From the desk of Andrew Burchett

When I perform wedding ceremonies for couples who are creating a blended family, I often help couples speak vows to the children.  These vows often are promises to love, respect, honor and be faithful to provide and protect these kids as if they were their own. 

 A few weeks ago, as I was facilitating a vow like this for a groom who was becoming “dad” to a nine year old girl, the power of the moment overtook me.  As I stood behind the groom quietly prompting him with the vows that he had written to speak to the little girl, we all were surprised by what happened. 

 As the groom handed the gift of a necklace that was being placed on her neck by her mother, the bride, the girl broke down and cried.  She was overwhelmed by this kind of acceptance and love from a father.  In essence, in that moment, she was being adopted by him as his own, and the presence of the Holy Spirit was so heavy, even I choked and was rendered speechless.  It was as holy of a moment as I have ever experienced.  I had to regain my composure quickly to continue to squeak out the words prompting the groom to speak out.  As soon as the vow was finished being spoken, I walked away to give this new family a moment to embrace.  There were no dry eyes in that small group of family and friends.  After about two minutes of trying to compose ourselves, we finished the wedding ceremony and celebrated at the reception. 

This picture of our Heavenly Father adopting us as a His sons and daughters is a powerful glimpse at His love for us.  In this moment in north Chico on a brisk Saturday afternoon, the reality of how loved and accepted I am by the Heavenly Father hit home in a new way.  As His sons and daughters, we are accepted and loved unconditionally.  I am praying that the Lord will continue to teach me by His Spirit how to embrace this truth more and live out of its powerful reality. 

 When I think about Joseph, the man who raised Jesus and took Mary to be his wife, I think about one who adopted a son that was not his own.  We know from the Bible that Mary and Joseph had other sons and daughters after Jesus was born, but it started with an adoption, in a stable, in a city that was not their hometown.  Joseph made a choice to take Mary as his wife, and then made a choice to raise and nurture Jesus as his own son. 

 At this Christmas season, it is my prayer that we will realize in a new way that we are his loved sons and daughters.  I also would love for us to grow in our ability to embrace others with this same spirit of adoption.  I want to choose to love and make sacrifices for others.  I want to come along side others and love them where they are, no matter what.  When we are at our best as a church, we are adopting others into relationship as fathers and mothers, ones who have a heart to nurture and accept sons and daughters. 

 May the revelation of the love of the Father be delivered to you anew this week!   

 Merry Christmas my friends!

From the desk of Andrew Burchett

“What are you dreaming about?”  Do you get asked that question very often?  If you are like me, when someone asks about my dreams, I pause.  I want to be authentic and be brave about who God is challenging me to be and what He is calling me to do. 

 It feels like sharing your dreams with a stranger would be inappropriate, that sharing dreams is an intimate thing that requires vulnerability and some deeper knowledge of the person, so there is understanding and context for what is shared. 

“Vision” is something that dreamers have.  It is seeing things before they exist. It is having a divine imagination that is empowered by faith that God can and will provide for the dreams that he inspires.  True vision also requires believing that impossible things can happen before there is money in the bank, training that has been completed and essential relationships in partnership. 

These days, those of us who work at Neighborhood Church have been learning how to put into words the dreams that God is laying on our hearts and find ways to clarify vision - what we can see and imagine the future of this church body to look like and grow into.  As different areas of ministry and mission get clearer, it’s easier for others to partner, fund and serve. 

As we are coming to the end of another year, there are some dreams that are emerging for us that need the provision of funds to move forward.  Over and above our modest budget at the church, we believe that God wants us to spruce a few things up, but without the provision of money, those things will need to wait.  

Things like...

• Insulating the Fellowship Hall as we anticipate upgrading the HVAC in there

• New carpet for our small chapel in the Dome because it is used as a place where we kneel in prayer and it is common to see people sitting or lying on the floor.

• Completing the landscaping on the east dome berm and widening the walkway to the island

• Sprucing up the entryway along Notre Dame Blvd.

• Patio furniture with market umbrellas for building relationship on our patio before and after worship services and events

• Sound proofing in our Fieldhouse so Children’s ministry can effectively use the space on Sundays without echoes, echoes, echoes...

• Upgrading the sound system and adding sound proofing in our Fellowship Hall so that events and future church services in that space will have better sound. 

• Refreshing our restrooms in the fellowship hall building is far overdue as they are showing signs of age and upgrading lighting, installing fans and upgrading partitions will make it a much more comfortable space.

• Replacing wireless microphones that we had to giveaway to overseas ministries because the FCC sold the old wireless frequencies to cell phone companies, making it illegal to operate them.  This will benefit future drama we have been dreaming about adding and children’s ministry teams.

• Scholarships for students to go to Winter Camps

• Donations to offset short term missions trips in this coming year

• Scholarships for Street Pastor training scholarships as we train new recruits in the new year

If any of these things grab your heart and you would like to give a special year end gift to help us see these things happen, you can mail it to 2801 Notre Dame Blvd, Chico, CA 95928, postmarked on or before 12/31/14. 

If this is not something you can give to, please join us in praying that the Lord will provide the funds in HIS timing to provide for the things on HIS heart for HIS church.

Looking forward to seeing you for service on Sunday; we have a back up plan in case power is out.  Praying you and yours weather this storm well. 

From the desk of Andrew Burchett

We have a passion to see God’s kingdom built in every sphere of influence in our city.  As a church, we want to help people experience the power and love of Jesus and share it with others.  We believe that Jesus came to give us life to the fullest, which means that our lives are a constant adventure as we share the good news about Jesus and our lives as well.  

I (Andrew) was deeply impacted by Pastor Larry Lane, my predecessor here at NC.  His heart to see our city changed resonated with me and led me to join the ministry here.  Pastor Larry established an organization called Kingdom Catalyst a handful of years ago, and as a church we support their ministry financially. 

Mark Volstad is the pastor of our Spanish church, Cristo Salva. Mark serves on the board of Kingdom Catalyst and he describes their ministry this way: 

The purpose of Kingdom Catalyst is to inspire, equip, and assist the body of Christ in advancing the Kingdom of God in their communities resulting in measurable community transformation.

To fulfill this mission, KC is partnering with the Sentinel Group to advance the message of transforming revival throughout the United States. George Otis, Jr., the founder of the Sentinel Group, researched nearly eight-hundred contemporary cases and two-hundred historical cases of transforming revival, looking for patterns that point to principles. He only extracted those things in common to every story. The result was a body of insights and principles we call “The Journey to Transformation.” KC provides information meetings, trainers for Discovery Weekends, and ongoing coaching for hungry believers desiring to see God move and transform their community. KC also provides, through its online store, a host of video and written materials to aid in the understanding of and inspiration for transforming revival.

Our dream is to see a great transforming revival sweep through northern California (this is our “Jerusalem”) and spread to the west coast states and wherever God extends to us an open door. We see this as the only hope for the Church and our nation.

If you want to hear stories about how God is moving through the efforts of our friends at Kingdom Catalyst, come to dinner this Saturday at 6:30pm.  Leaders from different Norcal communities will be sharing what God is doing in their towns. The Kingdom Catalyst Annual Banquet is happening in our Fellowship Hall at the church and you can register at kingdomc.org (click on the events tab), or call 530.520.6997. 

From the desk of Andrew Burchett

Thousands of people went streaming by me as I performed Christmas music last Sunday night at Christmas Preview.  They were dressed in hats and scarves, ready to welcome the sights and sounds of Christmas once again.  Stores began putting their Christmas decorations out on November 1st, trying to entice us to dream about what we might put on our wish list. 

Are you ready?  We celebrate “Advent,” the first coming of Jesus 2000 years ago at this time of year.  It’s a time of year that can suck the spiritual life out of you if you aren’t careful to keep your focus straight.  

It’s easy to say the words, “Jesus is the reason for the season,” all the while running off to another sale or yelling at your kids because they are not helping you get the decorations on the house.   If you are honest, would you say that Advent is the most distracted part of your year?  Is it a time where your spiritual life takes a vacation like the kids take a break from school?  Does your indulgence and lack of discipline in your diet and with your time spill over into skipping time with God at home or on Sundays?  

I want to grow in my walk with Jesus in the next 30 days! I don’t want to miss opportunities to find Jesus in every circumstance and deepen my love and affection for Him as I celebrate His first coming and wait for His second appearing someday. 

How can we do that better this year?  Here’s a few ideas I have for you to consider as you approach eating turkey on Thanksgiving and watch the Christmas season take off like a freight train on “Black Friday.”

1. Participate in a giving project.  I know we have one at the church for people in our city – take part in giving to others.  It helps to get your eyes off yourself. 

2. Come to Church, early.  Sales happen on other days besides Sundays.  Make an effort to show up and worship.  Starting this week, we have special times of acoustic piano music from 10- 10:30am when the worship service starts each Sunday.   I am going to play this week, Michael Long the following week and the third week of advent will feature Catherine Vietti on piano before church.  Come and spend quiet moments with God then.  

3. Celebrate Advent with your family.  Our NeighborKids ministry will have “advent booklets” available this week at the zone (where big kids have Sunday School).   They will help your family celebrate advent and meditate together on the meaning behind each week. 

4. Study the traditional weekly focus of advent.  Look up the meaning behind the advent season on the internet, and read what others have said about each week’s focus.  

5. Study the virtues we will teach about the next four weeks – Hope, Love, Joy, Peace.  Zack Curry will be with us this week speaking on Hope, Gaylord Enns the next week about Love, my wife, Linda will preach on Joy, and I will finish the series with a message on peace.  

6. Keep your routine with God.  If you go on walks with God or sit at the kitchen table and have your Bible time and prayer each morning – keep it up!  You will be tempted to alter your routine, but that usually means skipping the time with God you get filled up by.  

It is my prayer that this season of advent will be precious and meaningful spiritually for us as a church family.  On Sunday December 28th, we will have testimonies about what God has done in the past year, we are looking forward to hearing yours that day as we prepare for 2015.  May God bless you as you turn your eyes toward Jesus, our savior! 

From the desk of Michael Long

Recently, after a Sunday morning service, I was explaining to a friend that Neighborhood Church views Chico Christian School as being one of its primary ministries –and a mission field full of ripe fruit.  To be honest, my friend’s response surprised me:  How can a Christian school be a mission field?  Aren’t most of the students attending CCS already believers—and don’t the families have to sign a statement of faith?

I was so glad my friend asked . . . and then it occurred to me that if he had these thoughts, so might some of you.  The truth is that Chico Christian School houses people of many different walks of life.  In fact, approximately 60% of our students come from relatively unchurched backgrounds.  Many students and parents experience the presence of God for the first time on this campus, and as you can imagine, the results are often compelling and amazing.  Here is a recent story you might enjoy . . .

Before a rather candid and potentially painful discussion with a mother about her son’s behavior, I asked if we could pray together.  She looked at me with doubtful eyes and then smirked, saying, “pray all you want—if you feel like you need that stuff.  I’m not religious, but you go ahead.”  And so I did . . . and God was present.  About a week later, at my invitation, that same mother, “Laura,” came to visit our Monday morning chapel service for students.  Somewhat hesitant to let me see the tears in her eyes, Laura approached me during the singing, inquiring about what it was that she was feeling when the kids were openly worshipping and singing.  She couldn’t put her finger on it but she knew something was different.  

That morning, it was my privilege to explain to Laura that God inhabits the praises of His people and what she was experiencing was His very real and powerful presence.  After a long talk and several follow-up meetings, Laura is now reading a Bible and has lots of questions.  In fact, she’s right on the edge of choosing Christ and I’m so happy to watch the transformative Scriptures impacting her life already.

So to our church family, I say thank you.  Every time you give to Neighborhood Church, you are also helping us continue to reach the lost and seeking souls at Chico Christian School.  I am so grateful for your continued partnership and prayers for us—and people like Laura.  God is alive and well on this campus and we see His continued provisions daily.

May God grant you a marvelous Thanksgiving holiday—one in which you reflect on the goodness of what He has done for each of us.  And please do pray for Laura!

Warmly,

Michael Long

Principal and Pastor, Chico Christian School and Neighborhood Church