October 22nd, 2008
My dear PlainView family,
Hello from Bradford! I am excited to update you all with what I have been doing for the past 6 weeks. (It’s hard to believe that it has only been six weeks since I was in wonderful Oregon.)
If you don’t know me, I have gone to Plainview for my whole life (literally, all 22 years of it). The past four years I have been going to school at George Fox University, which is in Newberg. I graduated there at the end of April with a degree in Fashion Merchandising. Because I had always felt a calling to do service in a cross cultural setting and because I did not have a “real” job lined up after school, this was the perfect time for me to jump into the unknown. I ended up in a program called Radical Journey, which is run through the Mennonite Mission Network (www.mennonitemission.net). It is a year long program (this being it’s first official year after it merged several different programs together), with a month of orientation in Chicago, 10 months in a service location and a month back in your hometown to just talk about your experience and share with others what all God had done in your life, in the team that you were with and in the community you were placed in.
That brings me to now. Chicago was great. I fell in love with the city and grew so close to everyone that I was with. There were 16 people (18-24 year olds in various stages of life) living in one house, and despite that seeming like a nightmare, I thoroughly enjoyed it. (There were always things to explore in Chicago, and people to do things with. Most evenings ended with dinner followed by card/game playing or just hanging out with each other.) There we focused on learning and experiencing different spiritual disciplines like solitude, prayer, journaling, service and so on. We learned more practical matters as well, like cooking meals (each team would take turns cooking for everyone), learning how to navigate in a large city, conflict management and etc. We were able to have various speakers come in who work for the Mission Network and discuss different topics with us like mission and peace, cultural awareness and so on. There are 4 different teams, the other three being Sweden, Paraguay and Brazil. It is hard being away from these people after being so close for a month together and sharing in everything.
I now have been in Bradford for two weeks. My team of Rachel and Lee will be working closely with the Anglican and Methodist churches. Our main service opportunity is working as teaching assistants at Lidget Green Primary School. Due to the recent influx of Pakistani and Indian immigrants into Bradford, the school is primarily made up of Muslim students. I am working with Year 1 (5 and 6 year olds), and in a class of 31, there are 4 that are Caucasian. I have enjoyed getting to know the kids in my class as they are just so sweet. There are a few that are handfuls, but they are constantly calling me over to their desk to help them or to show me what they were able to accomplish. Our other part of service is working with the Methodist youth group as leaders. We are hoping that we can bring more structure and spiritual focus to their time. We went last week and it sounds like every week it is just a time to hang out with each other and maybe play a group game. We leave for 5 days in London next Saturday with them as it is fall break, so that will be a good time to build up relationships with many of them. Finally, Rachel and I are getting involved with a women’s group sponsored by the Methodist Church. These are women who have from Africa (most are from the Democratic Republic of Congo and speak French). They get together to do crafts and have a meal together. I am hoping to get connected with a local café run by the Peace and Justice program at the University of Bradford, which focuses on Fair Trade coffee and everything that they serve for food is organic.
Kristen Leichty
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October 7th, 2008
Last night we held our first Sunday evening service at the Venetian Theater. God moved and blessed in a very special way. Over one hundred people attended and experienced God’s move in their lives as Pastor Dee and the Sunday evening worship group One Heart led the congregation in worship. In addition, Pastor Garry shared a powerful teaching celebrating the New Covenant and Communion.
Come join us every Sunday night at 6:30pm at the Venetian Theater in downtown Albany and encounter the presence of God
Pastor Steve
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July 23rd, 2008
Well, the time had come for me to write my last blog. I’m writing with a lot of mix feelings. This past week many people have asked how I am doing and my answer is that it’s very emotional. I’m happy that I’m returning to Bulgaria to be with the love of my life and my family, but at the same time I’m going to miss all of you because in many ways I do feel PlainView is like family. I have people that I’ve gotten to know and became close to and everyone is so dear to me. I love and am going to miss everyone very much.
I often look back to when I first started working with the youth and now some of those kids have grown and matured. There is nothing greater than investing our lives into others and then seeing the end result. The youth of PlainView have taught me so much. Theyve taught me how to love more, how to be patient and to stay truthful to my words because young people watch you and they want to see that our words are the same as our actions. This is a great responsibility. Probably I’ve failed in ways, but they were good enough to give me another chance. God has really taught me a lot through them. So many times we expect things should be a certain way or will come from a certain person, but God is so beyond that. He has shown us in so many different places in the Bible that He accomplishes things in many different ways and it’s the same thing with me. The youth of PlainView, from the youngest to the oldest, have taught me so much! It’s been a great lesson for all of us to never shut ourselves off or to judge people because of their age, but instead to be open and receptive because we never know but what God might pick a 14 year old teen to speak through.God is so faithful. When we take a step of faith it builds our trust in God. Trust and obedience, they always go together. Walking in Faith is not always easy, but when we do the end results are always beyond what we can think, ask or imagine. I love the scripture in Psalms that says, Taste and see that the Lord is good. We taste it first and, when something is good, we want more. I’m excited for what God has for all of us, especially the youth of PlainView!
I’m going to miss every one of you very much, but I love you and I believe in all of you. Always dream big and remember that nothing is impossible for those that believe.
To everyone at Plainview church, you have showed me such love and acceptance and I’m very thankful to know all of you and to have you as a part of my life. Thank you!
Blessings,
Pastor MonikaNikolova
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July 3rd, 2008
I consider myself privileged in that I have the opportunity to be influenced by diverse spiritual leaders. I meet regularly with local pastors, from many different denominations here in Albany, and they give input to my life. Pastor Dee and I have continued to allow Assemblies of God leadership to speak into our lives. I meet monthly with the local Mennonite pastors and have just returned from the PNMC conference and have been blessed by all they have shared. Do you know the predominate message I hear in all these differing circles? Weve got to get out of the box if were to minister effectively in todays world! Now, heres the thingI really dont think any of us are out of the box yet, but I am praying that my box is getting bigger!
An area that weve really tried to expand our box in is in the area of leadership. For about the last seventeen hundred years the leadership structure in the majority of the local churches has hinged on one individual, the pastor or priest. Heres whats kind of weird about thatit really wasnt that way for the first three hundred years or so of church life. In the early church leadership was a team sport! If youre not so sure read through the Pauline epistles and youll find that Paul was never out there alonehis was a team ministry. I wonder why? Could it be that it worked?
I believe one of the best ways we can kick out the sides of our church box is to get over how ministrys been done for years and look at how God wants us to do ministry! Im blessed to co-pastor PlainView Church with a pastor who is led by Gods Spirit, is a gifted preacher, and an insightful counselorand is also a terrific wife! I do not believe for a moment that I could be even fifty-percent effective in leading the church without the giftings she brings. Together Pastor Dee and I are blessed to be able to team up with Carolyn Stutzman and Gary Lindberg as members of the Advisory Team. Carolyn has a wonderful ability to hear what God is speaking to the churchGary has a wonderful ability to share exactly what God is seeking to teach the churchthey are BLESSINGS!
Here’s the thing, both the Advisory Team and the Leadership Team of Elders has known there was anadditional individual who was to complete the Advisory Team and we are pleased to announce that he has agreed to come on staff effective September 15th! Rev.Garry Siegenthaler, along with his wife, Ruth, have served full-time in ministry for over40 years. He brings a wealth of experience and gifts. Pastor Garry, asa member of the Advisory Team, will meet with us regularly to pray seeking God’s vision and wisdom forPlainView Church. Pastor Garry will not have administrative duties with PlainView, but will be working with Pastor Dee in developing a Sunday evening service to begin in October 2008, will be heading up ministry to our wonderful senior citizens, and will be working in areas of evangelism and visitation.
I should explain what might appear to be a mathematical faux pas. I really do believe one plus one can equal threeat least in Gods kingdom! I know that something marvelous happens whenever I team up with Pastor Deethe results are much greater than anything that could have happened if wed worked independently of each other. Over the years weve had the opportunity to hook up with both Gary Lindberg and with Garry Siegenthaler and the results just seem to be exponential as well!
Please join Pastor Dee and I, along with all the Advisory and Leadership Team members, in praying that the mid-Willamette Valley is touched in a profound way as we continue to walk in obedience to Gods leading.
Blessings!
Pastor Steve
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June 18th, 2008
Okay, Ill admit itIm a Bowie fan! I know some of you are shocked. You say to yourself, But hes a pastorand besidesthats so 80ishhe needs to get with the now. The other day I was listening to the collaborative efforts of David Bowie and Queen as they recorded the 1981 hit song Under Pressure. I will admit its not the most encouraging of songs as it reflects on the toll of living under the pressure of life in the 21st century (well, back then the 20th). The lyrics speak to pressure that splits a family in two and puts people on streets. As I was listening to the songs catchy phrasing it brought Zerubbabel to mind.
National economicspoliticssocial issuesdoes it ever seem like its all just a little too much? We certainly live in challenging timesZerubbabelhe lived in some challenging times as well! The surviving remnant of Judah was living under the rule of Darius of the Medo-Persian empire and Zerubbabel held the position of governor of Judah. Oh, it might look like a great job at first glance, but upon closer examinationwho would want it? Zerubbabel must keep Darius happyZerubbabel must keep the Hebrews happyand Zerubbabel must, at the same time, keep himself happy - by fulfilling the call of God on his life. Heres the thing, God called Zerubbabel to head up the task of reconstructing the temple in Jerusalem. This guy knew pressure!
Probably the thing that kept Zerubbabel from crumbling under the pressure was the fact that God had spoken to him. This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of God bless it! God bless it! God assured Zerubbabel with the same truth He seeks to reassure the Church with todaythat its not by might nor by power but by HIS Spirit that we will fulfill the call of God on our lives! God continues by assuring Zerubbabel that whatever mountains must be moved will be moved. It is then that God begins to speak of the capstone and how it will be brought out accompanied by shouts of God bless it! From a Spiritual point of view we know this capstone is a prophetic reference to Jesus Christ who would show up about 500 years later. From an architectural point of view a capstone typically refers to the top stone in an archwaythe stone that enables an arch to remain an arch!
Yes we live in challenging times, but so long as the Church keeps Jesus Christ as its capstone the church will remain the church! The other day I ran across this interesting statement by Viktor Frankl: If architects want to strengthen a decrepit arch, they increase the load which is laid upon it, for thereby the parts are joined more firmly together. What is the greatest way to insure you dont crumble under the pressure? Make certain youre relying on Jesus Christ as the One that the pressure all rests onits the only way we will ever fulfill the call of God on our lives.
Blessing!
Pastor Steve
NOTE: A portion of this blog will appear as an article in the Religion Section of the Albany Democrat-Herald this Friday. To post a comment directly to the blog website just click where it says No Comments or 1 Comment (etc.) and a screen will come up that says Leave a Reply Post your comment by clicking on Submit Comment and it will go into the websites moderation page where PlainView staff will review the posted comment for approval.
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June 12th, 2008
First we have the sub-prime mortgage debaclethen I hear that gas prices are projected to continue to rise and we need to be concerned about inflationnow Im worried about Ed McMahons home in Beverly Hills going into foreclosure! You, like me, may be ready to join George Jetson in crying out: Janeget me off this crazy thing! With all the apparent bad news delivered daily to our homes its really easy to get caught up in a cycle of worry and anxiety.
Monday was my day-off and a great opportunity for the combined activities of lawn mowing and meditationI really have some of my best thoughts while I am mowing! As I was completing my perfunctory second lap around the perimeter of the front yard I realized I was in a fairly negative mindset. (I had just finished listening to Pat Robertson explain to all his 700 Club listeners how our political leaders were destroying the nations economy.) As I prepared to make my first diagonal cut across the front lawn (mowing diagonally rather than back and forth or from the outside perimeter in is a bit more work but definitely worth it) I felt God interrupt my melancholy meditation. He brought me back to the message I had just shared on Sunday about the necessity of viewing our success as coming directly from Him. I felt He was asking me where I thought my successas well as my provision and health and blessing and life and joy and peace came from! Obviously, if we must view our success as coming from the Divine, so must we view all the blessings that show up in our daily lives. James 1:17 tells us: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lightsWhat a powerful Scripture! How freeing it is to see that everything good that shows up in our lives comes to us directly from God Himself! From this perspective you and I need not struggle with concerns or worries about the direction of our national economy because our Gods resources are not dependant on or subject to the resources of this physical universe!
Front lawn finishedI moved to the back. What if our perspective really does create our reality? What if the normal (nothing more than the psychopathology of the average) way of viewing our provision and resources as coming from this world of dwindling resources actually creates that reality for Gods children? What if reallytrulyviewing our provision and resources as coming from Gods fully over-abundant Kingdom equally creates our reality? Could shifting our perspective - and maintaining that shift dramatically change how we experience this life? Thoughts that fully engulfed my mind the remainder of my mow!
As I sat on our veranda celebrating how good the lawn looked (a diagonal cut makes ALL the difference) I was struck with one final thought and, while it may seem a bit disjointed from the others I think it may fit. I remembered the well-worn economic adage (typically repeated by the have-nots as they rue the successes of the haves): It takes money to make money. Now, we all assume this is trueif everyone says it, it must be truebut is it? Maybejust maybe the reason this adage appears true isnt due to the presence of the money itself (the it takes money piece of the puzzle), but rather due to the confidence or faith that money brings to its possessors! Maybe the only reason this appears to work is that those who have know they have and act as if they have and because the know and act in this way their faith creates more of the same. What ifand this is a BIG what ifwhat if Gods children began to have a knowing that they have and began to act as if they have? Is it possible that if we knew and acted in such a way that our faith might create more of the same as well?
Heres the thingwhile the media may be prognosticating tougher economic times ahead is it possible that God wants to bless His children so that we can be a blessing to this world? If this is the case then it is critical that you and I begin to shift not only our way of viewing our provision and resources, but also shift our way of thinking regarding the use of the provision that shows up in our lives. I believe God wants to provide blessing for His childrennot just so that we are blessedBUT SO THAT WE CAN BE A BLESSING!
Just some thoughtsId love to hear back from you.
Blessings!
Pastor Steve
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June 4th, 2008
Well, its time for a new blog. It has been a while since Ive written one and I wanted to share with all of you something that God has put on my heart. Recently, Ive been thinking a lot about prayer and how vital it is for us as Christians. Ive been meditating on the scripture in James 5:16 where it says: The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful result. What a great and powerful scripture!
A month ago I was sharing with the youth at Sunday class about prayerthat you dont need some special words in order to prayinstead just pour your heart to God. He is faithful not only to hear you, but answer you! Prayeras with all communicationis a two-way street. Thats the cool thing about prayer; God not only wants to hear from you, He wants to answer you as well. 2 Chronicles 7:14 promises just that: If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. When I read this it helps reminds me that I need God in everything and for everythingANDI cant do it on my own that helps me to stay humble.
Often, when everything is going well, I forget to pray or I dont spend as much time in prayer as I should. Butheres the thingIve caught myself, when I face difficulties or I need an answer from God, one of the first things I do is pray. However, I dont want that. I want to have a lifestyle of prayer that isnt based on what is or what isnt happening. It is amazing how we can spend so much time talking to each other about different things, but we take just a little time to pray about them. Most of the time we pray only for the BIG things in our lives, but we forget that God cares about the little things as well.
I just want to encourage everyone to take time to pray a little bit moreandIm sure we will see things begin to happen in our families, friends, church, city, country and all over the world. Go back to that wonderful verse in Jameslook at the powerful promise it ends with: a wonderful result! I want to see those results!
I can tell you I havent arrived where I want to be in my prayer walk, but I do want to develop it more and more. Lets not be too busy for prayer. This is what moves God: when His people come together in unity and prayer. When we do that we will see great and mighty things happen.
Blessings,
Monika Nikolova
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May 28th, 2008
Wow! I cant believe Ive worked here a year and a half and Ive never blogged. Where does the time go??? I can tell you where my last year has gone..
As most of you know my husband has been deployed to Iraq for this last year. I am very excited to share that he will be home very soon!!! We appreciate all of your prayers and ask that you continue to pray for a safe return.
For me personally this has been a roller coaster of a year. There have been times of loneliness, sadness, joyfulness, and growth. I have run the gamut of emotions. Through all of this I have grown closer to God than Ive ever been in my life. A situation like this can make or break you. A lot of it (I believe) is how you choose to handle the situation. From the time that Chris (my husband) was notified that he would be deploying, he and I both decided to view this as a missions trip for him and a time for God to use him. I will let him share his story at another time.
I want to say a very BIG thank you to my church family here at PlainView. Without you I would not have made it through. You have reached out to me and my kids in love. You have offered a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on. I am blessed beyond words. Some of you have become so much more than church family to me. I believe family goes beyond blood sometimes. I have true brothers and sisters here.
I look forward to coming to work at PlainView each and every day. I have to be honest when I was approached about taking the job as Business Administrator, I had to laugh and ask are you serious? I never dreamed that I would want to work here. But after much prayer and discussion with my husband I decided to take the job. Little did I know that 2 months after I started here Chris would be told that he was going to be deployed.
Working here is not just a job to me. Its a ministry and I LOVE it!!! I work with some of the most wonderful people that Ive ever met.
To sum it all up..
God has been so good this last year. I have much to be thankful for.
Chris, myself, & our children are blessed beyond words to have this family that we have come to love and lean on.
Im excited to see where God is going to take this church this next year and also looking forward to reflecting next year at what He is going to do in my life personally and in this church.
Blessings my family!
Linda Lambert
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April 28th, 2008
I can’t tell you how excited Pastor Dee and I are about everything that is happening at PlainView Church. The last few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind with the wonderful Matsiko Ugandan Children’s Choir (weren’t they just amazing), Friday night Teen Idol each week,showers, receptions, our regular weekly schedules, and our own Karaoke night. If you missed theKaraoke night you really missed out!Awhole lotta’ fun and talent all packed into one great evening.
Many great things happening…and in the middle of all that a sad note…saying good-bye to our OfficeAdministrator Amy Matis. Amy moved to Albany over a year ago from Louisiana to work with us and has done a tremendous job. Our prayers and blessing go with her as she returns home and prepares for married life. Amy, we’ll miss you!
Wow!A lot goingon…but…that’s really not the source of our excitement. We are justso excited with what has been happening here at the VenetianTheater on Sunday mornings. There has been a keen presence of the Holy Spirit with many responding by allowing Him to do His work in their lives. A number of people have been visiting and STAYING…feeling both God’s presence and His love. Likewise, a number of people have been responding to God, plugging into relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
To my thinking there are two important aspects of Church life that need to be in balance to facilitate healthy spiritual development. One, God’s Spirit must be atwork justas we’ve been experiencing; and, second, themembers of the Churchmust be living in healthy relationship with each other. This last Sunday morning I had been downstairs getting something from my office and as I approached the stairwell leading up I realized how tremendously noisy it was upstairs. As I stepped into the foyer the source of all the noise was quite apparent…people were standing throughout the foyer in small groups - talking, visiting, and laughing! As I entered the auditorium I was struck with the same noise…God’s people enjoying the company of each other…Praise God!
God has great plans for us…He has great plans for YOU! Pastor Dee and I are looking forward to seeing them fulfilled.
Pastor Steve
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March 11th, 2008
Who would think it such a difficult thing to sit downand write? The title of our blog is “Daily Blog”…it’s a miracle if it’s a monthly blog, which leaves me feeling very conflicted. You see I honestly believe PlainView’s website and this blog have the potential to draw people, both within and without our church, into healthy and helpful dialogue. Believing this to be a wonderful tool I feel convicted about my dismal attention to it and am going to attempt to give it the attention it deserves.
We’ve just finished up two great back to back Sundays of Pastor Dee’s teaching on the Prodigal Son and the Older Brother… what great lessons for each of us to take ahold of. As she was sharing I found myself thinking about how I have played both roles from time to time…both the Prodigal and the Older Brother and how the goal is really to shake off both these wayward roles and instead be like the Father! Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be about? Instead of allowing myself to get focused on the things of this physical experience and getting all caught up with them…or…getting focused on the people of this physical experience and judging them…just be like the Father! Love…restore…reconcile…bring peace! I want to be like the Father!
Hopefully I’ll share more later this week. In the meantime I would encourage you to share your thoughts and engage in the conversation by posting a comment or two.
Blessing…
Pastor Steve
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