doctor tell you. Turns out I have listening problems, too. Not the same thing. And I am probably not an unusual case when it comes to those. I have some good news, howev
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Small gift, big impact
by: Brent Wood
10/25/2023
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On most Thursdays I head over to Oakland Community College to participate in one of the weekly Bible studies. Each week twelve to fifteen students participate. It's great to see them pursue their faith - and from time to time a student will decide to follow Jesus for the first time. I love it. Even though I am just a volunteer, I was invited to attend a retreat for Intervarsity staff last summer, and while I was there they gave me a small devotional Bible. I've see...
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Feeling salty?
by: Brent Wood
10/19/2023
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We talked quite a bit about salt last Sunday, about many of its uses, and about the fact that it is mentioned over thirty times in Scripture, though we really only looked at one of those instances. Some of those other instances, however, are pretty interesting, and one of them doesn't even show up in our English Bible. In Acts 1:4 we're told that after the resurrection, Jesus met with his disciples and they celebrated a meal together. 4 And being assembled together w
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Unseen flowers
by: Brent Wood
10/05/2023
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Have you ever had the experience of someone making a somewhat offhand comment that for some reason sticks with you? Earlier this week I was listening to a podcast where the host was interviewing a man who was promoting his new book on humility (there is some irony in that). In the course of the conversation the interviewer made this statement: "I have numerous flowers on my property that will never be seen by human eyes, but that doesn't diminish their value. They st...
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The prepositional God
by: Brent Wood
09/29/2023
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Sometimes we try to define God by describing his nature. He is a Spirit, he is a trinity, he is infinite, and so on. Sometimes we try to describe God by identifying his attributes. He is good, he is holy, he is merciful, etc. But do we ever try to describe God by use of prepositions? Maybe we should. God is the God who is WITH us. We often think of this aspect of God at Christmas. Jesus came to be with us. To walk with us. To face the trials of life - our tri...
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In search of a church...
by: Brent Wood
09/21/2023
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(or the neighbors who invited themselves to church)
Derek and Amy were in search of a church. Fortunately for them, their neighbors went to a good church. The neighbors, however, had never invited them. So they invited themselves. Here's how the story went. Derek and Amy lived across the street and down a few doors from me. We lived in a little neighborhood called McKinley Terrace which was where a lot of young people - like my wife and I - bought their first home...
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Life Is Like a Corn Maze
by: Brent Wood
09/13/2023
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Fall is coming. You can feel it in the air. And I love it! There are so many fun things to do in the fall - and I have so many great memories of doing those things with my kids.
Picking apples - we, of course, had to take test bites from every type of apple / tree. We'd come home with stomach aches and way more apples than we could ever eat. Riding the pumpkin train - then we'd wander around the pumpkin patch forever trying to find the perfect pumpkins to carve - and ...read more
My Upper Education
by: Brent Wood
09/06/2023
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This past week or so has brought another first day of school for most of our kids. But for my middle daughter it was the first time in 22 years that she did NOT have a first day of school. I think she was sad; she has always liked school. I, however, was never particularly fond of school, however, I just did the math and discovered that I have personally experienced 40 first days of school - 17 as a student, and another 23 as a teacher. In full disclosure, I actually...
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Keeping things fresh.
by: Brent Wood
08/30/2023
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Sometimes you need to rearrange the furniture or try a new flavor of ice cream or part your hair on the other side. You just need to change things up. It's easy to fall into routines, and while they do make things simpler, they can also prevent us from fully experiencing life. When we just keep doing what we have been doing we don't engage, we don't grow and we get stagnant. The same is true with faith - and our faith routines. Sometimes we need to change things up...
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