The speaker will be Dan Erickson of People Matter Ministries. He will challenge the men to descend into greatness so you can live a life that echoes in eternity.

Sign-up Sunday morning at the Men of Honor Toolbox January 8, 15, 22, 29. The cost is $25.00 per person.

Don’t miss this exciting and challenging conference.

9:00      Study Groups
10:15    Worship Service

Our worship services are planned to allow people to connect with God through congregational singing and the teaching of the Word of God.  Our music is a mix of current worship songs and traditional hymns. Our teaching is biblically-based and relevant to our everyday lives

Sunday mornings are a casual atmosphere.  You will see people dressed in everything from sport coats to golf shirts. Our goal is for you to be comfortable and relaxed as we fellowship with one another and engage in worship and teaching.

While all are welcome, we do offer a fully staffed nursery for infants and toddlers and Children’s Church program for children ages 3-5. Our nursery and children’s staff provide a fun and safe environment for your little ones while you enjoy the worship service.

The personality of some people actually inclines them toward change. They like to try new things, drive a different way home just for the fun of it, keep up with the latest fashion, and stay on the edge of the learning curve. In fact, some folks who have this bent are “change agents”—influencers who guide their companies to the “next level” or who lead their volunteer groups in a whole new direction. These are people who dislike the status quo. They seem restless by nature.

On the other end are personalities who not only dislike change, they may strenuously resist it. It’s as if you can see them holding on to their status quo with a white-knuckled grip. They find comfort in the predictable patterns of life. They are people for whom the word “rut” is not necessarily something to be avoided.

But change comes to all, whether pursued and welcomed or hated and avoided. At the very least the passage of time brings the change of aging. No matter the exercise regimens pursued, the natural supplements religiously taken, the cosmetics and cosmetic procedures used, all of us are getting older. And with that inexorable progression of time comes unavoidable change.

We all need help with change. The change-lovers need help making sure their eagerness for change does not become the imposing of their agenda upon others. The change-haters need help making sure they are not living in denial, fighting the inevitable. We all need to walk in godliness.

As in all things, Jesus shows us the way. He is our help in change. Jesus not only experienced change, He underwent change to a greater magnitude than anyone ever will. The Son of God, existing from all eternity past in the glorious splendor of the Father, entered time and space, took on human flesh and human nature, and lowered Himself even to the point of death on a cross. No matter how long or deeply we ponder the Incarnation, we will never understand such great change.

Jesus tells us what guided Him through this incredible change: “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38) In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus reiterated this guiding principle for His life: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) Jesus resolved to do the will of the Father.

As we enter a new year and encounter the change it will inevitably bring, let us imitate our Lord Jesus and navigate change well. Let us resolutely commit ourselves to the will of the Father above all things.

Office Manager

The candidate must be a mature Christian with strong people and organizational skills, have knowledge of and/or experience with current accounting principles and software applications, and demonstrate technology proficiency in the office setting. A copy of the job description may be obtained from the church office or viewed online at Clinton-efree.org/employment.  If interested, please send your resume to Pastoral Staff at resume@clinton-efree.org or 1010 13th Ave N, Clinton, IA, 52732 by January 15, 2012.

Click here to view Office Manager Job Description

Sometimes when there is a big change, things seem a bit unstable for a while until everything gets settled back into place.  I firmly believe that this is God’s church and He will provide all that is needed.

It has been my joy to serve this body in any way I have been able whether in the capacity of my office position or as a volunteer. I so appreciate being allowed to play piano/keyboard for the worship services, which had been a hope as I grew up in this church and watched the other musicians serving.  I loved teaching the children and being a part of their lives.

Although we will be a long way away, your love and friendship will always remain in my heart.  Thank you for your support and confidence in me over these many years.

–Marybeth Giddings

We gave baskets to some single Moms who were blessed with some extra help to feed their kids.  One hugged us and said she felt so in awe that the church family truly cared for them and their situation.

We had an elderly ‘shut in’ who could not believe we still remembered her, even though she can no longer can attend.

A woman, who recently returned to our church family, was very thankful for the food basket and will be sharing with her grown children who are living with her.  She said she couldn’t thank us enough!!!

We were able to help some church families who have seen some rough times financially.  Some were concerned that they didn’t ‘qualify’, however they were very thankful when we explained that the church body wants them to have this food gift.  It feels very good to know that our church family recognizes members going thru difficult situations and desires to reach out to them.

Then there was an elderly lady who wanted to share Thanksgiving dinner with her neighbor, but didn’t have the funds to do so.  We felt that God was asking us to help her with that so that she could be a witness to someone else in need.

We had 10 names, and each one had a story, and each one was truly grateful. Our church is making a difference in so many lives as we share a little of our Thanksgiving blessings.

 This same Creator God is also the Judge. Before Him we each will stand and give account. And He knows all about you, knows that you cannot stand before His awesome holiness. He knows that there are many bad things on your record; in fact, He knows full well that you and I are guilty of the worst of all sins—living as an atheist. Now, I did not say proclaiming yourself to be an atheist, but living like one—acting as though there were no God. God said, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” But, tragically, we do, we each do that … we put many substitutes in His place, most especially my desires, but also my resources and my abilities. And because we live me-centered, we end up hating, taking, hurting, coveting, defaming God. We live as though there were no Creator or Judge of all the earth. He knows that better than we do, and yet, amazingly, He loves us anyway, He loves you.

 God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. The birth of the Messiah Child, Jesus, is the love of God made plain … visible, touchable, undeniable. This Holy Child, the only One who never lived as an atheist, the only One who ever lived fully, perfectly for God, came to take care of sins. God sent His Son Jesus as the best lawyer ever, the One who could get the worst offender off the hook before God the Judge. Not through clever argumentation or finding just the right loopholes, but by taking our guilty verdict and paying our sentence … eternal death … Himself.

 Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

 God loves you. The season which begins with the Christmas celebration of Jesus’ birth and culminates with Holy Week’s remembrance of Jesus’ death on Good Friday and Resurrection on Easter Sunday is the proof that God does indeed love you.

 Ahh … but this can only be grasped by faith. What you see, of your own life and of the world around you, may seem to contradict this idea that God loves you, may seem to say that He does not love you. You feel pain, you see pain. But right now, in your heart of hearts, you hear God saying that His love for you in Jesus is true and real, and that this is for you. Yes, and when you agree with His voice that your record is bad and you do believe Jesus, the Lord, died for your sins, a door is opened for you to the very heart of God. You begin a new journey in life with Jesus as your personal Friend and God as your loving Father. In their good company you find strength for the pain of life, and you have God’s promise of being welcomed one day into Paradise.

 Say “Yes” to Him. Receive the love of God through Jesus, and join the band of the faithful who joyfully adore the Christ Child.

The program will begin at 4:30 in the Sanctuary followed by a catered dinner by Corner Deli in the Fellowship Hall. Prices are $8 for age 10-adults; $4 for age 4-9 and age 0-3 is free.

If you have been blessed this year and would like to sponsor someone, let the church office know. If this has been a hard year, please come  and celebrate God’s goodness with us as our guest.

If you are available to help decorate after the 10:15 Worship Service that Sunday, please let us know when you purchase your tickets. The deadline for tickets is November 13th. Child care for 0-3 will be available during the program only. If you plan to use the childcare, please let us know when your purchase your tickets.

This event at Hidden Acres offers a couple of unique perks: delicious camp food (no kidding—Hidden Acres serves up really good meals!) and outdoor beauty and recreation. Some of the usual recreational offerings are golf at a nearby course, horseback riding, hiking, a hayrack ride/tour of the grounds, and canoeing. I think Sue Ann and I have canoed the pond every year, usually with fishing gear in use! 

This year the camp offered a new outdoor activity. As they were going through the list of what was available, they mentioned the zip line. And as soon as they said “zip line,” Sue Ann leaned over to me and said, “I’d like to try that.” Wow! Now that’s a spirit of adventure! 

So, sure enough, that afternoon we found ourselves getting helmeted and harnessed up for the zip line. Here’s how it works. You climb about 30 feet straight up a pole—fortunately all the while belayed by a staffer on the ground. When you get to the top, you maneuver around from the climbing rungs to a small platform where another staffer snaps your harness on to the zip line and persuades you that you really can step off the platform into thin air. After all, four year-olds do it! 

Once you take the plunge, you are propelled forward by gravity as you dangle by a rope from a slightly sagging cable overhead. The rope engages with the overhead cable by a wheeled or pulley device which runs along the cable. You zip along until you reach the lowest point on the sagging cable and then you begin to slow as the cable slopes upward toward the farther end. Eventually you stop and then begin to double back, much more slowly, until you reach the staffer waiting with a ladder to get you back to terra firma. 

Jumping from the platform is exhilarating. As you overcome your fear and take the plunge the thrill often gets verbalized as a resounding, “Whoo hoo!” 

Kind of like faith. Sometimes God has us on a platform and asks us to jump, all the while having us securely harnessed to His faithfulness and love. Taking the plunge requires facing down fear and deciding to step out. Why, even four year-olds can do it!