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  A MESSAGE from Pastor Michael Njus portrait photo acknowledgement:  "We are Disciples of Christ,
a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord's table as God has welcomed us." - Statement of identity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - You are invited to Worship, partake of The Lord's Supper, Study & Learn more about Jesus Christ and Fellowship with us 1702 Boyd - (the NW corner of 17th & Boyd) - Ashland NE 68003 Our church is located in the Heart of Historic Ashland NE (402) 944 - 7070 church offices (402) 217 - 2943 pastors' cell phone You may reach Pastor Mike via e-mail: Pastor Mike and our Congregation invite you to become a "Friend" on Facebook  < < Click on the Facebook Logo Join in the "daily conversation" of First Christian members, former members & "FRIENDS" on our Facebook page
We invite you to read the recent article and interview with Pastor Mike, addressing the At-Home Dad's Program, Pastor Mike is an active Emeritus Member & Facilitator of; reprinted and published with grateful acknowledgement written by Jill Bruckner, of Neighborhood News, a free publication, distributed courtesy of HY-VEE Stores Be sure to 'scroll down' the page to find the article below the At-Home Dad's national convention logo 16th Annual At Home Dad's Convention October 8th, 2011 - Washington D.C. INFO LINK > >  < < Link To Daddyshome, Inc.
MARCH 2011 Blessings From Numbers 6:24-26 “The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” I was reading an article in a journal, about blessings. A personal favorite of mine is The Old Irish Blessing – "May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand." There is great power in the act of blessing. So why don't we offer more blessings for one another?
Maybe we assume the people we care about don't need a blessing. We think children need advice. We see that our family needs support. A friend needs an ear. A spouse needs a kind word. Someone who just cut me off in traffic needs a piece of my mind. We may not consider that what someone may need, more than anything else — what that person may be hungry for, is a blessing.
Or maybe we have concluded that someone doesn't deserve a blessing. I stumbled onto an old Gaelic blessing: "May those who love us, love us. And those who don't turn their hearts; and if those who don't turn their hearts, may they turn their ankles, so we'll know them by their limping." That's more like a curse — which, of course, is the opposite of a blessing. But doesn't that capture the kind of blessings we are sometimes tempted to offer?
Sometimes the good words stick in our throats. They can be hard to say. So it's important to remember that words of blessing are borrowed words. We are asking God to bless, and sometimes, maybe that's because we don't have any good words of our own to offer. To say, "May God bless you," is to borrow the power of God to offer good words when that seems beyond us. It is asking God to take the lead. I invite you to ask God to take the lead, and I wish you many blessings, God’s blessings. Pastor Mike I had the privilege of attending the installation of one of my ELM classmates this past Sunday. Steven was installed as pastor at New England Congregational UCC in Stanton NE. The service was attended by about a dozen clergy members. It was beautiful. Sitting through the service reminds each of the pastors present, of their installation. I share this with you, because on reflection, as members of the christian community and family members in faith, we all are commissioned to minister. Let me share my reasoning. When I was installed as your pastor here at First Christian, all present are a part of the Covenant that is being formed. We were commissioned to stand in Christian Unity. This covenant is formed to: "Reaffirm our baptism and our commitment to Jesus the Christ and our loyalty to Christ's church. We covenant to up hold our pastor with our prayers; to share his joys and sorrows; to attend to his preaching and teaching of God's word; to welcome his pastoral care; and honor his leadership" And 2 years ago when installed, I entered into covenant with you: "Standing with you, I promised to be your pastor and in the strength and grace of Jesus Christ I covenant to serve this congregation in all faithfulness for the glory of God." Finally in the Installation Prayer we see the final plea for Unity: "Almighty God, give us the grace to do the work to which you have call us in Jesus Christ. Fill this community of faith by your Spirit, that it may work together as one people to be the body of Christ in his reconciling ministry. Blend together the variety of gifts manifested within the congregation(community) to strengthen its fellowship for service to the world. In solidarity with all your people of every time and place we pray that your will may be done here on earth through our worship, witness, and work." On reflection, in the bible, in the great commission, we are directed by God to go forth and make disciples of men, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son,, and of the holy spirit. I see us being called to unite in christian unity right there in that installation service. I feel blessed to be called, in covenant, to walk with each and every one of you in our walk of faith. We are all, everyone of us called by God to our ministry. We are called, everyone of us, called to Christian Unity. Blessings, Pastor Mike A NOTE FROM THE PASTOR As we pack away the Christmas decorations and attempt to recover from all the festivities of Christmas we come to a time in the Church Calendar called Epiphany. Epiphany is a Greek word which means to show forth, to appear, to become visible, or to clearly show.
In the church, Epiphany is considered a feast day to celebrate the reveling of Gods Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. We recognize it on the Sunday that falls between January 2 and January 8 (January 2 this year). We use this time to remember the star in the sky, that led the Magi of the east to bear witness to the Christ Child. Put it another way, we are reminded of the Christ Candle we lit on Christmas Eve. It is a day to remember that God has not left us without a light.
As we journeyed through Advent, we talked about the coming light. The light of Hope, and Peace, and Love that was sent down to us, in Jesus Christ. It's normal for many, this time of year, to be down. We are past the excitement and anticipation of Christmas. The light of day is short, the dark of night is at its longest.
We need to remember the promising words we see in John 1:4&5 when it tells us of Jesus: 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. These words are written to remind us, in these dark times of winter, to not be discouraged. Remember Romans 15:4&5 where it says, 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might havehope. 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.
This prayer from our Chalice Worship book is perfect: Lord God of the nations, we have seen the star of your glory rising in splendor. The radiance of your incarnate Word pierces the night that covers the earth and signals the dawn of justice and peace. May this brightness illumine our lives and beckon all nations to walk as one in your light.
We ask this through Jesus Christ your Word made flesh, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, in the splendor of eternal light, God forever and ever. Amen
Wishing you the blessings of the light of the Christ Child this new year Pastor Mike DECEMBER 2010 Christmas Lights
One of my favorite things to do, during the Christmas season, is to drive around and look at the lights. From the very simple displays, to the very big displays, there is beauty in all. Simplistic to extravagant.
A major symbol of Christmas is the Christmas Tree Lights. Before electricity, the decorated evergreen tree often had lighted candles as an important part of the trees adornment. I remember Grandpa explaining that the tradition of bringing the tree in, on Christmas eve to decorate and light the candles was, so that the tree was fresh, and safer to light the candles, , although someone was always on the watch when the tree was lit. Today, the candle has been replaced by the light bulb and its beauty is applied to houses and outdoor trees, and bushes, , to wood and wire forms as well as the indoor tree.
The symbolism of light is at the heart of the Christian faith. John pointed out early in his gospel that “4 In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4,5). “Jesus spoke of himself as the light of the world. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12). In our life of faith, if we want to know how life is to be lived, as God intended it to be, then we need to see life in the light of Jesus’ life and teachings.
The colored lights remind us of the variety of wonderful things that we have in life. In John 10:10 we are reminded, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.“ The abundance of light in this season speaks to the abundant life offered in Jesus.
The other night, we had been visiting with the neighbors, and it had gotten dark. We didn’t have a light with us, , , and it’s not a long walk,, but to walk in the dark was frightening for Abby. To walk in darkness is frightening, especially when you are walking in new territory. The word of God through the Bible, is a guide to living. Jesus is the word that “became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.” The reason for the season. May the light of Christ, shine in you and through you. Christmas Blessings, Pastor Mike NOVEMBER 2010 Count Your Blessings It’s fall,,,, harvest time. A natural time, in the rhythm of life to pause and seek a few minutes of relaxation and count our blessings. Each of us has a setting in which “contentment” pays a visit, where we seek our moment of peace.. Maybe its early in the morning while the coffee is hot and everyone else is asleep or late at night as you kiss your little ones sleepy eyes. Maybe it’s late afternoon when the kids stop by with the grandkids. Maybe it’s in a boat on a lake when memories are more vivid. Maybe it’s in the afternoon sun, on the porch with a well worn, dog-eared Bible. The holidays are getting closer, so maybe it’s at Thanksgiving dinner or sitting near the Christmas tree. Unfortunately, our “American Life” has a tendency to be more accurately described as a wheel in a hamster cage of schedules, contests, and side glancing. I’d like to share a daily devotion from Max Lucado and his reflections.
A whole hour like these mentioned times are more common than a one-legged monkey”. Contentment in our world is like a strange street vendor, roaming, looking for a home, but seldom finding an open door. This old salesman moves slowly from house to house, tapping on windows, knocking on doors, offering his wares: an hour of peace, a smile of acceptance, a sigh of relief. But his goods are seldom taken. We are too busy to be content. Which is crazy, since the reason we kill ourselves today is because we think it will make us content tomorrow. “Not now, thank you. I’ve too much to do,” we say. “Too many marks to be made, too many achievements to be achieved, too many dollars to be saved, too many promotions to be earned. And besides, if I’m content, someone might think I’ve lost my ambition.” So the street vendor named Contentment moves on. When I asked him why so few welcomed him into their homes, his answer left me convicted. “I charge a high price, you know. My fee is steep. I ask people to trade in their schedules, frustrations, and anxieties. I demand that they put a torch to their fourteen-hour days and sleepless nights. You’d think I’d have more buyers.” He scratched his beard, then added pensively, “But people seem strangely proud of their ulcers and headaches.”
I paraphrase the work of Max, because his word pictures captured me. I couldn’t do better in my own words. As we go through fall and near the holidays, I invite you to make time for a few minutes of relaxation and give up the ulcers and headaches and take time to count our blessings. Blessings, Pastor Mike OCTOBER 2010
We’ve had some wonderful fall days lately. Wonderful days for wearing sweat shirts and jeans . I love working in the yard. I love listening to Husker Games on the radio. These are also our weekends to do the last rounds of garage sales for the season.
One of our favorite pass times, is looking for a great deal. I’m prone to finding the weird/cool piece of pottery or ceramic. (something like I’ve never seen before.) This last weekend I had to ask what it was. The lady confided that she never found out. She bought it, because it was unique and it was time for it to go on to its next care taker. That would be me.
While there, I was digging through a couple boxes of books and stumbled on to one that caught my eye. “I Can’t. God Can. I Think I’ll Let Him”. It hit me, that this statement had such simplicity, yet such deep truth.
I like to think of life as a journey. We are all on this journey. It’s fun and exciting . . a great adventure. Part of what I embrace, is that you never know what is around the next curve.
Life can be like that one unique piece of pottery or a great find in a book. Treasures pop up, unexpected. The Journey of life can also be treacherous, and exhausting. As I said, you never know what’s around the next curve. This is especially true if we’re walking it alone.
I lucked out at that garage sale. I found two “gotta haves”. One – the pottery. I brought it home, and put it up in the nook, to show and discuss. The other? That book. The book spoke to me in the simplicity of that title. From Proverbs 3:6 – ‘In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths’. When you are traveling this road in our journey of life, I hope you are traveling with God and with his road map- the bible tucked firmly under your arm. With God as your companion, there isn’t anything you can’t get through. God’s Peace, Pastor Mike SEPTEMBER 2010 This month I will be working with the national stay 'at-home dads' convention. From things I’ve shared about my days as an at home dad, many of you know I was instrumental in starting a local group called Linoma Dads. They took it upon themselves to host this yearly event. One of the key elements of the at home dad movement,, is active parenting. I know hundreds/thousands of kids go to day care each day, and grow up to be perfectly well adjusted, but Diane and I decided we wanted one of us,, to stay home. I thought of this again recently,,, as we’ve discussed with friends the changes in our life. As I transitioned from home parent to working out-side the home with our move to Ashland. Being a pastoral friend, he warned me,,,to be sure my wife and kids don’t take the back seat in my life. A pastor’s life can be very demanding, but it’s not just a pastor, all people need to be careful to keep a balance in their life. Dads often get the rap of being a absentee parent, they get lost in their career. It can happen to anyone, when they lose perspective in life. On reflection I feel there are 3 things that are very important to keep in the right perspective in life. Our relationship with our spouse, our relationship with our kids, and our work life. If any of those get out of perspective,, it strains the others. A final ingredient I’d like to add, is that a relationship with God, will add and enhance all of those.
One of our favorite hymns, Just a Closer Walk with Thee, paints a beautiful Image with words. I am weak but thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, let me walk close to Thee. Just a closer walk with thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to thee: Let it be, dear Lord, let it be. Through this world of toil and snares, If I falter, Lord, who cares? Who with me my burden shares: None but thee, dear Lord, none but thee. When my feeble life is o’er, Time for me will be no more; Guide me gently, safely o’er To Thy kingdom shore, to thy shore. Fortunately, we don’t have an “absentee parent” as our heavenly father. As we are reminded in the words of this hymn, he is there for us and will grant this request. He is happy to walk with us, to share our burdens, to guide us safely through the obstacles of life. All we have to do,, is accept, the offer is there and waiting. Blessings, Pastor Mike AUGUST 2010
Loving your neighbor or “Treat Me As I Treat My Neighbor.”
We're all heard the Biblical commend to "love your neighbor as yourself" Matthew 22:37-40
37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[a] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[b] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
--but have you ever stopped to think about how profoundly this attitude would change the world if we all carried it out? Jesus summed up the entire point of God's law in two phrases, and both of them--loving God, and loving our neighbors--are all about putting the needs of others before our own. At times, I, just like everyone, need to remember this is what God instructs us to do. It sets the bar high, but like I said, Imagine the profound difference this would make in the world.
Let’s look at this worded another way, “God will treat you the way you treat others.”
I’ve noticed that Christians fall into one of two categories . . Happy or Grumpy. The Happy ones are almost contagious in their joy. They are full of God’s love, and they are excited to share it. On the other side, there are the Grumpy ones. It is like now that they are saved,, the weight of the saved world is on their shoulders. Both are saved. Both are heaven bound. But one sees the rainbow and the other sees the rain.
Could this principle explain the difference? Could it be that they are experiencing the same joy they have given their offenders? One says, “I forgive you,” and feels forgiven. The other says, “I forgive you . . . but I won’t forget.”
I was reading a book, . . . and like this illustration Let’s say God sends you to the grocery store to buy your neighbor’s groceries saying, “Whatever you get your neighbor, get also for yourself. For whatever you give him is what you receive.”
Suppose your neighbor’s trash blows into your yard. You mention the mess to him, and he says he’ll get to it, you know he means . . . sometime, maybe next week. You inform him that you’ve got company coming and you’d appreciate if it could be sooner, than later. He tells you not to be so picky, that the garbage fertilizes your garden. You’re just about to walk across the lawn to have a talk when God reminds you, “Time to go to the market and buy your neighbor’s groceries.”
So you grumble and mumble your way to the store, and then it hits you, “I’ll get even with the bum.” You go straight to the skim milk. Then you make a beeline to the anchovies and sardines. You march right past the double-chocolate ice cream and head toward the okra and rice. You make a final stop in the day-old bread section and pick up a crusty old loaf.
Chuckling, you drive back to the house and drop the sack in the lap of your lazy, good-for-nothing neighbor. “Have a good dinner.” And you walk away.
All your brilliant scheming left you hungry, so you go to your refrigerator to fix a sandwich, but guess what you find. Your pantry is full of what you gave your enemy. All you have to eat is exactly what you just bought. We get what we give.
It’s easy to be self righteous . . . when we’ve been wronged. It feels so good, when you feel right. Does that really fix the problem?
I invite you to think about this, You look around at other Christians. Some are sour. Some are joyful . . . going along through life. Are some enjoying the delicacies of God, while others are stuck with okra and anchovies on old bread.
Could it be God is giving you exactly what you’re giving someone else? JULY 2010
On our family vacation this year, our kids got to fly for the first time. It was fun to watch the kids as they experienced a first time on a plane. As travel plans go, we had a two hour layover in St. Louis each way. Knowing the confines of air travel, and knowing the energy level of kids, Diane and I planned ahead. They each carried their own back pack that had been packed with their stuff. Diane had shopped and planned some things they would carry,, and then the kids got to choose other things to go.
I reflected back to my most recent flight,,, last year when I went to General Assembly in Indianapolis. When I arrived at the airport and went to my gate, as is so common this time of year, flights where being delayed because of storms in other areas of the country. A particular young man and his partner were visibly upset that their flight was delayed. They proceeded to carry on at length taking their aggression out on the poor ticket counter agent. The young man eventually left to call a cab,, to be taken off grounds to a place so they could smoke a cigarette (I know this,,, because he made sure we all knew he was looking for the smoking lounge). He then arrived back to finally be allowed to get on the plane. At that point he realized in his ranting and raving, he had misplaced his ticket, and now was not in possession of a ticket to board.
We all have been in the position of being inconvenienced in traveling,,,, of being put out, or being the one remaining calm.
In Ephesians 4:31, the bible tells us, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”
When we find ourselves in such a position, we have a choice – we make a conscious decision as to how far we’ll permit our emotions to escalate. I have a choice, of either allowing my frustration to ruin my entire day and transform me into an unpleasant grouch, or letting go of my anger.
So, on vacation,,,, we sat on the floor, at the one end of the airport terminal. The kids with a new found friend,,, watching Fox & the Hound a favorite old Disney movie. Diane reading a book and I on my laptop,,, playing a game.
Our preplanning helped us arrive at our destination in a much better frame of mind than some travelers. My hope, is that with a little preplanning,,, you can arrive at your destination,, whatever day,,, or whatever the destination free of “bitterness, rage and anger.
Blessings Pastor Mike JUNE 2010 We have just finished observing the season of Pentecost and then Trinity Sunday in our church calendar. We have focused on the Holy Spirit, now we are left asking the question, if you where listening. Did you hear it, or did it get your attention? Another question, how far are we going to make God go to get our attention?
What if he moved you to another land? (as he did Abraham.) What if he called you out of retirement? (like he did Moses). How about the voice of an angel or from the bowel of a fish? (Gideon or Jonah.) How about a promotion like Daniel’s or a demotion like Samson’s.
God does what it takes to get our attention. Isn’t that the message of the Bible. I’ve heard it called “God’s relentless pursuit. God on the search. Stirring the bushes for lost sheep, cupping hand to mouth and shouting into the canyon”.
When we look at the Bible, at the examples from above, God is as creative as he is relentless. I’ve heard him referred to as Tender and tough, faithfully firm, Patiently urgent. Softly shouting. God’s voice gently thundering, “I want you.”
God answers. He will whisper. He will shout. He will touch and tug. He will take away our burdens. If there are a thousand steps between us and him, he will take all but one. But he will leave the final one for us. The choice is ours.
Isaiah 43 says - “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your savior;
You are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”
I find that so comforting, and I find myself wondering why I was so set on doing it myself. Why do I get ambitious and forget to put it in God’s hands. He has it all taken care of.
Blessings, Pastor Mike MAY 2010
As May comes in the door, we have such a busy time. Grade school kids like mine are excited about field trips and the end of the school year, planning summers. Older kids, looking at transitions are excited and sometimes nervous. Going from middle school to High school. High School Seniors are excited about embarking on the next phase of their life. You all know how I love music, and so often I find the lyrics of a song speaking to me. A number of years ago I was introduced to the hymn, “Go, My Children, With my Blessing.” We will be singing this song as our sending hymn the month of May. Please go with me as I look at the words of this song. Go, My Children, With my Blessing," 1.
Go, My children, with My blessing, Never alone.
Waking, sleeping, I am with you; You are My own.
In My love's baptismal river I have made you Mine forever.
Go, My children, with My blessing, You are My own. 2.
Go, My children, sins forgiven, At peace and pure.
Here you learned how much I love you, What I can cure.
Here you heard My dear Son's story; Here you touched Him, saw His glory.
Go, My children, sins forgiven, At peace and pure. 3.
Go, My children, fed and nourished, Closer to Me;
Grow in love and love by serving, Joyful and free.
Here My Spirit's power filled you; Here His tender comfort stilled you.
Go, My children, fed and nourished, Joyful and free. In verse one it relates to us that God made us and the care he has for us. God is with us "waking and sleeping." And God has made us his through the baptismal water. I’ve heard it said,,, we should never say that I was baptized but that I am baptized. This wording reflects seemingly one-time action has life-long consequences. God keeps the promises made through that baptism, promises to remain with us, to create and strengthen faith through that baptism. In summary, that though we might change after our baptism, God remains changeless and remains faithful to his promises and to us.
Verse two is a reflection of our Christian education where we learn about God's amazing grace. It can also refer to those informal moments when we study God's Word in personal study, small group Bible classes, family devotions, and in our prayer life.
In verse three the Trinity is identified by their actions we know them by: Father in our preservation (including the food for the Spirit); the Son who personifies love, from which and for whom we serve; and the Spirit who fills us with his power and gives us comfort, again from God's Word.
I encourage you as we leave worship each week, to carry Gods love as expressed in this song with you. Be mindful of it as we interact with each other and as we interact with others out into the community. APRIL 2010 It’s been a whole year. Diane and I, and the kids feel so very blessed to be here in Ashland and a part of your Church family. It has been a year of discovery. It’s been a year of learning about each other. The biggest, as I said, it has been a year of blessing.
Being a member of a family has all kinds of benefits. We have the love and support when we go through bad times. We have the closeness when we gather.
In Baptism Class we talked about being a family. We are a family here at FCC, a family member of the Christian Church (DOC). A member of the family of Christians throughout the United States. We talked about the benefits of Love and support. How it is good to be in gathering with family, in that love and support.
Along with all the benefits of family, we also have the other side of family. We have such a wide range of personalities. Picture the members of your family. We all have an eccentric Aunt, or the uncle that sneaks mini chocolate bars to the kids --- before dinner. You wish he wouldn’t, despite you reminding him, it will ruin their appetite, he does. How about grandmas sister in-law that always wears too much rose perfume, that gives you a headache. How about the nephew that never shuts off a light when he leaves the room, “it’s obvious he’s not paying an electric bill”.
With interaction with family it’s also easy to lose patience. We don’t always practice good habits, because they are family. We snap a retort, and don’t apologize. They’re family, they’ll understand. It’s still a sharp tongue, that leaves hurt in the wake.
Each of us has a fantasy that our family will be like the Walton’s, an expectation that our dearest friends will be our next of kin. Jesus didn’t have that expectation. Look how he defined his family: “My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what God wants” (Mark 3:35).
When Jesus’ brothers didn’t share his convictions, he didn’t try to force them. He recognized that his spiritual family could provide what his physical family didn’t. My point, we cannot control how people respond to us, but we can control how we respond to them.
When we get so many people together like we do here at church, sometimes we need to agree to disagree, remembering that we are here, in Gods house, as caretakers. We need to remember to show each other basic common courtesy.
I believe that’s what Jesus would want. Thank you for a wonderful first year. We’re looking forward to many more years of growing together in Christ. MARCH 2010 Recently we were on our way to Methodist hospital to visit a friend and her new born baby. Diane and I commented it seemed not that long ago, we were on our way to Methodist Hospital to have our Abby. She is five now. As a parent we teach and nurture and do whatever else we can to help them grow up. Part of our goal of raising our children, we want them self-sufficient, independent, well behaved, etc. The list goes on. Yet as a parent I found myself taken back to see Abby and Ben being self-sufficient. I see myself cherishing the moments when they still will reach for my hand out on the street, or crawl up in my lap when I’m sitting in the recliner. I know my days are numbered.
Upon reflection, even as an adult, we all have “one of those days” that everything seems to come down on you. It would be nice to be five so I could crawl up in dads lap. To feel his arms around me, and know has done.
We are reminded in Matthew 6:25 to not worry and that he provides for our needs, yet it’s easy to worry about the “what if’s”. We are reminded in Psalm 139 that he protects us, but it’s easy to fret on the storms of life. He has proven that He provides for us, now it’s up to us to be trusting children. Set aside the worries of daily life. Hand over the power we grasp at, trying to control, to do it ourselves.
As we go through this time of Lent and reflection, one thing I’d like you to contemplate is the words of Galations 4:7 “You are God’s child, and God will give you the blessing He promised, because you are His child”.
In HIS service FEBRUARY 2010 Last Monday I got to attend a workshop on Communication. We all spend a great deal of time communicating. It s part of who we are as humans, so it seems we should be very good at it ,and yes some of us do a great deal more communicating than others.
The communication workshop was planned as a part of our observation of Christian Unity Sunday but in church, as well in every other part of life, communication, or lack of it, is the root of so much trouble. We assume someone understood us, we assume we understood what someone meant. Part of what was discussed in the class is that we all have a filter that we listen through. Life and everything that has happened to us forms a filter that we listen through. A tone of voice or an inflection conveys a meaning to us. The workshop taught us to actively listen. To ask questions to clarify. I appreciate the saying that God gave us one mouth and two ears as a sign we should listen twice as much as we speak.
Good communication can see us through so many situations. Good communication can clear up so many misunderstandings. Whether at work with co-workers, home with family, or at church with our Christian family we need to practice active listening. We need to ask questions to clarify. How many times during a discussion, do you realize you misunderstood someone’s meaning? The entire event could have been eliminated if the meaning had been clarified in the beginning. I also realize that others are entitled to their own opinion. That we have the right to disagree and that quite often upon hearing your reasoning, I can respect you for that difference of opinion. I may not agree, I don’t have to agree, but I can respect your opinion. I invite each of you to join me in asking God to help us be good listeners. Blessings, Pastor Mike JANUARY 2010 - It's a brand NEW YEAR ! Happy 2010
As you read this, we have ushered in a new year. A new year should be a time of looking back and being thankful for all our blessings and looking forward to the new year to come. As I started to write these words, the song Joyful, Joyful came on. I was listening to a CD I received for Christmas.
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee. God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, Opening to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day.
I am so thankful for all of the blessings I have received this last year. It has truly been an incredible year. The most obvious is finding myself the pastor of FCC here in Ashland. It isn’t so much being a Pastor at FCC in and of itself, but I am surrounded by an incredible church family. Walking with you in our faith journey.
You see, our God is an inviting God. “All you who are thirsty, come and drink.” “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” “Come to me all, all who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest.”
Yes, he is an inviting God, he invited Mary to birth his son, and the Disciples to fish for men. God is the King who prepares the palace, sets the table, and invites his subjects to come in. As a matter of fact, “come” seems to be his favorite word.
God is a God who invites, who calls, who opens the door and waves his hand,,,,,, come. Come to the feast, The tables are laden to near breaking. But this invitation isn’t just for a meal, but for life. The awesome things, is to know him, to know God, is to receive his invitation. And when we receive it, we open ourselves to the God that is praised in that hymn I mentioned.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day.
In Christ, we have so much to look forward to this next year.
Blessings! Pastor Mike
DECEMBER 2009 MESSAGES Messages from the desk of Pastor Mike: As I write this I am excited. I can’t help but get excited about Christmas. My mom always said that the first snow,,, and then the preparation leading up to Christmas was a big time for me. It’s no wonder that the Christmas story was my favorite bible reading. When we had to choose a bible verse as “our verse”, it was Luke 2: 1-20. Not exactly a short verse you could have engraved on a keepsake. I have always marveled, that God would send us his son, in human form, John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us……. God had the whole thing planned. He sent his son to a dark world, to lead us. Luke 2:9 And the glory of the Lord shone around them….. It’s difficult once we grow up. We have all the “adult” responsibilities. If we aren’t careful Christmas loses some of its wonder. It becomes a little more of a chore. We have so many other everyday things to worry about,,,,, and then we add on the extra stuff. More grocery shopping, gift shopping, where does the money come from,,,, programs at school, I really need to send cards, and a note is nice,, not just signed. One of the great things about having kids, is you get to relive some of that childhood wonder through them. And in a way its better, to get to see and experience that wonder through their eyes. The sparkle of the tree lights in their eyes, the anticipation and excitement of the unknown. I want to invite all of you, to at some point in our Christmas season, to find a quiet place, and briefly think about the wonder of Christmas. Reflect back to the Christmas Wonder that you experienced when you where young. The Christmas Wonder you experience through the youngsters in your life. God sent his son, so be a light in our world, for us to follow. It was an awesome wonder, 2000 years ago. I hope you can find that same wonder again. Grant me, O God, ears to hear and eyes to see the wonder of your presence this Christmas season, in the ordinary places of my life. Amen Pastor Mike
Pastor Mike's message in the Ashland Gazette - December 17th: This week (December 17th ) at our service we lit the 3rd candle in the Advent wreath. The candle of Love.
The first thing that jumped to my mind was “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing”. You do a search of that on the computer. It brings up the movie from 1955 staring William Holden & Jennifer Jones. If you search on, you find versions of the song recorded by The 4 Aces or by Frank Sinatra.
I’m sure there are a number of you going for a stroll down memory lane now. Well the love I’m talking about is a “Many-Splendored Thing”, but it’s much better than anything we see here . . . even though they are great classic’s. I would like to focus in on the tremendous Love of God. How much do you love other people? Would you be willing to die for somebody else? If it actually came down to it, there are very few people who would ever be willing to die for someone else. We do occasionally see someone in battle willing to die for another, but they are few and far between. Jesus was one of those people. He died for you and me. And we should remember that he was willing to so that we might live. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, so that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”.
That verse is but one sentence long, yet in it, we see the entire structure of Christianity. And we see that the entire structure of Christianity is wrapped in one word: Love. My wish for you this Christmas season, is that you experience the “Many-Splendored Love of God”. Christmas Blessings,
Pastor Michael Njus First Christian Church
NOVEMBER 2009 MESSAGE A message from the desk of Pastor Mike: This week as many of you know, we finished moving out of our house in Ralston. Monday afternoon we closed. It was memory filled, walking through the house the final time. Making sure we hadn’t left any treasures in a cubby hole or back corner. Many of the first things that we moved, were the special items. The good stuff, the wedding gifts we save for special occasions. They were moved first and safely tucked in a new “safe spot” so they wouldn’t get damaged in the chaos of moving. Diane and I have been married for almost 12 years. We moved a crystal platter that has never been used. We have a cake stand that has been used once. We carefully and painstakingly wrapped each one of these items to make sure they made the trip safely. In Numbers 18:29 it says, “You must present as the LORD's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.” Fall is a time of harvest and giving thanks for our abundant gifts. As we go through our stewardship program this fall, we are asked to consider our many gifts and then pledge our support to our church. Just as our wedding gifts were meant to be used and enjoyed,,,, weren’t Gods gifts meant to be used and enjoyed? Grandma’s Blue Willow china looks beautiful in the china hutch, but wouldn’t it look beautiful on the table? Maybe you have a beautiful voice, a gift from God. It sounds great in the congregation singing,,, but wouldn’t that make a beautiful voice in the choir,,,,,,, sharing the gift from God. I encourage each of you to look in your storage, the cubby holes and back corners. Please consider your special gifts. Dust them off and see which ones can be shared. I ask you to join me in a prayer; Father, give me one more gift: the courage to use all you’ve given me for your glory. In His service Pastor Mike OCTOBER's MESSAGE
A message from the desk of Pastor Mike: Last Friday, I was in the office trying to wrap up loose ends and straighten out my desk a little. I decided it was a good time to clean the office. I’d polish my sermon for Sunday a little later. Looking back now, I can see that God wanted me available for some reason. The phone rang, which lead to me spending my afternoon working with a family in need. Upon reflection, the faces and names might be different, but sadly we see this situation more and more. Empty gas tank, hungry family, and no money. It’s a sign of the current economic situation. One of the purposes of the Ashland Ministerial Association is to help such people in need. I was thankful to have such a resource available to help this family. We were able to put gas in their tank, pay for lodging, and visit the Ashland Food bank for some badly needed items. The purpose of this story is two fold. First is to reinforce the importance of our continued support of both the Ashland Ministerial Association and the Ashland Food Bank. Second, I have to admit that I struggled a little with this situation. First: The Ashland food bank plays a vital role in being front line help for people that find themselves needing help. Some things we can let slide for a while, but everyone needs to eat. I know I could probably miss a few meals and not get in trouble. It might even help my waist line, but food is a basic necessity. In addition, the Ashland Ministerial Association has resources available to help those in need that no single church could put together by itself. Second: My struggle. It’s easy to sit back in the office, get in a reliable car, drive home to a comfortable home, grab a cold pop out of the refrigerator and think that people like these folks are in a bad way because of poor choices. It’s easy to think that they could have had enough money for food each month if they spent the money they had more wisely. It is a sad fact that there are many families out there that are one bill or one pay check away from this situation. I came to find out that the closing of a single factory can have a devastating effect on a family. God is always teaching us, through everyday situations, and he brought this situation directly to me. The family we helped were in Ashland because where they had lived the factory closed. The area they lived in was hit hard. They have family in the Omaha area they were going to see and try to improve their situation. It was suggested that they could possibly find more affordable housing in a small town and still be close enough to both Omaha and Lincoln to find a job. On top of not being employed, the young wife is pregnant with twins and they hope to be settled in a new home in time for the babies arrival. God calls us to help those that are less fortunate. He doesn’t ask us to judge if someone had spent their time or money wisely. God has richly blessed all of us and he put our church, the Ashland Ministerial Association and the Ashland Food Bank in place where all needed to be to help this family, as well as many other families in their time of need over the years. May God continue to bless us and allow us the resources for this important ministry In His service, Pastor Mike 
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