Zumba has created not only excitement about achieving long  term physical benefits but an opportunity to invite family and friends into the facilities of MPC and open  the door into children, youth and worship involvement.

Instructors, Natalie Farmer and Hillary Novak,  sisters by birth and friends by choice, say they are, “passionate about women helping women,” and have  created an atmosphere of caring about one another. Free child care is provided. The 20-30 children enjoy  the facilities of MPC and the fun with each other.

From the very first week about 70-80 women per class  have attended, ranging in age from 10 to 80. Crossroads Auditorium is filled with high energy as they  move to a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and strengthen the body through aerobic fitness  routines, creating an exciting workout that is great for the mind, body and soul!

MPC-goers have used this  as an opportunity to invite family and friends to attend. Johnna Barnard, Director of Resource Development at Dove Harbor, has invited several women and comments, “It is an easy, fun, and excellent exercise and a less intimidating way to bring friends into the atmosphere of the church.” She shares, “One  family came to church the next Sunday and has not missed a Sunday since and the kids have become  involved in the children and youth ministries.” Several other families have visited MPC worship as a direct result of being introduced through this unique health and fitness program.

The class is offered  Tuesday and Thursdays at 5:30pm and Saturdays at 9:00am. Each one hour class burns between  700-900 calories. Ten percent of the $5.00 fee benefits various causes, such as Haiti relief and Komen Race for the Cure.

Natalie and  Hillary deeply feel that, “It’s an opportunity for women to achieve health and fitness, an open door for  women to feel comfortable and loved and families to feel welcome and involved at MPC.” One MPC fitness seeker said, “I’ve been here from the beginning and didn’t want to miss a minute – it’s overrun with fun.”

by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor

Okay, it’s question and answer time. Some questions are out-of-the-blue (quite literally, as in “Pastor, I was just thinking about the color blue and wondered if it had any theological meaning in the Scriptures…”), some are triggered by current events (“Jim, what do you think about climate change?”), and some are born in conversations with others (“In our small group last week, we talked about why the choir doesn’t  wear robes. Why don’t they?”), and so on. All questions are welcome; thanks for asking.

Here are a few  questions that have surfaced lately—with some answers, too.

Q: We’ve missed you at the School Board meetings in recent weeks, Jim. Have you lost interest in our  public schools? After focusing so much attention on the Board, can you now just walk away?

A: It’s true that I have not attended School Board meetings regularly in recent months. I began attending them  without fail in June, 2008. The last time I attempted to address the Board in a public meeting was in May,  2009. The last Board meeting I attended was in November, 2009. I have concluded that attending School  Board meetings is not productive, for any cause or for informational purposes. Little debate takes place in  public, the rules of engagement effectively prohibit constructive give and take with “patrons” (that’s what the Board calls those of us in the audience), questions posed  from the floor rarely receive answers or followup— the whole present Board-meeting-in public process is a sad and perpetual failure. It does not have to be so. The Board could engage the public, governing our public schools in a way that would promote understanding and investment. But, the last two years of active participation have persuaded me that this outcome can only be achieved by electing new Board members.

Four of the seven seats will be on the ballot May 4, 2010. Consequently, I have redirected my time and energy to the Committee for Anderson’s Future (CAF), a diverse collection of community leaders who share this in common: Anderson’s schools (ACS) holds the keys to Madison County’s future; the School Board holds the keys to ACS; it is time to place those keys into new hands. You can learn more by visiting the CAF website: www.andersonsfuture.com. I want to believe the incumbent Board members are well-intentioned; I know they have made many sacrifices in their role. Still, it’s time to put some new drivers behind the
wheel. I believe I have a responsibility to remain engaged and to speak up for change.

Q: Is it true that popular author and radio talk show host Stephen Arterburn will preach at Madison Park throughout May?

A: Yes. And, we’re very excited about it, too. Steve has long been a friend of the ministry at Madison Park. In conversations following our shared platform at the CBH Retreat at the Cove (last October), Steve and I have arranged for him to speak for five Sundays in May, each week exploring themes from his best-selling (and Biblically-grounded)  book, Healing Is a Choice. Drawing from illustrations in the ministry of Jesus, Steve will help you wrestle with “ten decisions that can transform your life—and the ten lies that can prevent you from making them.” Steve founded New Life Ministries (the nation’s largest faith-based broadcast, counseling, and treatment ministry) and Women of Faith (attended by over 3,000,000 women). He has appeared on Oprah, CNN, Good Morning America, in the New York Times, USA Today,  and US News & World Report—always representing the healing Gospel of Jesus Christ, a voice for biblical values in a culture often detoured. He is one of the most engaging and insightful speakers you will ever hear. This is an outstanding opportunity for all of us to invite friends, business associates, family, and neighbors who otherwise would not consider coming to church. It all starts Sunday, May 2 and runs  through Sunday, May 30. Watch for new small group opportunities and curriculum to coincide with the  series, too. And, yes, I’ll be here, also—in the front row.

Q: Will we continue the new Holy Week  events in 2010 that we introduced in 2009?

A: Absolutely. We were overwhelmed with the positive response to last year’s Holy Week line-up—and, yes, you will see it again (polished, expanded, and improved) this spring. Palm Sunday falls on March 28; Easter is April 4. In between, circle these dates now: Maundy Thursday (complete with a delicious Passover Seder Meal, as Jesus and His disciples would have enjoyed at the Last Supper), Good Friday (with the  Journey to the Cross, walking in the steps of Jesus from the Last Supper to Golgotha—an unforgettable,  incredibly moving experience), and Easter Saturday (with the amazing Eggstravaganza for children—not to be missed). On Easter Sunday morning, we’ll be ready to celebrate the Resurrection with two services in  the Crossroads Auditorium and two in the Main Auditorium, both rooms at 9:00am and 10:45am.

My page doth run short; my Q & A column must close for now. But, again, thanks for asking. See you Sunday.

MPC’s annual Missions/Faith Promise Celebration engages individuals in a venture of faith, promising to God what we cannot see in order to support missions locally and around the world. Faith Promise funds support missions outreach in our local Anderson area, throughout the United States to Native American outreach and in the world with special projects targeted in India, Russia, Haiti and Africa.

Even when looking for God to work the results often come as a great surprise. Sue Ellis visited MPC, with relatives Carolyn Speedy and Chris Schnaitteron, on 2009 Faith Promise Sunday. Living on a fixed income with limited resources she still felt compelled to make a pledge. When she returned home to Oklahoma there was a letter in the mail informing her of an increase in her widow’s pension. Totally unexpected, the year’s increase equaled what she had pledged—in faith. She sent her check to MPC in support of missions around the world.

Faith Promise money comes in a variety of  unexpected and unique ways as people begin looking at income through God’s vision of possibilities. Debbi and Dan Schoger bought a headboard, dresser and chest at a second hand store. As they were cleaning the dresser, they found an envelope on the bottom of a drawer. Opening it, they found a large sum of money. Debbi said “In astonishment we looked at each other and exclaimed together, ‘The exact amount of our Faith Promise pledge!’” After checking with the place of purchase, who declared the money theirs, they made the check out and gave it to missions. Later they were cleaning out the chest and found another envelope under some paper. In astonishment, they counted out the amount of money they had paid for the bedroom set. They testify, “God provides—above and beyond our expectations.”

The annual missions celebration shares the big picture of what God is doing around the globe and a glimpse of how God wants His people to engage with the world for the sake of those who don’t yet know him. Anticipate what God could do throughout the year by exercising your love and faith in Him.

For more information on outreach and mission, contact Jeff Matas, Senior Associate Pastor.

by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor

There are some bedrock ideas in the Gospel that have driven the church in every generation to pursue missions. Chief among these is the understanding that God’s favor, which includes redemption from sin and the promise of heaven, comes only through Christ, as a gift—and that, to be experienced, that gift must be received. “All have sinned,” the Scriptures tell us, and we can only be saved from its consequences, which include shame, guilt, and hell, “by grace, through faith … it is the gift of God, lest anyone should boast.” Nobody earns it; we can only receive it.

Individually, we must each humble ourselves before God and accept this gift, if we are to have any hope. If people are not given the chance to receive the gift, by hearing “the Good News”, then they are doomed. All of us deserve to be doomed (I know, I know, not a popular concept these days, but still a foundation stone of Christianity) and Jesus is the only ticket out. From Peter and Paul to the present day, followers of Jesus have been proclaiming this “way of escape,” so that “all might be saved.” Jesus Himself commanded us to do so, famously, before He ascended to heaven. See the end of Matthew’s Gospel, for instance.

Not everyone agrees.  Some argue that it’s pretentious for any religion to imagine that it is the gatekeeper of truth; Jesus was a nice guy and great teacher—everybody gets that—but the Buddha and Mohammed and Moses and so on all had their equally valid points of view. Jesus “the Way, the Truth, and the Life … no one comes to the Father but by Me?” C’mon, a bit arrogant, wouldn’t you say? Or so the line goes. And, anyway, it’s not fair for people who haven’t heard about Jesus to find themselves in hell, is it? If everybody isn’t told about the lifeboat, then nobody really needs one, right?

Our problem? We believe what the New Testament says: nobody gets saved without holding on to Jesus. We have a responsibility to point as many people as possible to the Life-boat, Jesus Himself. Which brings us back to missions.

The Madison Park Church focuses its mission energies abroad in three fields. Each is a land thirsty for the Gospel.

India will soon become the world’s largest nation. With over 1.2 billion, it represents one of the world’s most exciting, and needy  mission fields. Hundreds of millions in India have never heard of the name of Jesus. Not once. We work extensively with five assemblies of the Church of God in India—and the indigenous India Gospel League (IGL) to provide relief and hope across the huge swaths of the subcontinent that know nothing of God’s love. Since 1997, IGL alone has planted over 100,000 churches in rural villages in which Hindu idols-carved-in-stone previously held sway. It’s a holistic approach, inviting villagers to embrace Jesus as Lord, tear down their idols, and advance their prospects for a better life here and now.

With the fall of the Iron Curtain and the emergence of the new Russia, we also have been at work in the Siberian city of Chelyabinsk. An urban center of 1.5 million, essentially isolated from the outside world during the Soviet years because it was a center of Russian nuclear and defense technology, Chelyabinsk boasts one of Russia’s best-educated populations. Masters of science, engineering, mathematics, and many other disciplines of knowledge, the city’s population was almost exclusively atheist, until the doors opened for evangelization in the mid-1990’s. We then helped purchase the first Church of God-owned property in Russia since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution; an ongoing sister-church relationship with the 15-year old Church of God there continues to bring light and life. Hundreds of believers, all first generation, new converts, now call the Church of God in Chelyabinsk home. Growing and maturing, last year the Chelyabinsk Church partnered with Madison Park to provide relief for believers in Pakistan, fleeing from the Taliban.

Madison Park has long had a heart for Haiti, too. Working with Mission Haiti, which helps resource and manage Gospel ministry, medical missions, and an orphanage for the Church of God in Haiti, we have been able to help open a medical clinic and rudimentary hospital at St. Ard, outside of Port-au-Prince—a compound that withstood last month’s devastating earthquake and even at this moment is a refuge for thousands of displaced and injured Haitians who surround it every day. Thanks Madison Park for the $40,000 you have contributed to Haitian relief in just three weeks!

How I wish everyone in our church family could visit each field and see the dramatic good that is done, for Jesus’ sake, every day. You’d be amazed. It’s almost Beyond Belief, really. Imagine how He can use you. Don’t ask what God can do for you; ask, instead, what God can do through you. And, as He works through you, you will experience the life-giving wonder of being one with God’s heart for the lost. There’s nothing like it.

by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor

The ancient Romans believed winter was so dreary that it was “monthless,” as if there was no use even marking its grey and gloomy days. January and February were the last two months added to the Roman calendar (in 700 BC). The Anglo-Saxons didn’t think much better of the winter; they called February Solmonath, which translated means mud month.

The word February is derived from the Latin Februum, which refers to an old festival of purification (or cleansing) designed to “please the gods” before the spring planting season began. This festival (also dubbed Lupercalia) fell on what we now date as February 15. St. Valentine’s Day on February 14 is thought to have originated as Christianity replaced pagan festivals with feast days celebrating great men and women of faith.Born to freed slaves in Kentucky in the 19th century, Carter Woodson went to work as a child in the coal mines. He enrolled in high school at age 20, graduated in two years, went on to college, and ultimately earned a PhD from Harvard. Brilliant and black, he was astonished to find that African Americans were absent from American history books at the time. In 1926, he launched Black History Week (which became Black History Month) to draw attention to the positive contribution Black Americans have made to American history. He chose February because two men who greatly influenced black American history were born in the second month: Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln’s birthday has always been overshadowed, though, by Washington’s Birthday. Today, President’s Day merges both. Richard Cadbury gave the world the first heart-shaped box of chocolates in 1870; Highlights magazine still dresses children up in mittens to build snowmen in its February edition.

Ah, February—that shortest of months, too often passed by, even with its charms, on the way to spring. But, not this year at Madison Park Church. In 2010, February will be a month filled with adventure, inspiration, daring, and life reaching beyond our front door. Beyond Belief is the title of February’s Sunday sermon series and the frame for four weeks of looking at God-at-work in the world around us.

Beyond Belief will draw lessons every week from the Acts of the Apostles, as they changed their world. Beyond Belief will help our children and students explore MPC’s mission interests and opportunities. Beyond Belief will include a parade of nations, testimonies of God’s extraordinary provision for His purposes, and Shane Bennett (a dynamic, riveting voice for embracing God’s call to get out of our comfort zones).

Beyond Belief will feature an extraordinary evening on February 25 in the Crossroads Auditorium: the “Beyond Idols Tour,” with international contestants and a multi-national band, all veterans of American Idol-like television competitions from around the world. Each of the participants, representing many different nations is a believer with a testimony and talent that is guaranteed to inspire. This unique tour is brought to us by our partners at Global Disciples, with whom we work all the yearlong supporting Leaderwell Posghnap in India.

Beyond Belief will transform the Lighthouse Café on February 24 into an international café. This Salt and Light Event will then give us all, no matter what your age,  a chance to experience a hands-on mission moment in which you will be able to be participate in one of many projects set up throughout The Commons.

Beyond Belief will dare you to step up, step out, and take a chance. Beyond Belief will invite you to make a Faith Promise, stretching and trusting, both at once, as you watch for God to provide in unexpected ways for His purposes.  Beyond Belief will test—and strengthen—your faith.

Pick up a copy of Madison Park’s first-ever missions journal, available this Sunday, February 7. Don’t miss any of the opportunities to grow and explore, spread across February at Madison Park Church. From the Junior High Student Winter Olympic Games to the focus on Haiti relief at the Holy Grounds, visit Madison Park and see the world.

And, oh yeah, speaking of Haiti. . .MPC has, so far, collected nearly $40,000 in cash to invest in Haiti, following last month’s devastating earthquake. Every cent is going to work on the ground there; much remains to be done, but may Heaven be praised for all the good that will be done because of your generosity. You can continue to support the Haiti effort by marking your gift “Haiti” anytime, as the weeks unfold.

February. No mud month here. No faceless winter grey days at Madison Park Church. Nope. It’s time for Beyond Belief. The Son is going to shine. And, the world will be changed. For the good. For God. And, you can be a part of the great adventure.

by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor

Early in 1992, I stepped out of the normal Sunday sermon routine and delivered, on a Sunday morning, an assessment of our congregation’s challenges and opportunities, together with a package of ideas about how we might meet them.  I dubbed it the “State of the Church”—okay, a shameless adaptation of the Presidential “State of the Union” speech idea that comes round once each year, but then I’ve always had a quirky fascination with all things Washington, D.C.

In that first “State of the Church,” some bold proposals were placed on the table and later embraced by the congregation. For instance, it was then that we suspended weekly Sunday evening worship services and began, instead, Saturday Night at North. In succeeding years, the “State of the Church” became a staple—on a Sunday morning every winter, measuring, proposing, dreaming, defining, reaching for the next steps in our church’s life. Saturday Night at North eventually gave way, five years later, to a new Sunday morning service at Madison Heights, and then, ultimately, the vision for Madison Park. Everything from the Stephen Ministry to laser focus in missions on specific places (like India, for example) to the development of Dove Harbor to the birth of the Miriam Project to the launching of small groups as we know them to so much else, all began as an idea brought forward at the “State of the Church.”

“State of the Church” ideas were never just mine; they were always the result of prayerful conversation with staff and church leaders in the months before. As the development of Madison Park gathered steam in the early 2000’s, the “State of the Church” fell by the wayside, as our energies were consistently focused on this herculean push forward.

But, now that we’re here—and now that we’ve had a chance to catch our breath, after a ten-year saga that led us to the strategic placement that is Madison Park, well, it’s time for the “State of the Church” to come back. And it is: this Sunday morning, January 24.

During all three Sunday morning services on January 24 (at 9:00am and 10:45am in the Main Auditorium and at 10:45am in the Crossroads Auditorium) I, together with some other key spokespersons, will bring forward a snapshot of where our church is today and where we can go in the year to come. Yes, the presentation will introduce you to some of the staggering financial challenges we face (and we do face some Mt. Adams like mountains to climb) but also to a package of very exciting ideas that promise to take us “to the top” and conquer the summit.

This year’s “State of the Church” will be sobering and exciting, both at once. In fact, the magnitude of the climb—and the exciting, energizing, breathtaking views we will see along the way—already has my blood running fast in a fresh, dawn-of-a-new-day way. I’m excited. I sense new, clean wind blowing and the Spirit moving.

Over the last few months, an ad hoc committee of lay voices representing a wide swath of our church family, our pastoral and ministry staff, and our Board of Elders have all been engaged in parallel tracks, seeking the Lord’s direction for Madison Park. Interestingly (and not surprisingly), these parallel processes all landed with similar emphases, initiatives, and ideas. These have been synthesized, polished, and drilled down to produce a guidebook for 2010 in 17 steps. Very cool. Really.

The dramatic and daunting sweep of the mountain ahead, the path to the summit in 17 steps, and the extraordinary Presence of God Himself along the way together equal the trip of a lifetime for all of us.

Don’t miss it: the “State of the Church for 2010” on Sunday morning, January 24. Be challenged. Be inspired. Be in prayer. Be ready.

On the following Sunday evening (January 31), we will convene our Annual Business Meeting (at 6:30pm), during which the congregation can respond to the “State of the Church” content. We’ll also consider then the 2010 System-Wide Budget (which will reflect the “State of the Church” ideas) and five nominees for our Board of Elders (four Resident and one Non-Resident), to be seated by April 1.

The long journey to Madison Park was a huge advance for the Kingdom cause in Madison County; I absolutely believe that. It has also been, on some fronts, an exhausting one. Great projects always are. But, the stage is now set for another life-giving adventure with God. It’s a climb every one of us can engage; it’s a passage we will never forget; it’s a road that will stretch and muscle-up our faith. Start with us this Sunday.

And, oh yeah: Proverbs 3:5-6. Memorize it.

by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor

As one year ends and another begins, newspapers and magazines are awash in stories about “People of the Year,” “Heroes,” and so on. Turning the page from 2009 to 2010 does give pause to wonder. Today, I am, with wonder, thanking God for the breadth and depth of the exceptional family that is the Madison Park Church. It’s not possible, in these few column inches, to recognize everyone, so I’m going to take a deep breath, take a chance, and draw attention to just a few, knowing that they represent the many.

Thanks to Pete Granger. Pete has long had a passion for landscaping, but in 2009, he tackled a project completely new and unique for us: our Memorial Plaza. It’s just outside the Commons at Madison Park, south of the Holy Grounds Patio and sandwiched near the main entrance. A large expanse of individually set bricks (imprinted with memorial names, dates, and Scriptures), set with perfectly chosen plantings and arranged with understated style, the Memorial Plaza has raised thousands of dollars to retire our mortgage and, at the same time, remembers the great souls who have gone on before. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Marti Freeman, managed the initiative; Pete provided the landscape design and installation crew all at his own expense to maximize the church’s benefit.

Thanks to Trish Thomas. Trish leads our “local mission’s embassy,” a ministry team that facilitates our congregation’s engagement with other local ministries (like Operation Love, the Christian Center, the Reconciliation Picnic, Angel Tree, and more). Tireless, dedicated, and always with a smile, Trish inspires and gets things done at the same time. Yes, she has some great co-workers on her team, and, yes, you may see her volunteer in other areas, but a special mention this year for her work on the kingdom front lines right here in Madison County.

Thanks to Jill O’Malia. Anyone who has been to “A Christmas Carol” at Madison Park knows that Jill has served as our Producer and Director for many years. But, few could imagine the investment of time and energy this annual favorite requires. Pulling together the crew, nurturing the creative edge, networking musicians, cast, sound and lights, set construction, promotion, and, well, you just can’t believe all that goes into it. There are many outstanding helping hands, of course (Dwaine Jackson, for instance, who quietly—and perfectly—supervises bringing the set to life each year and to Cheryl Shank for stepping up, quite literally, for the choreography, etc.), but Jill is the centrifugal force that makes it happen. The “Carol” added a fourth night this year, saw larger crowds and greater offerings than ever before, and continues to be a gift to our community without peer. And, don’t forget: the “Carol” also plays an important role in sustaining the ministry of Dove Harbor to homeless women and children all the year through.

And, speaking of the Harbor, thanks to Jack and Barbara Hollis. They invest in many ministry fronts, but one of the ways these unsung heroes stand out is in their willingness to volunteer at the Harbor. Whether helping to maintain the grounds at the Harbor or bringing children from the Harbor to this year’s Santa’s Breakfast in the Commons, Jack and Barb are just two of the many generous souls who bring life to Broadway.

Thanks to Kyle Stork and Richard Harvey. These guys are just two members of two outstanding student ministry teams, who pour their lives into teens all year long. Kyle is a small group leader for seventh grade boys (I know up-close-and-personal about his outstanding ministry because he is partnered with my son, Nathanael); week after week, Kyle teaches, listens, plays with, prays with, and invests in the seventh grade guys at Madison Park. A terrific collection of volunteers like Kyle do the same for teens in every grade level, through high school. Richard wears several hats in our student ministry, working with programming, up front teaching, speaking with parents, and entertaining the students. Nobody does it better. And Kyle and Richard are just the tip of the iceberg. Praise God for them.

Thanks to Norma Armogum. Norma has been one of our most faithful prayer warriors at Madison Park, always on her knees, always stepping up to pray, always offering a prayer covering for the ministry and mission at Madison Park. Prayer is the indispensable currency of Christian life; the dedication and devotion of Norma (and many others in our prayer ministry teams) is a foundation stone of all the good that happens here.

And, how about those Valets? Musicians? Greeters? Ushers? Children’s Ministry and Adult Discipleship volunteers? The Lighthouse Café team? Sound and tech crews? The parking lot shuttle drivers? Office volunteers? Mission teams? And, don’t forget the heavy lifting our Board of Elders, Personnel and Finance Committees do, too. And so many more, too many to name. Over 1,150 adults volunteer at Madison Park every month. As this year comes to a close, let us all say thank you to them. And to God, for empowering and calling them to serve.

And, then, there’s our staff. The best! What a privilege to be a part of a family like this. Happy New Year to all—a year bright with promise.

by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor

In last week’s edition of the journal, Science, results of a four-year survey of 1.3 million Americans (commissioned by the federally-funded Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) were included in a report by academics on both sides of the Atlantic. The survey included a question asking respondents “how satisfied they are with their lives.”

The outcome? Folks in Louisiana claim to be the happiest, the most content, in the United States. Hawaii and Florida follow closely behind, ranking numbers two and three in this “happiest” ranking. Hoosiers show up near the bottom, though; Indiana appears to have one of the least contented populations, landing at number 48 out of 51 (the District of Columbia is counted, too—at number 37). Or, as described in the report: Indiana is one of the “least cheery,” “most miserable,” states in the Union. (New York is at the bottom, at number 51.) Ouch.

The analysis of the data suggests that those states in which there is the most dissatisfaction with tax burdens, public schools, transportation issues, and availability of public land find themselves on the “unhappy” side of things. New Jersey, Michigan, and Connecticut (at numbers 47, 49, and 50, respectively) round out the bottom five, with Indiana. California is at number 46. If misery loves company, we have lots of it—company, that is.

Of course, these kinds of surveys are fraught with difficulties. Still, maybe this suggests some things we at Madison Park can do to step up and change the attitude around us. As Christmas rolls around and the New Year dawns, maybe it’s time to stop, take stock, and speak out loud—to God and our neighbors.

First, let’s make a decision to praise. We’re going to be a people of praise. We will praise God (acknowledging Him, singing about Him, talking about Him) and we will praise others (finding the good in them). Always. Everywhere. In the most discouraging moments. And, in those minutes when we’re flying high. As Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:8: “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worth of praise.”

Second, let’s be honest about what’s broken, but only when we’re committed to fixing it. It’s useless just to complain, cycle around the same old stuff, throw our hands up, and throw in the towel. That can only doom us to gloomy frustration (the polar opposite of being content–again like Paul in Philippians 4:11). As long as God is on the throne, there is a way—a way forward, a way to redeem, a way to be hopeful, a way to find solutions and answers. Believing that—and acting like we believe it—can allow us to see Heaven’s view.

Third, let’s be thankful. Let’s look at what we have instead of endlessly reciting what we don’t have. We have the beauty of four seasons, a very attractive location in the American heartland, proximity to Indianapolis and its energy and investments, two great hospitals, supermarkets and retailers competing for our business, some great churches and folks who support them, innovative and forward-looking entrepreneurs, an interstate that connects us culturally and economically to the world beyond, and more. There’s lots to build on here.

Fourth, let’s be confident and nourish great expectations. Enough of the “dead end,” “we just can’t,” “let’s face it, the best days are gone,” “what a mess,” “life isn’t fair” conversations and mind-numbing victimization. Not one of us is here by chance; none of us are breathing by accident; all of us have the capacity to be used by God in an extraordinary way for the common good. May all of us be voices for the future—a bright and promising future, no matter what the obstacles might be between here and there, today and tomorrow.

By most measures, the first Christmas was an impossibly challenging ordeal. Two young people forced to travel far from home, a young girl pregnant, but not by her fiancé and erstwhile husband, “no room in the inn,” a hostile government, and all the rest. And, and don’t forget the whole trip to Bethlehem was prompted by–you remember—an imperial decree “that all the world should be taxed.” More taxes … yuck. Nothing in this story to inspire. Talk about unhappy, miserable, and “least cheery.”

Except for one thing: God was at work. Christmas is the stuff of miracles. God turned the darkest night into the brightest day. The cave-like stable becomes one of the world’s most sacred spots. The manger-bassinet becomes the emblem of beauty and hope. The whole unlikely stage and cast of characters is appointed by God to change the world. Forever.

And ever since, God has been using unlikely characters in unlikely places to demonstrate His astonishing power and grace. Maybe this Christmas, maybe in 2010, God will use Madison Park–and Madison County—in a similar way, too. Why not?

Merry Christmas, dear church family.  Be encouraged. Jesus is born. He lives. And, He lives here. Thank you for bringing so much happiness into my life and that of my family in the last year. You are, indeed, “the best.”

by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor

Pieces of paper. Stacks of books. Post-it notes. And a flat computer screen with hundreds of e-mail messages waiting for someone to open them. Welcome to my desk top—the top of my desk in the church office.

It can always be a jumble, but it seems to be a bit more so just now. But, that’s okay. I’m just glad that I have a job. That there are people that want to hear from me. That I have things to do—and things to do that make a difference, for the good.

First up on the desk: God’s Twitter, the preaching series.  I know some people are more drawn to some sermon series than others. Different tastes, different emphases, different senses of depth and relevance—everybody has an opinion and a review, spoken or unspoken. But, whatever else can be said about it, it’s generated a lot of interest! Our sermon videos (now posted each week on the web at our church homepage: (www.madisonparkchurch.org) are being picked up from California to Bulgaria (yes, I’m not making this up: folks in Bulgaria are watching and sending e-mails to my desk top).

Highlights? In addition to the foundational ideas found in the original “tweets” from Heaven recorded in Genesis 1-2-3, remember these ideas: (1) Ask yourself every week this question: “Who am I following and who is following me?” That’s not just a Twitter-query; that’s a life-question. (2) Ask yourself: “How am I influencing those who follow me?” Twitter is about influence; you don’t have to be on Twitter to influence others, of course, but you’d better be aware of the kind of influence you are. (3) Ask yourself about “constant communion.” Twitter allows us to constantly post others about where we are—it’s a kind of “constant communion.” It reminds us to keep God posted, too. “Pray without ceasing,” as Paul commends. (4) Practice articulating your thoughts concisely. Twitter limits posts to 140 characters. If we can’t express our most deeply held ideas clearly and precisely, we probably don’t really understand or believe them anyway.

The sermon series is over, but keep on Twittering. Check out our webpage (www.madisonparkchurch.org ) for a list of Madison Park ministry and staff Twitter accounts that you can follow, if you like. Pick and choose from among them, but follow along. Twitter is a great way to be “the first to know.” And, start posting yourself. Somebody out there will start following you, too. Speak life into the Twitterverse.

Next up: Home is December’s Sunday series, looking at the Christmas story as a story about home. “I’ll be home for Christmas, you can count on me …” There’s so much expressed in that lyric—the deepest longing of our hearts for a safe, peaceful, loving place, and the way Christmas in our culture does so much to call out that longing. As we walk through Luke’s telling of the Christmas story, remember that there are four components to “home”—four characteristics that define home for each of us.

Those are: (1) our physical dwelling place—where we sleep at night, where we wake up, (2) the relationships that unfold in that dwelling place (whether they be with family and friends who might share the space with us, or even the phone calls, e-mails, and contacts that we experience there), (3) the challenges we face together with those relationships, at home or beyond, and (4) the values we embrace at home, with which we function at home and also face the world. Dwelling. Relationships. Challenges. Values. We shape our homes. Our homes shape us. Zechariah. Elizabeth. Joseph. Mary. The shepherds. The wise men. Jesus. Their lives were defined by their homes. So are ours.

Also: Making ends meet. As the year draws to a close, and all of us think about balancing our books, please remember Madison Park. It is God’s work. I absolutely believe that. Nothing in this town has greater potential for the good than does this church. I know it’s a bold claim to make. But, I believe it with all of my heart. Ask me why, if you’re not sure.

And your church has never needed your generous support more than now. With an economy still wobbly and uncertain, support for our mortgage payments has fallen by 37% in the last year. That means our ministry funds have to make up the difference.  And that threatens the financial viability of everything from Dove Harbor and the Miriam Project to the Lighthouse Café, student and children’s ministries, worship, preaching and more. Your tenth. Your over-and-above gift. Your generosity is critically important, now more than ever. Thanks for giving. Your investment is life-giving.

Books: On my desk today: Home, the autobiography of Julie Andrews. How Starbucks Changed My Life, the true story of a 50-something Manhattan executive who lost his job and became a Starbucks barista. The War of Art, an interesting exploration of how we must overcome an inner struggle before the God-given art He has planted in us can be expressed.

See you Sunday.  I’ll be looking for you on Wednesday nights (December 9 and 16) and Christmas Eve, too. All at Madison Park. I don’t want to miss anything. Or you. Be encouraged.

by Jim Lyon, Senior Pastor

When I was 10, I “invented” (what was for me, at least) a new tradition. On November 1st of each year, I would take out a piece of paper and write in huge cursive characters the words “November” and “December,” adding numbers below to make a reverse calendar. Instead of the first day of November represented by the number “1” it was represented by the number “54.” The second day of November was “53.” The first day of December was “24” and so on until Christmas Day, “0.”

This was my “Christmas Countdown” —marking every day from November 1 (er uh, 54) until Christmas. Somehow, I believed that once Halloween was past, a fixation with all-things-Christmas could be openly and unashamedly owned.  By some measures in the years since, I was way ahead of my time: none of that wait-until-the-day-after-Thanksgiving thing for me. I laid the outside Christmas lights across the basement playroom floor and made sure all of the bulbs worked while the Jack-o’-Lanterns were still warm. The lights waited there until December when my dad would put them up; but I checked them every day after school, while Perry Como crooned Christmas classics on the turntable.

Forty-seven years on, I still love December 25 and the magical days leading up to it.

When I was a child, Christmas was all about the anticipation, the expectation of something wonderful and bright shortly coming to pass. Yes, there were presents in store, of course, but it wasn’t just about gifts under the tree. It was about the music. The beauty. The way in which the whole world around me seemed to be transformed, from my living room to my church foyer to my school room at Webster Elementary to even the department stores at Northgate.  Even a drive through Seattle on a dreary, damp night sparkled through raindrop prisms pushed aside by windshield wipers to reveal multi-colored lights outlining doors, windows, and rooflines everywhere. My face was always pushed against the glass to see.

And it was about the Story. The Story of Jesus. The elegantly simple and strangely captivating narrative of Joseph, Mary, the Baby-in-the-hay, and all the rest. God was up to something good and life-giving at Christmas. Even as a child I understood this.

Our church had Christmas trees and a crèche. Candlelight and carols. Communion. “Silent Night.” Traditions and touchstones that anchored our days. And years. Perry Como came and went, but the Christmas traditions remained constant, reminders of transcendent hopes and dreams, truths that bridged time.

Madison Park is a place of Christmas traditions and opportunity, too. Our production of A Christmas Carol, of course, has become an important marker for thousands. The annual telling of the Dickens’ classic short story not only celebrates the heart of Christmas, it also benefits Anderson’s ministry to homeless women and children, Dove Harbor.

The Christmas Eve Service is in its 19th year. There are adults now in our congregation who have, from their day one, greeted Christmas with the singing of “Silent Night,” as thousands raise candles toward Heaven, chasing the midnight darkness away in one of the most remarkable minutes of the whole Christian year.

There are shoeboxes filled with joy for disadvantaged children, sent as Christmas gifts around the world. There are missionaries far away that will receive gifts and encouragement this Christmas by our hand. And servicemen and women in uniform, too.

There are children across Anderson who will find gifts this Christmas because of ministries organized by small groups at Madison Park. There are care packages and food baskets that will be delivered across the county because of sacrifices made at Madison Park.  There are children who will hear the Christmas story and get the real scoop on Santa, perhaps for the first time, at the Santa Breakfast in The Commons.

There are some precious aged and disabled souls who will receive gifts and visits in Jesus’ name this Christmas, because of your investment at Madison Park.

There are people who will see Jesus, up close and personally, because of the Body of Christ at Madison Park.

Be a part of the countdown. Be a part of the life-giving celebration of the birth of Christ. Embrace the traditions, the giving, the being, the honoring, the celebrating, and the worshipping. Pick up our “Winter” brochure and bring a friend.

Want to know more? Want to know how you can step up and bring Christmas to our world and community? Contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Marti Freeman, at (765) 642-2000. She’ll help you connect to a world of wonder.

And, be a part of what God is doing at Madison Park in another important way, too. As the year draws to a close, think about making an over-and-above gift to the ministry here. Your financial support has never been needed more; the pressures, in this tough economy, are great for all of us—your church home included. Thanks for praying about it.

And, oh yeah, today (November 25) is Day 30 on Jimmy’s “Christmas Countdown” calendar. Enjoy.