In life reality often does not matter. What matters usually is the perspective from which we view things. Muslims and Christians, Democrats and Republicans, men and women, children and parents all have very different and, at times, opposing perspectives. Our perspectives can be so rooted and passionate that we can sacrifice relationships due to our unwillingness to see the other point of view. But Christ teaches us to love. Love unconditionally. Love with abandon. Love, love, love! Seeing things from someone else’s point of view does not mean you agree with them. It just means you understand where they are coming from and understanding results in love.

In life there will be plenty of people who try us. They try our patience, our resolve, our joy, our nerves. When that happens it is important to gain some perspective that is not just your own.

This Sunday we will be starting a new sermon series called “Balcony”. The first sermon is “A Better View” and deals with God’s perspective. He has the best view and widest range of all. Please join us Sunday at the Andrew Jackson Recreation Center at 10:00 AM and let’s find out how God wants us to see His creation.

On the Journey with You,
Scott

donations of school supplies for Kershaw Elementary School

Part of the game plan for Team Church is to reach and impact the community. As I was delivering the school supplies that we’ve collected through the month of August to the Kershaw Elementary School, I was thinking of the ways we’ve tried to reach and impact our community in Lancaster County.

We started off with a bang by providing a huge community Easter egg hunt.  We’ve served the town with the Springathon, and provided support to Youth Serve during its two weeks of community service project.  Also, we’ve volunteered for other youth events with the community ministry called YIELD.  Just last month we provided another large event with the free outdoor community movie.  And as we’ve entered into the fall, we are sponsoring the Andrew Jackson High School sports program, plus we weekly provide the football players with small treat before each game.

And today was especially gratifying as Grant, David, and I delivered the school supplies that were donated for the Kershaw Elementary School.  The principal and school counselor were elated over the donation, and knew that the supplies were really needed.  Back when we asked about the needs of the school, Principal Jennifer Etheridge was moved when she thought of the increasing financial need of our area.  Extra supplies are crucial for the increase of students that can’t afford even the basics.

If you think about what connects all the things that we’ve been about since the launch, you’ll find a couple of words are key:  community and serve.  Our game plan is to reach out…to the community…and do what?  impact…make a difference, and we do that by serving!

Way to go, Team Church!  That’s showing Christ to those around us…and it will make a difference in the lives of those families that we’re reaching and impacting!

Susan Hammond,School Counselor; Jennifer Etheridge, Principal; Steve Miller, Teach Church Pastor

I hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day celebration.  I really enjoyed our Labor Day weekend service this week that we called “Labor Pains”.  It gave us a chance to hear a very cool medley by the Team Church Worship Pastor, KC Clark.  You will find KC leading the worship at the Team Church Matthews Campus most Sundays.

Also, it’s good to deliver a message about something that all of us deal with on a daily basis…work.

Not everyone has a paying vocation, of course, but all of us have responsibilities.  Students, for instance, have to work hard at their scholastic responsibilities.  Stay-at-home-spouses don’t get a paycheck, but certainly work hard.  And even around the house young children are assigned chores.

In every circumstance, the Bible tells us the right attitude to have:

Colossians 3:23-24

²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

If God wants us to have the right attitude with work, then why did He make work such a pain?  Actually God didn’t intend work to be a curse…

• God Himself is a worker!  (John 5.17)
• God established work before sin  (Gen. 2:5,15)
• God cursed the land…not work.  (Gen 3:17)
• God commends work after sin.  (Gen 9:1-7, 1Thes 4:11)

God didn’t intend for work to be just a pain.  But remember that as we have the right attitude (see Col. 3:23-24 above), we get what He did intend…for work to be rewarded!  Some rewards to work are providing for

• basic needs and wants
• fulfillment and purpose
• achievement and character.

So…now that you’ve got that right attitude…Go, Get to Work and quit reading blogs all day!! haha!

My blog will be short today. Hadley Eleanor Whaley was born on Thursday, September 3rd at 5:20 PM. She weighs 8 lbs, 3 oz and is 21″ long. Mama and baby are both doing extremely well. Tiffany and I appreciate all of your prayers, calls, visits and all that our dear friends at Team Church have done for us. May God bless you on this day as he has the Whaley family.

On the Journey with You,
Scott