SNOWMAGEDDON 2011 CHURCH

I wanted to say "Thank You" to all the people who have called, texted or in other ways reached out to me to see if I was OK. I have survived SNOWMAGGEDON 2011. So far, this winter season the South Bend area has seen 64.3 inches of snow (still counting).

My new year started off with record highs on the first Sunday of the year. Temperatures soared to the 50's, all the snow had melted off and we could see the ground. One week later, 39.4 inches of snow had fallen, with 25.6 inches of that snow coming in one day. Needless to say, the majority of our South Bend churches were closed on the second Sunday of the year as travel was bad; most people could not dig out of their own homes and the snow crews couldn't keep up with the falling snow.

I want to thank the Men of Macedonia for all of their hard work in removing and plowing our parking lots. One local Pastor called and joked with me about "my slave driver mentality" for calling a men's meeting during a blizzard, which isn't true but to pass by our church on Saturday night and see 6 Deacons and 4 men along with their Pastor trying to clear the parking lot was a great sight.

Our church sits on Olive Street which South Bend considers one of their priority streets so the city had our street cleared off. With the lots and the street clear, I prayed and decided to have church even though the city was still digging out. I figured who wanted to come would come and who wanted to stay in would stay in; but I noticed Notre Dame and Connecticut still played their Women's Basketball game and 18,000 people showed up. Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Super Target and Meijer's had full parking lots so I decided if they weren't shutting down, God's House wasn't shutting down.

Sunday Morning we had good community church with members from Greater St. John, Mt. Carmel, New Salem, Bethlehem as well as the few from Macedonia. I thank God for a relationship with these Pastors that the members they have been entrusted with would count me worthy that if they couldn't have their "Chef" for the day, they would trust my cooking. I told them, I can't cook it, serve it or prepare it like your Pastor but I will make sure you won't starve.

What took place on Saturday night and even on Sunday Morning inspired me to preach out of Mark 2:1-12, about the paralytic that was brought to Jesus. Some problems are so big, one person can't do it all by themselves. No matter your education, finance, strength or expertise, YOU NEED SOME HELP.

Even the best Rooster still needs a Hen
Beethoven still needs a Piano
Picasso still needs some Paint
Surgeons still need a Scalpel
Cornflakes need milk
Pastors need workers
We all need some Help. We are Better Together!

There were four helpers, each one carrying their own end of the pole, Most of the hassle we have in churches is someone trying to carry someone else's pole. CARRY YOUR END. They were all moving IN THE SAME DIRECTION and they were all headed TO THE SAME DESTINATION, the injured paralytic will receive A NEW DESIGNATION.

I. A New Position Vs 5. "Sins are Forgiven". He was on the outside looking in, but forgiveness will climb the roof, forgiveness will cut a hole, forgiveness will let you down to where Jesus is. There was a time we didn't have access to God because of our sins but God cut a hole,............

II. A New Posture Vs 11. "Rise, Pick up your Bed, Go Home". Sin had me on my back, but Jesus put me on my feet. Why take your Bed? People need to know the Before and After story. I was crippled, I was lame, I was a paralytic but I met Jesus, Here is my bed in case you don't believe me. And we all have an I WAS STORY. What's your Story? I was a liar, I was a gambler.....................

III. A New Praise Vs. 12 "We never seen anything like this before"




We had a good time Sunday with a few people.



Owens