Archive for December, 2007
December 31, 2007 at 9:02 pm · Filed under DC
It is a New Year which means a new opportunity for us to have a fresh start in life…
This past weekend in Church we talked about just that - Making a Fresh START! (Click Here To Listen In.)
One of the things that I have been reflecting upon alot over that past week is the biblical meaning of the number “8″.
The meaning of this number is “New Beginnings”! How appropriate for our new year 2008 to be the year of “New Beginnings”.
You know - God specializes in New Beginnings and I know that He has something special planned for DC Metro Church as well as for You!
I love the reference out of Isaiah which says: “The Lord says, `Forget about what has happened before. Do not think about the past. [Instead] look at the new thing I am going to do.’” Isaiah 43:18-19 (NCV)
As we go into this new year, lets allow God to make this year the year of New Beginnings as we forget about 2007 and move into 2008 expecting Great Things With Him!
What are you believing God for in the Year of New Beginnings?
PS - Don’t Forget “New Beginning” for Service Time is 10am Starting This Weekend!
December 27, 2007 at 3:16 pm · Filed under Isaac
Isaac is having many new experiences lately…
Just in the past month he has experienced: Snow, Many new words (Including: my least favorite “no” and my favorite “Happy” or “Habby”), reading new books, throwing (and now throwing only balls,), even his first “real” Christmas (He was a very good boy this year!).
Another thing that he experienced this week was the introduction of a Big Boy Bed! Yes, I know he is growing up rather fast. He got him a toddler bed so that his little brother (Still Not Here Yet!!! but could be any minute!!!) J.D. could have his Baby Bed…
Well last night Isaac took a tumble - while sleeping - yes I know what you are thinking - so lets move on… Of course the whole house woke in a panic as we heard our little boy hit the floor with a thud (don’t worry it is only about one foot off the ground and he has bigger falls than this on a daily basis!)
Ok - here is where I am headed - Once we calmed him down we were hesitant to put him back in the bed (even though he has not fallen out of bed yet after several times sleeping in the Big Boy Bed). After Reasoning and prayer - we decided to put him back in his bed, because if we did not, he would have been scared of it!
Where am I going with this? Just there - If we have failed in a certain area of our lives what would God want us (His Children) to do? Get back up and try it again… Like the ole expression “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again!”
After preparing for this weekend’s New Year’s Message I have had to process this in my own life as well… as I did I came across this verse from the message bible (I think you will like it…)
“God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.” Ps. 145:14 (Mes)
I like that - God gives a fresh start - Right When We Are Ready to Quit… That speaks well of me sometimes - right when I feel like I have fallen out of my bed one to many times in life - Fresh Start Happens!
As for Isaac - He and I slept well last night after his tumble knowing that God was in control and that Isaac had a fresh start in his New Bed…
December 26, 2007 at 2:27 pm · Filed under David
From the Southeast White House to the real White House - What a Christmas Season it has been…
Sunday Night Taryn, Deborah (Taryn’s Mom), Heather (Taryn’s Sister), and I had a private tour of the West Wing of the White House. We had a wonderful tour and got to see inside one of the most fortified buildings in our country… We were able to see the oval office as well (Amazing!)
I had just seen the latest National Treasure Movie and got to ask all kinds of questions about the president’s desk (The Resolute Desk). It was interesting to learn the non published things about the desk and the oval office itself. Did you know that the Resolute Desk is one of two desks that were created out of the British HMS Resolute. I found that National Treasure fact to be true. Also (Non seen in the movie) there is a three inch riser put on the bottom of the desk that was added to the desk to accomodate President Ronald Regan’s need for a little more space under the desk (His 6′2″ frame would not fit under the old desk…
We were able to see the Brady Press Room seen on tv everytime that there is a briefing from the white house… We were also able to see the outside of the coolest area of all called “the situation room” sounds cool doesnt it… The White House Mess was also a stop on our tour, this is where all the cabinet and senior officials have breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday - (seats around 45 people and is a 5 star resturant.)
The Rose Garden and the Cabinet offices were also on the tour - and we were able to talk to a guard about the president’s collection of bobble-heads of non other than - you guessed it - himself… which sit on a shelf in his private study. (I think I would probabally have a collection of bobble-heads of myself if they made them… wouldnt you? - come on you know you would…)
Thank God for this Great Tour - any questions - I can try and answer!
Hope your family had a Merry Christmas!
Go God!
David Stine
December 22, 2007 at 1:31 pm · Filed under DC
As part of our “Season of Hope” outreaches at DC Metro we had a team go to a place called the South East White House. DC Metro Church went to help out with their Christmas Toy Shopping Day. This is an annual event where needy families from all over DC can come to get donated gifts for their children to have a great Christmas!
What an outreach to the community as the South East White House does many events through the year for the community’s youth of all ages as well as has a great intern hosting program.
It was so encouraging to hear all the stories from one of their founders Scott as he told us of how God had moved on their behalf time and time again over the last 12 years to get them to where they are today… What a great and very needed organization in our city…
We look forward to DC Metro Church continuing to partner with them in the future, as they are “Building a God-First Culture in the DC Metro Area” as well…
Thank God for The Southeast White House as many children will have a Great Christmas because of this great outreach to the community…
A Special Thanks Also to all the DC Metro-ers that participated in this great Toy outreach! Go God!
December 19, 2007 at 10:29 pm · Filed under DC
It was the last night for Metro Groups Tonite…
Taryn & I had a great night in our last metro group meeting over at Mark & Keirsten Kelly’s House.
In our first semester of Metro Groups it appears that everyone had a wonderful time as we grew together in community…
I personally believe that transformation really does happen best in the context of relationships, as we saw God answer prayer in all of our lives…
I love what it says in Hebrews 10:25 - “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
With that said, I am so surprised at how much that I have gotten to know all the members of our group in such a short period of time. What a joy it has been to meet/hang-out/pray on a weekly basis with all the great people in our Metro Group! It seems like overnight God has brought us many new best friends… Thank God for all the great individuals that God allowed us to get to know in our Metro Group this semester…
At DC Metro Church - Groups will kick off again in Mid-January!
Bless You Guys, And Bless Our Group!
Pastor D.
December 17, 2007 at 4:09 pm · Filed under DC
It was another great weekend at DC Metro Church!
Despite the rain and the cold, DC Metro thrived this weekend as we talked about Having A “Truly” White Christmas.
We talked about the secret to ensuring your Christmas this year will be “White as Snow” from Isaiah 1:18
If you were not able to catch the message this weekend, be sure and check out the message by clicking here…
This weekend we are looking at having our First Annual - Classic Christmas Service.
I have been looking forward to this for some time as we will have: Unplugged Christmas Worship, Communion, and Classic a Christmas Message…
Look forward to seeing you there on Sunday!!!
Pastor David
December 15, 2007 at 2:28 am · Filed under DC
Last weekend Taryn, Isaac, and I took our Christmas Photos on the National Mall
I usually dred this family activity as God uses it to continually build patience in me as we wait and wait for the perfect shot on each different pose, until this year…
Yes, I actually enjoyed our family outing and being patient for our “perfect” shots… I think I owe alot of it to our wonderful photographer, Heather Behlendorf. Heather and her husband Brandon are members at DC Metro and they do a great job on our Guest Services Team among other things… Thank God for you guys!!!
There was one point in particular that really impressed me with Heather… She was “Patiently” getting the right shot for us in front of the capital that she laid down on the ground (Did I mention, Wet Ground!) and took the photo that you see above of us on the capital steps… Now that is passion with Great Patience…
I have heard people say not to pray for patience, but what a character trait it is to have…
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Enjoy the pic…
Pastor D.
December 11, 2007 at 12:16 pm · Filed under David, DC
Hey Guys,
The interview on the 700 Club aired today and will be on TBN at 3pm Eastern Time, ABC Family at 11pm Eastern Time, or ABC Family at 3am Eastern Time. You can also check it out by clicking here to go to CBN’s Website.
Thanks again for all your prayers that this would minister to many people all over the world…
Bless You Guys,
David
December 8, 2007 at 2:48 pm · Filed under DC
Looking forward to part two of Surviving the Holidays…
I feel as though we are well into the holiday season already!
Tomorrow we will explore some “Big Help” for making this holiday season Very Merry…
See You Sunday,
David
December 6, 2007 at 12:15 pm · Filed under DC
I thought this would be interesting as I am forever having little answers to prayer like this and do not share them with everyone as much as I should. I figured this one would encourage you as it involves DC Metro Church and God answering our prayers in way other than what we asked or expected…
Here it goes… For the past month, the staff and Dream Team have been praying for finances to send out a Christmas Mail Piece to invite the community to join us for Christmas Services on December 23rd (We are having classic christmas services with communion and holiday hymns and a classic Christmas Message!). We have lifted the prayer time as well as we have been praying as a staff on a weekly basis together as well as the dream team has been praying from 8:15 - 8:30am before services for God to help us to help us with this… So far there has not been any “miracle” check in the mail as we had been praying for, however…
Something else happened this week… The CLC Interns came in town and handed out our entire stock of: print pieces, cards, and just about anything that had the DC Metro Logo on it… They did a great job and as the week went on, we realized that the amount of hits on our website was the highest that it has ever been - even compared to the mailer we send out in September!!! To top it all off, we had the highest attendance we have ever had on a Sunday this past weekend!!! Turns out after it is all said and done, God did even more than we were asking or imagining (Ephesians 3:20) Go God!
GOD ANSWERED US, BUT IN HIS WAY
I say all this to encourage you in your prayers this holiday season… Although we were praying to send out a mailer, God knew that our real prayer request was to let more people know that there was a “Life Giving” Church in the DC Metro Area and to invite those wonderful people to come be a part of our church!!! Amazing how He works - He always answers, just not always the way that we expect Him to answer…
What are you asking God for? and how is He answering in His way?
GO GOD! Your Way Not Mine!
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