Posts from July 2019

Posts from July 2019

One Anothering in Women’s Ministry

Last spring, 27 or so women set off on the women’s spring retreat. I’m still humming off that weekend. In so many ways, we got moments of what CGS is about: the real Jesus, engaging real people, for the real world. From moments of hilarity (I mean belly-gut laughter!) that still make me giggle; to moments of honest heartache, wrestling with the stories Jesus has put us in; we got the opportunity to bring each other to Jesus, and Jesus…

A Journey Through the Psalms

Searing pain. Boundless jubilation. Crushing despondency. Desperate fear. Brutal revenge. Steadfast faith. The Psalms, perhaps more than any other section of Scripture, invoke a breathtaking range of emotion, from the soaring heights to the darkest depths of our earthbound existence. They are a window into the soul of humanity and the heart of God, ultimately proclaiming God’s lavish affection for his broken people. From the opening lines of the book – “Blessed is the man who walks not in the…

A Picture of Ministry for All Who Follow Jesus

I’ve loved the book of 1 Thessalonians for a long, long time. Along with Acts 20:17-38, 1 Thessalonians has been a vivid, multidimensional picture to me of what gospel ministry looks like. This picture is not one only for pastors and seminary trained folks. It is for every believer in Christ who follows Jesus in ministering to others – to friends, spouses, children, grandchildren, neighbors, work associates and others. I read 1 Thessalonians and see a picture of what God…

Pondering Vocation

Preaching on Luke 9:18-27, Chuck asked, “Who do you say Jesus is?” We may struggle to discern our calling in life, but how we live is bound to our answer to that question, the same question Jesus posed to his disciples and which Peter answered correctly (Luke 9:18-20). The Gospels portray a particular type of Messiah on a particular type of mission and we are called to follow him daily in his way. That’s the life for which we’re made.…

Updates from the Spiritual Formation Team

The Spiritual Formation Team (SFT) exists to strengthen and mature the Body of Christ at CGS, in Durham/Chapel Hill, and around the world. We oversee multiple educational initiatives spanning the entire lifespan, including Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, and Adult Ministries (Men, Women, Sunday morning classes, and Seminars). During our July meeting, we met with Amelia Cassar, our Director of Children’s Ministry. She highlighted 2 big points that we want to consider together: The Children’s Ministry hopes to prayerfully receive a…

Updates from the Community Formation Team

The Community Formation Team (CFT) exists to equip CGS to form healthy, gospel-rooted, redemptive relationships that flow into a beautiful, loving culture where we invite our friends and neighbors into our family. The CFT meets about once a month and oversees the Community Group ministry, the Party Planning Committee, the Young Adult Community, the College ministry, the Welcome Team, and the newly-implemented Neighborhood model for pastoral care. We spent this month focused on the Welcoming ministry. God extended great hospitality…

Reflecting on Vacation Bible School 2019

Why do we invest so much time, money, and effort into Vacation Bible School? Do our kids not learn those things every week in Sunday School and Children’s Worship? Do we actually do that much outreach? Is it worth it? When I first signed on to volunteer at VBS several years ago, I wasn’t asking any of these questions. I was simply a new member and a new mom looking for ways to get to know others in my church.…