A very big thanks to all who made the Good Friday Experience a very meaningful event in the life of the family of Fairhope Christian. Janet Loyed, Sandra Nelson and Bill Nelson transformed the Fellowship Hall into a 1st century banquet hall using props made by Janet’s late husband Bill. I think Bill would have been pleased with the transformation. Thanks to Ron Vilord and Bob Renner for a wonderful meal. One person said they expected a snack and instead got a full meal. Thank you to all who served the meal in a timely manner. Barbara Davis secured the costumes from First Baptist. Thanks to others who made or provided costumes. We appreciate First Baptist being willing to share with us. We thank all who were a part of the program.

Through everyone working together this was very meaningful Holy Week Experience.
John W. Alford

Easter is the center of our Christian life and faith. Christians are Easter people. We find the source of our salvation in the cross and resurrection.

In addition to the weekly celebration of the Resurrection, an annual observance of Easter became a part of the churches celebration very early in the life of the ancient church. Many believe that the primitive Christian community of Jewish origin would have observed the “Passover of God in Christ” the very next year after the crucifixion. Very early the Church fathers used the name Pascha to refer to the cross/Resurrection events and it’s annual observance. Passover/Resurrection was seen as a single event.

Eastertide festivities do not end with Easter day. We celebrate our redemption every Lord’s Day. In addition, we set aside fifty days of pascal rejoicing which reaches a resounding climax on the day of Pentecost-the fiftieth day of Easter. On the fortieth day of Easter, Ascension Day is celebrated in the church calendar. The ascension of Christ into Heaven and His exaltation in the kingdom over which He reigns should be an essential part of our redemption. In the Moravian liturgy we find this statement: “Christ our crucified, risen and ascended Redeemer, shall remain our confession of faith.”

The celebration of the fiftieth day of Easter, the day of Pentecost brings our annual observance of our Lord’s resurrection to a joyful close. The sending of the Spirit is the completion, the fulfillment of the resurrection promises of the risen Christ, the climax of the Easter season.

These fifty days should be a time of joyful celebration in our life and in the life of the Fairhope Christian family. The cross and resurrection was a reckless act of pure love for us on the part of both God the Son and God the Father.

Happy Easter!
John W. Alford

In 1989, Dr. Henry R. Rust wrote Worship Through the Centuries according to an Early Third Century Liturgy. In this booklet, Dr. Rust wrote the following:

A classic description of the early Christians is given in the Book of Acts. The late New Testament scholar, Dr. William Barclay distills it all into these classic descriptions of the early church.

They had a sense of togetherness in fellowship.
“See how they love one another” outsiders said.

It was a learning church.

It was a reverent church.

It was a church where things happened.

It was a sharing church.

A worshiping church.

A happy church.

A church of people whom others could not help liking.

All this implies a heavy role for the laity as well as the clergy. Preaching is dialogue. Many, many ministers understood that the preacher preaches to the congregation inside the church and the laity preaches outside in the world. One of the distressing dilemmas in our modern church life is that most of our laity do not see it that way.

How much does this description fit Fairhope Christian Church? May each of us really ask ourselves which of the above eight characteristics fit us. If you feel that there are some that are not a part of the description of us, then pray and ask God about areas that do not fit.

If there are areas in which we are weak we need to ask that the Holy Spirit would give us discernment as we seek to become what God would have us be in 2008. May God give us wisdom and understanding.

May we hear some of the good news of God to humankind. God is a God of promise, a God of covenant. In Deuteronomy 11, we read the following: ”…Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street, talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities so that you’ll live a long time, and your children with you.” God is just, good and worthy to be served. As we are told, if we are faithful to God, God will be more than faithful to us.

In Revelation 3, we read, “The people I love, I call to account~prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God! Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!
Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.” (Both quotations from The Message.)

To those who hear the voice of God and open the door, God promises victory and union with Himself.

Those who have faith and trust in God, come to know that God is faithful. We know that in the end God is in control. In this New Year may we give our all to be our Father’s children. May we turn back to God, renew our commitment to Him and live for Him in 2008.

Erma Bombeck in a column several years ago asked why a baby in a diaper was the symbol of the New Year. She wrote that the little New Year is a symbol of innocence, freshness and optimism. The baby reminds us to shed some of the baggage and old clothes of the past year. She also suggested that we should have no glasses that allow us to see our differences but none of our likenesses. Get rid of our shoes that allowed us to walk in the ruts of old ideas and stubborn resistance to change. No luggage to carry our prejudices. No neckties or scarves that choke out laughter, or joy or words of forgiveness. We should be like a baby ready to celebrate and live life on God’s terms. Give this new child a chance to grow, to develop, and to learn.

Emma Bombeck ended by saying:
This is my challenge to you and me this morning.
Let’s put away our tired old clothes,
lets get rid of the pessimism that can overcome us,
let’s say goodbye to the old person,
and once again become new-born babies in Christ-
children of the living and loving God.

Have a Happy and Blessed 2008.

Advent is a time of contrasts and ironies; a very complex season. It is a festival season. It is the beginning of the Christmas story, the preparation, the hope that the birth of Jesus our Savior brings. It is also a penitential season in which we examine and prepare ourselves for His return for a second time in glory and judgment.
We remember His first coming so long ago to a small village in Judea. He came as Emmanuel: God with us. Advent is also a time for acknowledging that Christ is ever born anew in our lives as Christians and that is a new miracle. Advent is a time of waiting and anticipation. We still are preparing for the coming of Christ. Jesus has already been born. He lived, taught, brought healing to people, died, and rose from death. Yet He comes again, and within each Advent season, we live in the hope and expectation of His coming again. When Christ comes again, He will rule, judge and save.
Christ has come and His coming prepares us for His coming in glory and His continual coming to us in Word and Sacrament. In Advent we are given the story of His coming and are prepared to receive Him as He confronts us in this season and at all times.
The Moravian Church has the following passage in it litany:

Lord, for Thy coming us prepare;
May we, to meet Thee without fear,
At all times ready be:
In faith and love preserve us sound;
O let us day and night be found
Waiting with joy to welcome Thee.

May we pause from the business and frenzy of December to take time to reflect on the meaning of the Advent season and pray and praise the one who is Emmanuel. May we rejoice because “your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28).

What will you do on Thanksgiving Day? Will you feast on turkey and/or ham and all the trimmings? Will you be traveling to be with family?

The American Thanksgiving holiday is a combination of a very ancient harvest festival and the Christian tradition of acknowledging that God is the creator and sustainer of all. It is also a part of our American heritage.

In the Old Testament the concept of giving thanks goes back to the beginning of the Jewish law. In Exodus 23:16&19, we read, “Hold the summer Festival of Harvest when you bring in the first fruits of all your work in the fields. Hold the autumn festival of Ingathering at the end of the season when you bring in the years crops… Bring the choice first produce of the year to the house of your God.” The Message. Later this became the festival of Pentecost, which was one of the most important Jewish festivals. Since God was and is the giver of all blessings, His children were to give thanks to Him. The Psalms of David give many prayers of thanksgiving.

In the New Testament, Jesus showed that being thankful should become a way of life for His followers. Jesus gave thanks for food before meals. At the Last Supper Jesus gave the Jewish blessing for the cup and the bread. Jesus also encouraged giving thanks for God’s presence and protection. Paul’s letters give many instances of his giving thanks to God. In 1 Thessalonians 5:6-18, Paul says, “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

The first Thanksgiving as it was observed by the Pilgrims and Indians set the stage for later observations. In 1789, Presidnet Washington issued a Presidential Thanksgiving proclamation. The thanksgiving celebration disappeared until the Civil War when President Lincoln reinstated it. A joint resolution of Congress in 1941 established the fourth Tuesday of November as Thanksgiving Day.

George Washington intended that Thanksgiving be a day of thanksgiving and prayer. Let us live our life as a Christian in such a way that we live each day in thanksliving to our God. We have been blessed beyond measure.

I am pleased that the leadership of Fairhope Christian Church felt led to call me as your interim minister. I really look forward to our time together.

In the Bible in Ecclesiastes 3:1 we are told: “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity.” Interim ministry is a time for learning in a congregation. When pastoral leadership changes, the church becomes an open system. The church is in a position to learn more about itself and its future. If this time of learning is worked through, the potential for having a long and happy pastorate of the new minister is enhanced. Peter Steinke has suggested that interim ministers may be “temporary shepherds” but that they can have a meaningful, long-term effect on the life of a congregation.

It has been suggested that there are five realities that make pastoral ministry more challenging and difficult today. They are:
a). Institutional resistance to change.
b). The need to redefine purposes and mission in the modern or
postmodern setting of the church.
c). The challenge to exercise liable Christian stewardship.
d). Controversial social issues will continue to produce conflict
and tension.
e). Increasing diversity in American society which will blur the
differences in religious traditions.

When a change of pastors occurs a congregation needs time to adjust. For some this is a time for grieving for the former pastor, for others it may be a time of working through feelings left over from several pastors back in the time line of the congregation. Emotional adjustments need to be made. People need to come to terms with their feelings. As the people begin to take stock of themselves, as they assess their strengths and weaknesses, as they refocus their sense of identity and mission, they gain new understandings of the past. As increasing readiness to go into the future emerges they begin to see themselves moving forward in new ways with a new leader.

There are five developmental tasks that a congregation needs to progress through on the interim journey. These are:
a). Coming to terms with History.
b). Discovering a new Identity.
c). Leadership changes during an Interim.
d). Renewing Denominational Linkages.
e). Commitment to new Directions in Ministry.
In The Message Bible Romans 12:1-2, we read:

The Message Bible
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life — your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around like, and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity. God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

In this passage, the focus is on transformation. Transformation has been defined as: “The new shape that occurs after transition, towards which change is aimed.” Life is a series of letting go of what was and moving ahead into a transformed future. The Bible, among other things, is a story of the journeys of God’s people that lead to major transformations. God’s presence directed these events as a part of His redemptive mission. God continues today to lead His church through transition to transformation, though death to resurrection.

Much of the above was taken from: Nicholson, Roger S. Temporary Shepherds: A Congregational Handbook for Interim Ministry. Washington, D.C.: The Alban Institute, 1998.

Dr. John Alford

” All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
[2 Timothy 3:16]

This will be my last article to this newsletter and, probably, any church newsletter. As I confront the future, retirement is a future that I never really thought about.
· What is it like to get up in the morning and not have to be mindful of the time
and my schedule for the day?
· What are my feelings going to be when I receive on a monthly basis my pension
check, Social Security check, and I haven’t done a darn thing?
· Will my plans for a part-time career be fruitful, or am I just whittling away at
time?

How excited I was 20 years ago when I graduated from Brite and was ordained. The night of my ordination, when the ceremony was all concluded, I read the above scripture from 2nd Timothy; and I saw before me a new career serving God and proclaiming Christ — never once thinking about eventual retirement.

I have been pondering my life and remembering a lot: Edina High School in 1962; UCLA in the early 70’s; my career in business (including my first time as a Vice President and on the Board of Directors); the time I met Harry Truman (1961) and the personal tour he gave me of the Truman Library — and a host of other events in my life.

The other day a retired friend of mine from my Vietnam days called me and congratulated me on my impending retirement. We talked for a while about the “old days” in Vietnam (42 years ago).
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Do you remember when our denominational magazine The Disciple closed its doors and ceased publication? What a disappointment! I didn’t even like the magazine, but it did let me know what was happening in the denomination. However its editorial policy was biased, I thought, by the fact that it was denominationally supported, and just supported the view in the Indianapolis main office. Eventually it just shut its doors and went out of business.

In March of 2002, a group of generous donors put together a fund to start a “denominational magazine” to fill a very empty void. However this magazine is very different. It is called DisciplesWorld and has the following good points:

1. It is not owned by the denomination and its editorial content and news reporting is totally independent and any bias reflects the opinions of the contributing author of the article.

2. It did an excellent job of accurately covering the bankruptcy of NBA, and other problems in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

3. Verity Jones, the publisher and editor, is a trained and excellent journalist who is not afraid to take issue with the denominational leaders, and to tell the complete truth.

4. In 2007, the DisciplesWorld earned five awards at the Associated Church Press Conference, including an Award of Merit in the coveted “Best In Class” category.

5. In a recent editorial, Verity Jones described the mission of Disciples World: “This is the church’s magazine. Although created independent of church structures, and not funded by the denomination’s mission dollars, DisciplesWorld is in partnership with the church. We seek to provide a forum to engage the topics that [bring us together and] threaten to pull our church apart—through accurate reporting and conversation-starting articles. We’ve covered the bankruptcy of the National Benevolent Association (NBA), our denomination’s position in the Middle East, capital punishment, and salvation and the divinity of Jesus. Our hope is that through such engagement, the church as a whole will find ways to remain knit together even in the midst of diverse opinion and disagreement.”
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“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity
under heaven:”
[Ecclesiastes 3:1]

Once again in our lives I am faced with the prospect of packing my office and preparing to move. In many ways this isn’t any different from other moves, but in another way it is a very difficult and challenging move for me—I am retiring. No career, no office, just a pension check and a social security check. For a fellow who has worked since he was a young lad of 10, this is a little traumatic. I intend to write articles, there are several ideas for books in my mind; maybe I’ll be able to teach or supply preach, but nothing is definite—it is in God’s hand.

There is also another factor for a minister to accept when leaving a church ministry—effectively letting go. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ) recommends that a pastor not return to a church he has recently served for at least one calendar year after his service has ended. This can be a difficult thing to do. Four months after I left my first church, a very good friend died of tuberculosis. His family wanted me to perform the service and I had to tell them I couldn’t because of policy. I went back for the funeral, but as a mourner saying farewell to a good friend.
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FUNERALS

Often there are people who never want to discuss or shudder to think about their funeral. It is an understandable reaction to the thought of their own death. But as the Apostle Paul states: death is but a beginning of a new life—for the Christian, a “victory in Christ.” The fact is, that when our funeral is being held, though we may be there in body, our spirit of life (our being) will be somewhere else, and we will not be at our funeral, but at a “house with many rooms” – “by the Lord’s side” – “our divine reward” – or however else we want to describe it. But as Christians, we will be with God through our belief in Christ.

Funerals are for the living! We won’t be there! But our kids, grandkids, spouse, close relatives, relatives we aren’t particularly fond of, and friends will probably be attending. And our next of kin are grief-stricken, sad, and have to plan a funeral—something they really don’t want to do (on most occasions).

Questions arise about the person who passed away! Date of birth, hobbies, favorite scriptures, likes, etc., etc., etc. And here are the “children,” who haven’t lived at home for 40 or 50 years, having to prepare a funeral plan. Is the body going to be cremated: before or after the funeral? Is there a gravesite, a mausoleum, a columbarium (huh)? What hymns do they like? Do they want hymns sung at the funeral? “What do you mean she wants to be cremated and her ashes scattered in Mobile Bay? That’s probably some thing my dumb brother talked her into? I want Mom where I can visit her once-in-while.” Do your kids or other loved ones know how and where you want to be buried?
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A Contemplative Prayer

O God and Parent of humanity, whose depth of knowledge
is more than I can conceive; I turn to You now in prayer.
For there is nothing at this time that You do not know about
in my life and in my thoughts; and nothing about my health,
relationships, or my personal world that is beyond your ken.

God, there is so much in this world that is violent or savage.
There are storms and tempests, conflicts and wars, hunger and
famine, epidemics and illness; just more than I really want to
know or contemplate. But Lord, the awareness is there and
my inner anxiety grows, and I need your Peace in my life.

I have promised to live in faith and abide by your Word, but
there have been times when I have let You down and failed
You; and You have forgiven me and even restored me; and I
know your love and grace are eternal, and I seek them now.

Help me, O Lord God, with this unexplained angst that feeds on
my consciousness and nags at my inner-peace. Do not let me
needlessly worry over things that could happen, but haven’t.
Through my knowledge of my faith in You and your love for
me, let me always be strengthened and find your Peace in the
consciousness of my brain, the emotions in my heart, and the
depths of my soul.

In Christ’s Holy Name. AMEN.

Pastor Jack E. Koehler

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw–that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” [Revelation:1-2]

One of the most misunderstood books in The New Testament is the last text, The Revelation to John. Written as a message of hope to churches in seven major cities in Asia Minor (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamun, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea), it is often viewed as a text of terror regarding prophecy about the “end time” (i.e.) “the end of the age.”

The question is often asked: “Why is that particular text of the book so mystical, frightening or bloody?” In providing part of the answer to that question, I take the liberty of quoting Alexander Campbell, one of the founders of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and a great preacher, scholar, and the founder of Bethany College, from his work “The Bible—Principles of Examination.”
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I have been asked by a number of people for a copy of the prayer I wrote for the first Sunday in Lent. I cannot remember all the names so I’m just going to print it.

Yours In Christ,
Pastor Jack

LENTEN PRAYER

Righteous and teaching God, You have shown us what is right: to act justly, to love mercy, to forgive those who offend us or seek to do us harm, and to walk humbly with You. On this Lenten Sunday we come to You in prayer and ask that You forgive us for those words and deeds in our lives that fall short of what You ask us to do.

· Forgive us our arrogance and self-confidence when things go well in life, and we turn from You with pride only in ourselves.

· Forgive us when we give in to the poverty of mind, body, and spirit that causes us to lie, cheat or act rudely and greedily in dealing with others.
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Well, the weather is cold outside (practically freezing!) and it doesn’t even compare to what they are going through up north. All over the United States they are talking about “El Nino” winds and providing explanations or excuses as to why it is so cold. A speaker I heard on television (PBS) asked the question, “What are we doing to take care of our environment?”

In Psalm 24, verse 1, the Psalmist proclaims: “The earth is the LORD’S, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;…” We are the stewards of this earth, we live in it, and God has commanded us to care for it. Are we being good stewards of God’s earth?

1. How many cans or bottles of aerosol spray have we released into the atmosphere.

2. How much garbage (McDonald’s bags and containers) coke bottles, paper napkins, etc. have we discarded on the ground?

3. Do we make sure the emission system on our cars is properly working?

4. Do we sort and separate our garbage before placing it in the bags and taking it out to the refuse container?

5. Do we keep ourselves aware of what is happening on this earth – and do we take time to work on what is wrong?

Steward – one employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns and to be responsible for the maintenance and care of the property.

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“There is a time for everything, and a season
for every activity under heaven . . .”
(Eccles. 3:1)

It is a cold, crisp morning with sun in the sky, and it is a new year – 2007. I watched the funeral of President Ford this morning and listened to the eulogies. It seems like just a few years ago that he was President. But it turns out that it was 29 years ago that he took office. We are all getting older, and me especially! Hopefully I am getting older and wiser?

But the New Year can be interesting and beneficial for The Fairhope Christian Church.

· The worship year is year c; which means the scriptures addressed in the pulpit will be Luke, John, Isaiah, Revelation, 1 Corinthians, Acts, and Galatians.

· We begin our Bible Study Monday, the 8th, at 12:30 PM. We will be studying apocalyptic literature beginning with Daniel and following up with Revelation.
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“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you* this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” [Rev. 22:16 NIV]

Apocalypse – (Gr. APOKALYPSIS - literally: “the lifting of the veil”), is a term applied to the disclosure to certain privileged persons of something hidden from the mass of humankind.

Apocalyptic literature is important to most modern religions, including the Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Hindu faiths. Different texts convey different messages, but usually the message is of hope and the promise that the righteous will eventually win out over the evil.
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I can look in the stores and tell that the Christmas Season is almost upon us. There are already Christmas decorations being broken out and ready to be put up. At the shopping mall I’ve already seen one Santa Claus cardboard figure; and I’m sure that soon the Christmas music will start to be played and the disks and cassettes will start to be put on “sale.”

Margie is starting to get ready for the Christmas Season already. She has spent the last several days out in the yard trimming the bushes and making a list of “honey-do’s” for me to accomplish. After all, some of the kids will be coming for Christmas, and we want to be ready for them. I’m even starting to receive Christmas mail, mainly catalogues and ads with snowy scenes and kids in new clothes and new toys. I even got Clarence’s catalogue from B & B Pecans, and am busy deciding what I’m going to send the relatives this season.
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“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:…”
[Ecclesiastes 3:1]

It is finally Fall after a hot and very dry summer. Today, as I write this column, it is 85 degrees with a cool breeze, and the sun is shining after a week of frequent rain. My grass will live and is starting to grow again!

As we enter the Fall season, there are events scheduled that I feel you need to know about and plan for:

1. On Sunday October 22, at 3 P.M., the District 5 Assembly will be held at First Christian Church in Pensacola. A meal is planned, along with worship, and a brief business meeting. The guest speaker will be announced at a later time.

2. On Sunday October 15, at 3:00 P.M. is the “Blessing of the Animals” worship service. If you are an animal lover and/or have an animal companion (“pet” is no longer politically correct), be sure and attend.

3. The time is approaching for the annual budget preparation. If you have input or recommendations, contact Dennis Sumrall. If you are a Committee Chairperson, contact Dennis with your planned budget for next year. Copies of your current budget performance (YTD) may be obtained from Pam in the Church Office.

4. The time has come when we will be seeking new Committee Chairpersons and members. The same people should not be asked to bear the burden term after term. Can you help in the ministry of Jesus Christ through the activities of your Church?

5. The Church Board has appointed the Nominating Committee for Church Officers:
Ken Hughes
Bill Bagby
Alice Hinger
Taney Brazeal
Martha Mozer

If you have a recommendation for a position in the church, contact one these members.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Jack

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those
who love God, who have been called according to his purpose.”
[Romans 8:28]

. When I first enrolled in the seminary at Brite at TCU, I was 41 years old. Most of the students were in their early to late 20’s. I was wondering if I was “nuts,” and what was I doing there with those kids. I was older than 50% of the faculty! But then I saw a gentleman walk in to registration wearing a tie and carrying a briefcase. His back was straight, he wore glasses, and his graying hair was combed across his head, which covered the thinning top of his head. “My God,” I said, “this guy is older than I am!” I thought at first he must be an instructor or administrator; but then he got in line, and I realized that he was a student.
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