THE CHAPEL CHALLENGE February 2015 A Newsletter from Windsor Chapel Page 1 Downward Dog By Janice Straubel Since the birth of our great niece Avery a year and a half ago, our holiday celebrations have taken on new delights. This past New Year’s Day after enjoying our family pork and sauerkraut dinner, Avery hopped off her high chair and giggled as she did what her daddy dictated. “Avery, hop. Avery, run. Avery, dance.” The best one though was, “Avery, downward dog!” Quick as a wink, she bent at the waist and was in the classic yoga position. Of course, we all laughed and clapped as she continued to entertain us with the antics of an eighteen month old. It’s no wonder Jesus loved children. They are responsive, spontaneous, uninhibited and FLEXIBLE! Children like to play, learn and explore. They delight in repetitive songs and books and say, “Again, again!” I want to have the childlike quality of flexibility as I continue into this new year. Jesus Himself is a perfect example of being flexible or adaptable in everyday life. He was interrupted constantly and still calmly dealt with the new situation at hand. He responded in love to those who approached Him with questions and heartaches. He also rebuked the Pharisees for being the opposite of childlike. The Pharisees were rule-keepers, schedule followers, rigid believers in the law. They didn’t understand such things as, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). Jesus challenged their ritualistic and self-righteous teachings. Jesus wanted us to enjoy a relationship with God and others rather than constraining followers to inflexible, judgmental living. I am learning the benefits of staying flexible as I grow older—not just physically, but spiritually. My husband and I were blessed to have the Pastor Andy and Janice went to Ixtapaluca, Mexico, in December to prepare for the summer mission trip. While there they saw pre-Aztec ruins and were put to work helping to paint a community center. The bottom picture is of a mural depicting the return of Jesus, painted on the side of a water tower near the center. opportunity to visit missionaries near Mexico City in December. Now Andy loves new adventures, but I am a definite home bug. I like my routines, my own kitchen, bathroom, schedule, thermostat, etc., etc. Even my day job of being an elementary school librarian is comforting to me in its routines. Getting out of my warm little comfort zone is not my idea of fun! Anyway, I knew traveling to a third world Continued on page 2… THE CHAPEL CHALLENGE February 2015 A Newsletter from Windsor Chapel Page 2 “Downward Dog,” continued… country would be life-changing, and my daily life could stand some shaking up! We left VERY early on a Wednesday morning in December and arrived in Mexico City in less than five hours. From the moment we stepped off the plane, everything seemed different and therefore uncomfortable to me. I was hungry, tired and off my normal schedule! Fortunately, our new missionary friends quickly swooped in and directed us to their car from the baggage area and the adventure began. As we SLOWLY drove through Mexico City, I was aware of the multitudes of people, sounds and smells. Everything was so DIFFERENT than home. Everything was in a different language and a different setting. Over the next five days there, we met many sweet people, learned a lot of Mexican history and culture, and had time to listen to what God was saying. Sometimes change causes us to gain a new fresh perspective and strips away all the weights that so easily beset us. I personally learned to let go of my need to be in control and to embrace the vibrancy of a new setting in which to learn from God. If I would have refused to venture out due to anxiety or fear of the unknown, I would have mixed the life-changing five days of seeing the body of Christ alive and well in another culture. This new year I want to say “YES” to more opportunities (like writing this article!) and move out of my comfort zone. I want to stay young in my heart, my mind and my spirit and be flexible and pliable in the hands of my loving, heavenly Father. I want to see interruptions as God moments and take time with people. I want to do downward dog every day and see life from a new perspective! What about you? Is it time for you to try something new for the Lord? Time to do something out of your comfort zone? May God give us each the grace to let go of our own need to control and jump off the ledge into the adventure of His purposes. 11th Hour Classes Our 11th Hour adult classes resume Sunday, February 1. Please join us as we seek to discover and apply biblical truths to our lives. The women will investigate the genealogy of Christ. They will meet in the Chapel House. Teachers will be Janet Berrill and Cindy Bills. The men will meet downstairs and do a study by Tim Keller called, Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything. It will be taught by the elders. Giving Envelopes for Cash Donations If you forget your giving envelope or don’t have any assigned to you, blank giving envelopes are now available in the lobby for cash donations. They will be on the table in a clear plastic holder. Please remember to write your name on the envelope!! New Directories Our new Chapel Directories containing updated information and the listings of our newest chapel members are available in the chapel foyer. Thank you for helping us keep our database up-to-date. Perisseia Our women's growth group has begun its winter series on the foundations of relationship. Meetings are Thursday evenings, 7:00 - 8:30, in the Chapel House. All women are welcome. No commitment or preparation is necessary. Please come when you can and as you are able. For more information, please contact Cindy Bills ([email protected]; 609275-8557). THE CHAPEL CHALLENGE February 2015 A Newsletter from Windsor Chapel Youth Ministry By Jean LaRosa During January, the Youth Group had the opportunity to view and discuss pictures from Pastor Andy’s trip to Ixtapaluca, Mexico, in December. This trip was in preparation for the church mission trip to Ixtapaluca planned for this summer. We also continued in our study of the book of Ephesians. We’re looking forward to Winter Blast weekend at Camp Orchard Hill in Dallas, PA, February 6 – 8. Please keep our group in prayer: that we will have safe travels and grow in friendship and in our walk with God. Harris Ministry Clothing Giveaway Set aside clean and gently used clothing for men, women, children and infants for the Harris Ministry President’s Day Clothing Giveaway. Bedding, shoes, and children’s books are also needed. Please place your donations in the chapel back hall by Sunday, February 8. The Harris Ministry greatly appreciates your contributions to this important outreach. Page 3 Creating Wearable Art Fiber artist and yarn spinner, Windsor Chapel member Lise Hill, was recently able to demonstrate her yarn artistry at the Trenton Farmers Market. Lise creates original wearable art, combining her fine art skills with her love for fiber. She hand spins mostly llama or alpaca, a talent she learned from her mother. Lise dyes some of her yarn and is currently studying natural dying. Many of the yarns she uses are hand dyed and spun. She loves to make “art yarn,” which is a mixture of a variety of yarns, colors and textures. She knits and crochets one of a kind smaller items, scarves and shawls, to show textures, softness and color. Lise also creates special orders of knit items and yarn. THE CHAPEL CHALLENGE February 2015 A Newsletter from Windsor Chapel Further Up and Further In Inviting dialogue to encourage growth in and among us By Cindy Bills February: A Month of Mixed Blessings One of the perks of pet ownership is that there is always something new to learn. In the course of the last 25 years my husband and I have learned a few principles about training dogs. With our last dog, our vet recommended we try a head collar (sometimes called a Gentle Leader) to help Daisy remain calm when we took her to new places. We dutifully headed to the pet store, and as we opened the package, I was struck by a bit of information that was included with the instructions: “The more a dog resists wearing a head collar, the more he needs it.” We were not surprised that Daisy absolutely hated the head collar. She far preferred to direct her own activity rather than be directed. I am afraid to say that the same is true with me and the month of February. I am sure that I am in good company when I say that I really don’t like endless gray, cold, and damp days. But I think my dislike of February goes deeper than that. From a creation standpoint, February (in New Jersey) is a time of rest and waiting. After the harvest in the fall, the earth rests from its work and waits for spring and the beginning of another growing season. The sun rises late and sets early. Many animals head to warmer climates or hibernate. There is a sense of stillness and recovery in the outdoor world before the anticipation of spring begins with more abundant sunlight, blooming plants, and chirping birds looking for mates. Page 4 This is why I don’t like—but very much need— the month of February. In many ways it is a time of rest and waiting for me as well. The push of the holiday season is over, and I have an opportunity to recover from the rush. And although ministries re-start, there is also the sense of waiting for spring and the resurgence of outside activities. I don’t like to rest and wait. I far prefer to “do.” But when I persist in my busy-ness, I miss out on the Lord’s refreshment, and I am less prepared to bear fruit at His appointed time. I would do well to welcome February as my “head collar,” to see it as a tool to help me give up my own ambitions and desires and let God refresh and direct me. I may not like it, but perhaps I can begin to appreciate February as a blessing, as a gift from my Lord who would have me abide in Him and bear fruit for His glory. Please feel free to contact Cindy (609-275-8557 or [email protected]) to continue the dialogue.... Tax Receipts for Non-Cash Donations Windsor Chapel now provides receipts for the donation of goods and property (not stating the value) if requested at the time the donation is made. Paul Maselli will be your main point of contact ([email protected]), but FINCOM will assist as needed. FINCOM will put reminders in the bulletin around coordinated giving events (e.g. Thanksgiving grocery drive). Note: Please talk to your tax advisor, but as per IRS guidelines, donations of goods and property of $250 or more need to be properly receipted IF you want to claim the deduction. THE CHAPEL CHALLENGE February 2015 A Newsletter from Windsor Chapel Elders’ Corner By Ken Bills One of the things I enjoy as worship leader at Windsor Chapel is having input in what new songs we sing. “Here’s My Heart, Lord,” by David Crowder, is a song that I wanted us to sing the first time I heard it, and I have come to appreciate it even more as we have used it occasionally during communion. I thought it might be helpful to share why this song attracted me, and what I think it is saying to us. The song starts with the chorus: Here's my heart, Lord, Here's my heart, Lord Here's my heart, Lord, Speak what is true These words are very simple, but combine two of the most powerful parts of worship. One of the fundamental elements of worship is offering ourselves to God. In Romans 12:1, Paul writes: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” In the Bible, the heart is the center of a person’s spiritual and rational life. That’s why God commands in Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” When we lay our hearts before God, we are putting before Him the deepest center of our very selves. But we are not just offering our hearts to God, we are asking Him to speak the truth to us. And I need that, because I know, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). This is a rhetorical question, because the answer is clear: only the Lord searches the heart and knows its secrets (Jeremiah 17:10). So, in a sense, when I lay my heart before God, I am expecting bad news, the truth about the depth of my sin. Of course, God already knows it. And I need to hear it – just as when I am about to leave the house having forgotten (again) to comb my hair, I need my wife to speak truth to me. Apart from the Lord, my heart is constantly in full cover-up mode, working to hide my sinfulness from me. Even if the news is hard to hear, I need it. So, that was what initially drew me to the song – it led me to offer myself to God and to be open to hearing His voice. But lately I have come to appreciate the rest of the lyrics. Here is verse 1: Page 5 I am found, I am Yours I am loved, I'm made pure I have life, I can breathe I am healed, I am free What does this have to do with laying our hearts before God and Him speaking truth to us? The answer, I think, is that the deceitfulness of our hearts goes beyond hiding our sin from us. Our hearts can also refuse to accept the truth of God’s redemption. That’s why we lay our hearts before Him. As the apostle John reminds us, “By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:20). Or, as Paul says, “It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns?” (Romans 8:33–34). When God speaks truth to my heart, it is not only about my sin, but also about His forgiveness – and in this verse we are echoing back to God the truth that He speaks to us about who we are in Christ and what He has done for us. In the next two verses, the focus turns back to God and who He is: Verse 2 You are strong, You are sure You are life, You endure You are good, always true You are light breaking through Verse 3 You are more than enough You are here, You are love You are hope, You are grace You're all I have, You're everything In these verses, I think God is again answering our doubting hearts with His truth, and as we sing, we are echoing the truth He wants to speak to our hearts. Our hearts doubt God’s power, but His truth is that He is strong. Our hearts fear that He is wrathful, but God tells us He is love and grace. Our hearts whisper that God is not sufficient for our problems, but God declares that He is more than enough. Our hearts tell us that we can find life and meaning elsewhere, but God reminds us that He is life; He is all we have; He is everything. In this song, as in life, we go to God and lay our sinful and unbelieving hearts before Him, and God, knowing the worst about us, speaks to us truth. And the surprise is that the truth, because of what Christ has done for us, is not condemnation and rejection, but words of hope and life. THE CHAPEL CHALLENGE February 2015 A Newsletter from Windsor Chapel Reupholstering By Janet Berrill Almost twenty years ago we bought a used dining room set from an estate sale. Although the kitchen is the primary room where we eat as a family, over the years the dining room set has gotten a lot of use. And with use comes wear. The chairs eventually got to the point where some of the material had worn thin, some of it was torn in parts, and some had stains. It was time to reupholster. At the urging of some of my friends, I decided to do the project myself with the help of my friend, LuAnn. When we were figuring out how much material and foam padding we would need, LuAnn pointed to an extra chair in the dining room and asked if I wanted to reupholster that one as well. Looking at the chair, I saw that the vinyl on top had split exposing the foam underneath. Actually, the chair had been that way for quite a long time. I never really paid attention to it, since it wasn’t a chair I used much, if at all. It was just an extra chair in the corner. I decided to add that chair to our reupholstering project. When LuAnn pointed out the chair, I felt embarrassed by how bad it looked. How could I put that chair in the dining room looking like that? But what surprised me most was how I didn’t really notice it. Yes, I knew the top was split, but that happened a long time ago and, in a way, I stopped seeing it because I saw it all the time. I had become so used to it that I failed to comprehend how bad it looked. Unfortunately, I think the same can be said of sins in our lives. Sometimes a sin has been around for so long that we fail to see just how bad it really is. We rationalize it by saying Page 6 things like, “That’s just the way I am.” Or, “I’ve always been like that.” Instead of seeing the sin for how ugly it really is, we gloss over it and don’t even take notice of it. One sin that has been in my life for a very long time is impatience. I tend to get impatient with things, or processes, rather than people. For example, if I am trying to do a simple task and I fail at it twice, I’m already at the point of saying to myself in frustration, “Come on! What is the problem?!” rather than calmly trying to do it again. Impatience has been with me for a long time in one form or another, and it is not something I have actively worked on addressing—until now. When LuAnn pointed out the chair and brought its bad condition to my attention, I realized God has been showing me how ugly impatience is to Him. And just like the chair appears transformed now that it’s been reupholstered, I am feeling like a new person as God helps me to be more patient. My challenge to you is to ask God what sin you have in your life that you’ve become complacent about, because it’s been there so long. Ask God to open your eyes so that you see how ugly it is to Him, and then ask Him to help set you free. The results will be transforming. If you have any items or information you would like to share in the newsletter please e-mail: Susan Seiboth at [email protected] Dorothy Soi at [email protected] Chapel Office (609) 799-2559 www.windsorchapel.org Contributing Photographer: Janet Berrill, Jean LaRosa, Pastor Andy Straubel, Janice Straubel