I'm Baaaack!

“So…what was it like?” That is the question I have been asked this morning, my first day back after a month long sabbatical. I could easily come up with a basketful of answers, because it was a time of variety and freedom. I read less than I expected to, prayed more, stayed up later and played Carcasonne and HeroScape addictively. I cleaned and reorganized, and sat – just sat – on the glider in the backyard, and spent a couple of days in silence at a monastery. I was not drawn to my computer, e-mail, or phone, and being unplugged fed my freedom. But there were times, especially on the weekends that I was acutely homesick for my church family, and I am so glad to be back in this place today. As I sit here watching a robin tugging on a worm in the back grass I know it is the little common things that are so dear. Yes, I loved being on sabbatical and thank the church leadership for investing in me in this generous way, but I do so love being back…at home.

Ultimate Freedom on the Field

By: Amy McAninch

With the aroma of hot dogs and french fries filling the air, the song of our National Anthem playing, and the laughter from giddy children, I come to realize baseball is in full swing and life seems complete. I stand in awe of how I love being here at the field, but this last week God showed me something much bigger, his ultimate freedom.

It was last Tuesday, a beautiful day, and as a lifegroup we decided to meet at Tam-o-Shanter Park after Haley and Ryan’s Tee-Ball game. As everyone came, one by one to the field, I became overjoyed that my lifegroup was wrapping up their lives with ours and seeing just a glimpse of what we do down at the ball fields. After Haley and Ryan’s game, the kids got to run off with Cherise to the park, while the rest of us found a covered picnic area and opened our bibles.

It was at that moment, while the wind was blowing cold and hard, and everyone was freezing, that I realized I was truly blessed. Not only by my amazing husband and our loving lifegroup, but by the fact that God has given us the freedom to worship him anywhere. Even though we were all freezing, the sun was shining and I could feel God’s glory on that field. I thought I felt complete on that ball field before, but now, I fully rejoice in the freedom that God has given me, on the field and off.

Rentz Family News

By Chuck Rentz:

Jenny and I want to keep our East Hills Family up to date with our status as C&MA Missionaries and have some new news to report. As many of you know, factors related to our son Erich’s epilepsy made it necessary to remain in the States for a second year of Home Assignment. Jenny and I prayed that God would make a way for us to stay in the States a second year without the need for Chuck to be on missionary tour for 6-8 weeks at a time. God answered our need and made it possible for us to join the ministry team here at East Hills Alliance. East Hills has been an answer to our prayers. God has been using the you, the people of East Hills to refresh us and remind us of God’s love and goodness. Jenny and I wanted to thank you for blessing us.

HERE IS THE LATEST NEWS:
March 29 – God answered our prayers
1) Erich and Emily were accepted into school in Berlin! Praise the Lord!
2) We received a call to ministry with Berlin International Church which we have accepted!
3) We received permission to move back to Berlin early to get set up prior to having our next baby in August.

April 11 – Erich’s latest Pediatric Neurology Appointment.
Jenny and I left the appointment very encouraged. Erich only showed one area of spiking in his brain during his most recent EEG. This was the best news we have had yet and though Erich will still need to be on anti-seizure medication we are hopeful for the future. Perhaps God will heal Erich in His time.

This news means that our last Sunday at East Hills will be June 3. We plan to leave June 4th and drive to Toledo, Ohio prior to our flight to Berlin hopefully on June 18th.

BABY #4 ON THE WAY!
For those of you who haven’t heard, Jenny and I are expecting a baby boy due August 22, 2007.

Pews, your days are numbered

Since March 12, a remodeling task force has been meeting to study ways of improving the church sanctuary and entryway. The basic ideas behind the remodel, and the membership of the group, came from Nick with input from the elder board. Kirk Sherrell, Bob Shaw, Tom Hight, Katrina Mendenhall, Jeremy McAninch, Leon Rennells, and Jean Imholte are on the task force and have been gathering suggestions and ideas from the congregation. Since my dad is the elder board representative on the group, I interviewed him today about the progress so far.

Doing nothing is a very poor option; the sanctuary carpeting is deteriorated, and the roofing, almost 30 years old, is already letting some small leaks through around the steeple. But just replacing worn-out materials does nothing to address flaws that hurt the sanctuary's usefulness.

"Over time, the church has changed," Tom said. "The demographics of our church are young families, primarily. It's not really representative of who we are. And the platform area really limits what we can do as far as performance arts for ministry support."

So far, a clear majority of the feedback favors upgrading both the functionality and appearance of the sanctuary. The single biggest issue is seating: immovable pews not only project a churchy attitude, they close off options for any use of the room besides traditional services. With a fully carpeted floor and moveable chairs, we could set up tables for a conference or clear the space for youth events. My dad visited Northlake Baptist, where they have been using chairs for five years, and got a good report: people say the chairs are more comfortable and have responded well.

Because it is likely that no walls will be moved, the biggest proposed structural changes are those aimed at the stage. This Sunday and Monday, the task force will be meeting with people involved in worship, drama, and other up-front activities, to get their recommendations. The main goal is to enlarge the platform itself and give musicians and performers more clear space to work in. Money is already budgeted to buy a stronger, higher-resolution projector and mount it from the ceiling, freeing up still more space and making the display itself more readable. The lighting leaves much to be desired, such as eliminating morning glare from the rear window, installing stage lights, and intensifying the ordinary room lights. Another item on the wish list is to wire all the light switches to one panel for better control.

Although the task force is directly concerned only with interior work, it may also recommend re-roofing before the sanctuary remodel begins. With the roof in its current condition, any insulation or other improvements on the ceiling could be damaged by leaks or the roof work itself. The team will also look at ways to improve the entryway inside and out, and possibly the front stairs.

"There are things we can do to make our church building more attractive and usable, but the building is a facility to be used for building up God's people. We're not doing this primarily for ourselves. It's more for people who have no relationship with Christ."

The task force envisions being ready to start work in early fall, but nothing major can happen without the approval of the administrative board and a vote of the congregation. This is not intended to be an obscure or secretive process, so feel free to approach any of the task force members with your concerns. If you would like to submit written comments or questions, feedback forms are still available in the back of the church. Anonymous feedback is acceptable, but please do put down your age and how long you've been attending EHA.

Arrr!

A very important Vacation Bible School meeting is going to happen this Thursday at the church from 6:30 to 7:30, and anyone with any interest in participating should be there.

The 2006 VBS will happen from 9:00 to noon on June 25-29. We hope to have 60 to 80 children there, a number that we have experience handling and that has matched well with the space and staff we have available. The outlines of what those kids will be doing for that week is already set. They will arrive to find the sanctuary transformed into the inside of a pirate ship. On the first four days, they will split up and rotate through four activity sites, but on Friday, they will stay in one group for a day of celebration. "Pirate University" is the theme; strangely, there is no Christian pirate curriculum available, so the VBS staff will create their own lessons and materials. The Wilson family will once again grace our stage with an episodic drama, and Caleb, who came up with the name, has already written most of the music. Every child will have a turn hearing the salvation message and be asked to respond by accepting Christ, but the other three sites will have their own response elements as well, rather than just imparting a lesson to passive listeners.

"[The staff] considers the week of VBS one of the most fun weeks of the year," Ann said. "'Pirate University' is easy and fun to promote and has a high interest level for girls and boys."

Tuesday's meeting is when we move from "what" and "when" to "who" and "how." Lori Shero, the director, needs leaders and helpers for the four sites, and the VBS "crew" has to work out which rooms to use and how to dress them as ships, ports, desert islands, and other appropriate locations.

"People will have an opportunity to hear an overview and help decide some of the details," Ann said. "We're looking for people who have a heart for kids, but some things need to be done outside of that week, or even on just one day."

Whether you have an interest in working with children, or would rather cook, pray, or help behind the scenes in other ways, this meeting is the place to find a role that suits your abilities. It's also an opportunity to give your input on the creative aspects.

Easter Service

Pastor Nick delivered his Easter message very efficiently at Kelso High: the count was 269 in attendance, meaning that for all of them to hear him preach in the sanctuary, they would have had to divide among three services.

"It was like a celebration just to have the whole church family together for one service," Ann said.

Nick offered this thought about his sermon: "I think I always use a different approach at my thesis than I normally do. My normal style tends to be deductive-- give the big points first, then the evidence-- but this time it was interesting to just let the story be told."

If I had to choose a day to get up and preach, Christmas and Easter would be my last two choices. I was impressed with Nick's ability to work within the confines of a seeker-oriented service on a major holiday, yet still reveal fresh ideas that hold the attention of long-time Christians.

Pulling the Plug

Four years ago, the administration board approved a compensation package that included sabbaticals for staff members. It was designed to give staff members a one-month period of discretionary time after each three years of service. After discussion with Pastor Nick, I made a request to the elder board in March to use my sabbatical leave from April 23 to May 22, and they approved it. I am so blessed to be part of a church that values the health of its staff. I am not “dropping out” because I am toasted and just can’t take it anymore; I am going away to be refilled and renewed in order to better serve. Because this has not been done before, we have had to address a lot of general questions in the process.

The sabbatical concept is rooted in Scripture and is by its very nature a time of rest and reflection. Genesis 2 and Deuteronomy 5 are key chapters that guide this process. To use this time of rest and reflection well requires quite a bit of “unplugging” as preparation. I have been working toward this for many weeks, and I find myself with mixed feelings. Part of the time I am excited to experience a sabbatical, and part of the time I feel left out of the excitement of living out the call God has gently placed on my life. Also, I am fighting the inner pressure to over-format this month with schedules, lists, and deadlines-- that would completely undermine the whole purpose.

I see this as a time of rediscovery: first a time to rediscover my God, second a time to rediscover myself, and finally a time to rediscover my ministry. It has been difficult to say no to some things that are scheduled for my sabbatical month. For instance, I will miss some important meetings that my heart wants to participate in. I will not be attending EHA weekend services during this time or meeting with our life group. It is a little scary to think about being away from my dear EHA family and co-staff members. But gradually, I am seeing a little intriguing light waiting for me on the horizon. What does God have in mind for me?

A Blessing in Difficult Times

A Blessing in Difficult Times
By Jim Cram

Some of you may know that in May of last year, my brother George died. This has certainly led to a mass of changes in my family and particularly in me. You see, George was the only one of my siblings living near my mother, who is not in very good health. George helped her with whatever needs she could not do independently. As a result, my mother has moved to Kelso and I have taken the primary responsibility to make sure her needs are met. In addition to this, my relationship with one of my sisters was severed, and the relationship with the other sister was strained. Denise’s father’s Alzheimers has gotten worse, and he is now using a walker, and I have found that I need to give them more of my time as well. Time. Stress. Responsibilities. In order to alleviate some of this, I stepped down from being an elder and have cut back on my responsibilities at church. At times, I feel left out from those meetings I used to attend – kind of like an outsider. Yet, I know that this is what I had to do. So, did God lead me to this place of life? I know He did. So, why has church responsibility taken such a back seat for right now? I ask that quite a bit, yet I know He is with us in wherever He leads us. And we can always find Him, especially in the small things.

God has shown his faithfulness to me in many ways. Shortly after my brother died, my youngest sister, Twylla, and I both realized that we needed each other, and God has opened the doors for us to have a great relationship with each other, and to even enjoy one another regularly. While my mother went through 2 hospital stays and 2 moves, my sister, Doris, came by the house to visit, somewhat cautiously. She stayed for 5 hours, and before long our differences had dissolved, and we see each other often now. God made you and me to have relationship, with Him, with family, and with neighbors. And He is the healer of relationships.

My mother realized that she needed to be near her children, so she decided to move to Longview. She had applied to get into senior housing in Kelso, but we were told that the waiting list was long, and that her income was too high to get onto a reasonable accommodation list. So she moved into another apartment which cost more but was very nice, and she felt she could afford the rent. It was not long until she realized that her money was gone before the month was. Just at that time we got a letter from Cowlitz Villa senior housing that there was an opening, and because mom was now paying higher rent she now qualified for reasonable accommodation and had moved to the top of the list for a one bedroom apartment. God is good. While we thank Him for the apartment she lived in for those first few months, it is good to see her breathe a bit easier financially. I appreciate the generosity and kindness that Chuck Bond and his staff have shown to my mother. My mother found herself having to pay rent at 2 apartments for April, since her agreement said that she had to give 20 days notice, and she was unable to do this in order to not have to pay the April rent. However, within a week, Chuck’s staff called and reported that mom’s apartment had been rented and that not only did she not have to pay April’s rent, but that she would receive a partial refund for March as well! God is truly a generous God.

There are other things that we see in the blessings in our life. God’s provision of a new car for Buell and Lorraine. An special relationship with my brother and his wife as they ventured into the world of caring for her parents. Support from our life group, and the way that Nick has continued to make me feel a part of the church leadership. I don’t know how people can make it through stress and difficulties without a supportive church family and without knowing the grace of our God. As I look back, I can only say, “Thank you, God. Thank you for the blessings you give to us.”

Programmatic Benefits of Chairs

Hello! Perhaps all of you have heard by now that we are exploring a remodel of our church sanctuary. One of the potentially contentious points in a church remodel is the discussion about removing pews in favor of more modern, padded chairs. Rather than discussing the differences in style, I want to focus for a moment on the difference in function. What possibilities are open to us if we have flexible seating? I have put together a partial list of the benefits our church would have as a result of bringing in chairs. After reading through, I'd encourage you to add some of your own at the end!

*Chairs allow for curved seating; better site lines for people towards the end of a row.

*Chairs may be placed around tables
-Discussion Groups
-Banquets
-Prayer Circles

*Chairs may be placed around longer tables, or one side of a circular table
-Conferences, seminars and workshops

*Chairs may be rearranged for worship purposes
-Worship event in center of room with chairs in circles

*Chairs may be removed from the front of the room
-Allows more room for dramas, mimes, or large wedding parties

*Chairs may be removed from the back of the room
-Providing greater space for socializing and fellowship

*Room may be completely cleared out
-Light-impact events (such as a ballet practice)
-Concerts or standing room only events
-Youth events

*Chairs will make the room more functional not only for our church family, but equally as important, it will make the room more available to our community. (Right now our sanctuary, the largest room in our building, is used around 6 to 7 hours per week.)
-Community seminars, practices, events, etc.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
*Single chairs may be removed and replaced in case of damage
*Chairs may be removed for great wheelchair accessibility
*Chairs provide greater comfort
*Chairs are more familiar seating for unchurched people. Hard-backed benches are primarily found at sporting events- where people take "bleacher seats" with them!
*Chairs are a "defined space", giving people a greater feel of personal space. This will actually allow for a greater room capacity.

What do you think?

Heart to Heart Season Ends

This year Heart to Heart has consisted of a series of meetings and events all tied to the theme, "That Makes Sense". Each part of the series used one of the five senses as a launching point. We began back in September with meetings called "Taste and See That the Lord is Good" and there was a serious amount of chocolate involved! This series was desigend to be a good way for women to find out if Heart to Heart would be a good fit, and an easy place to invite friends.

We then did a womens' spiritual retreat called "Touching Heaven". It was in Menucha, Oregon and intentionally focused on the spiritual worlds, both dark and light. The feedback from that retreat was enthusiastic. "Best retreat ever," was noted over and over again. It was certainly a great time to get in touch with God and with each other.

In order to sharpen our listening skills we did a winter series called, "Can You Hear Me Now?" and spent time learning how God speaks to us. That was capped with a holiday seeker friendly event called "It's Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas". It was a blast to have several presenters, to learn a few Christmas tips, and just hang out and have fun together.

Finally we did a series called "I Can See Clearly Now" which was intended to re-energize our devotional lives. We spent a lot of each week doing personal Bible study and sharing new insights in groups discussions. There was a big enphasis on the inperative need to include God's Word in our decisions and plans.

How important is your Bible? Consider the following:

It was written over a span of 1500 years by more than 40 authors spread over three continents: kings, peasants, fishermen, criminals, poets, and statesmen. The languages they wrote in are dead or close to it but it has outlasted their limited knowledge and been translated into more than 2200 languages.

It is eternal, it begins before the creation of the universe and reaches into the far future.

It is quoted by angels and misquoted by demons. God protects and preserves it and man has manufactured more copies of it than any other book. It’s words and ideas have been incorporated into hundreds of thousands of pieces of art and literature.

It is used as a model for worldwide codes of law, serves as a shield of the preservation of liberty, guides kings, presidents, and generals, and encourages scientific thought.

Men have been martyred for believing it and waged wars to defend it. Wherever it goes women and children are elevated. It was the driving force behind the exploration of the new world and the abolition of slavery.

It's pages burn with truth,It is reliable, holy, complete, inexhaustible. It is eternal.

And it is personal. It has sustained soldiers in foxholes, nourished the starving in prison camps, been a companion to orphans and widows. It has stopped the desperate from pulling the trigger, swallowing the pills, slamming the door.

It's pages whisper, "Come near...take a closer look." A story, a verse, a word...just for me, just for you, just for today.

Seeing clearly requires us to put on our holy glasses and learn to appreciate God's holy Book.

The final event for Heart to Heart women this season will be our annual Garage Saling Extravaganza in June. This is a totally fun morning when we meet at the church, team up, get directions and garage sale lists and head out for a few hours of treasure hunting. We meet back at the church for lunch and show and tell. This year we are planning to provide childcare. Watch for date and time.

The Rentz's past and future

C&MA International Ministries is eager to get our missionary in residence, Chuck Rentz, back into the field; he was scheduled to fly back to Berlin this August when his year with us is up. But Chuck and Jenny are now expecting their fourth child in August, so their travel plans will definitely change. They have not decided whether they will leave early, in May, or wait until November or December.

Chuck has already preached, and many of you have met him in person, but since we are restarting this blog with plenty of new content, I wanted to get a little of his background available online.

Chuck accepted Christ when he was 16 and living in Poulsbo. He felt he was "called to let my life count for the Lord;" one way he accomplished that was spending four years as an instructor at Crown College. In 1993, he heard a speaker at a C&MA missionary conference give an urgent call, inspired by the collapse of the Soviet Union: the church needed people who could begin training for overseas work immediately and enter the mission field soon. Chuck felt that God was calling him to answer, but the path to overseas ministry was a long one.

For the last 18 months of Chuck's preparation, the word was that France was his likely destination. But when he arrived for his pre-appointment interview, a step about six months away from placement, he was launched into two weeks of uncertainty. The denomination suggested Mongolia, an Indonesian island, and three African countries, but all were bad matches.

Finally, he got back on track with a placement in Berlin. In 2001, Chuck and his family went overseas and began two years of language study. His first ministry was a new church plant in the form of an initial 17-person home group, which he eventually expanded into a functioning church. He was also the field treasurer, responsible for the mission's international banking.

The C&MA wants its missionaries to spend one year in full-time U.S. ministry for every four they spend in the field. For the Rentz family, that first year back was a challenging one. Chuck and Jenny's oldest son, Erich, had been diagnosed with epilepsy their first year in Germany, and he began to have developmental issues. Meanwhile, Chuck's speaking schedule sent him around the country and often kept him away from Jenny and their children. When the year was up, they did not feel ready to return to Berlin. The family was tired, and gaining access to the proper schooling for Erich in Germany is difficult.

"We were five minutes from Jenny's church in Toledo, Ohio, and we have felt so much more care-giving and relationships and connection with people here than there," Chuck said. "Not that they're bad people, but it's another way of doing things, and [East Hills], all around, has been a blessing to us from the first week we got here."

The Pacific Northwest District put Chuck in contact with Nick Stumbo, and they and the elders felt that God was calling Chuck back to Washington. He began his year-long residence in July 2006.

"We were really unsure of what the future meant for us," he said. "Then Nick called ... we really believe that God brought us here. I think this was the year that God wants us to be refreshed."

While here, Chuck is still involved in promoting missions. He is a firm supporter of life groups, which are a main tool for connecting believers in his field work. He also emphasized that his ministry goal is to understand what God has for East Hills, to reenforce the leadership's vision rather than compete against it.

Drama in Heaven

Drama in Heaven
By Ann Hight

When God walked in to the drama room
He could hardly believe His eyes,
Half the crew was late again
and the props were all the wrong size.

Some of the actors were dozing,
Some were playing cards
And some were having an argument
About who should be the stars.

Paul was in the corner
doing rewrites on the script
“I think I’ve almost got it,”
For the fiftieth time he quipped

Moses, in the back room
was trying hard to learn his part
“I just can’t seem to say it right”
He was surely losing heart.

Spotlights leaned in the corner
And no one seemed to care
The wardrobe mistress worried
about John and that camel hair.

Peter kept on coming up
with new ideas for the set,
“Let’s build three of them”, he cried
“This is my best plan yet”

Something sure was missing
in heaven’s drama room
Without a fresh solution
God knew the play was doomed.

Suddenly a knowing smile
replaced God’s worried frown.
“Peter, drop your hammer.
Go get me Dana Brown.”

The (Heart) Beat Goes On

Heart to Heart started the final segment of its year long series, That Makes Sense, yesterday. Each part has been loosely tied to one of the five senses. This whole series has been interesting to do because there has been a big variety of teaching styles, intended audiences, and outcomes. This final one is my favorite. But I guess my favorite always just happens to be the one I am working on at the moment! With expert help from Becky Cox, we were able to put together a snappy little study guide, and our new copy machine actually folded and even stapled it for us. I think it will be a useful tool as we present interactive meetings to help re-energize our devotional life by exploring ways to connect with the Word of God.

Yesterday was the first Thursday we have met together during 2007, and it was so good to be back in the groove with these special women. After weeks of being apart, and minutes of being back together, it was evident that no ice-breaker question was really needed. We all just instantly began catching up with each other and welcoming new attendees over coffee and donut holes.

Heart to Heart meets Thursday mornings at 9:30 with childcare, and again at 6:00. Hot and cold beverages and snacks are provided. If you are a woman looking for a meaningful mid-week break, give Heart to Heart a try. Or contact me if you have questions or comments.

"State of the Church" Talk

Hello! This is the basics of the talk I gave at our 2007 Annual Celebration. I think it will give you some unique insight into our church. Enjoy!

A Look Back:

Where have we been over the last year? In what state do we find our church?

A Grounded Church. We are finally out of transition. For the first time in several years, we had no staff farewell parties. We may be down in attendance some, but that's okay- we know who's with us. We have "arrived" in the sense that we can look around and say, "This is us!" Now let's start moving forward together.

A Generous Church- Even with lower attendance, our missions (GCF) giving is up, support of other missionaries is up, and overall giving was very strong compared to size of church. We paid off our ADF loan- over 16,000 of principle just last year! I salute all of you that were a part of this through the years!

We provided a place for Crystal Ewing, and now for Chuck and Jenny Rentz, to do ministry and to grow. We took a spur-of-the-moment type offering for Dana Brown and suddenly had several thousand dollars put together.

We have transitioned into an a new era at EHA. But the question is, what kind of church will be? Where exactly are we going?

I once heard a guest speaker tell a story about staying at Banff Park in Canada. While getting ready in the bathroom, he heard a loud thud against the sliding glass door. He stepped around the corner in time to see a bird staggering off of the balcony. Out of curiosity, the man stepped outside to see what may have caused the bird to fly into the door. As he slid the door shut, he saw reflected before him the beautiful panorama that could be seen from his balcony. The bird was flying forward, thinking it's past was it's future! It thought it's future was the same as its past- that where it had come from was where it was going.

While we honor the past, but it does not define our future. We are not destined to do the same things over and over and continue to be the same just because it's what we've always done.

So where are we flying?

A Look Forward:

Developing Community: We are together a body of believers, not a collection of customers. Staying after church is great, as many of you do, but how about coming early? Do we miss out on deeper community by sliding in 5 minutes late? We have prioritized our LifeGroups for several years, and I know some have grown weary in this system. I want to encourage you to move deeper into relationships. We are needing people to say, "I'd be willing to facilitate this- to make sure it happens." But we also need followers, saying, "I'm committed to growing in Christ with you." Six-week "series" are nice, but they do not foster lasting community. If you're saying "I'm too busy for LifeGroup" ask what you're really saying. To not be involved in community is not an option Jesus gave us. It may actually require more of our time and energy to discover true community, but it will be worth it!

High-Impact Weekend Services: We want to continue to be relevant for both believers and seekers, but always erring on the side of the seekers. That's part of why community is so important- the church service isn’t just for you. Because we're relevant to seekers, there are so levels of depth or intimacy we may not arrive at on Sunday morning! Our worship will continue to be relevant and meaningful. Our preaching will be applicable and accessible.

The leadership has begun to investigate another area, and that's to look at remodeling our Sanctuary. This space has a wonderful history of great ministry, but it is becoming an obstacle to the gospel. It is no longer keeping pace with the vitality and energy of our congregation. We also need a space that will be attractive to seekers.

Some Potential Changes:
Padded chairs: multiple seating arrangements, flexibility, comfort, and style.
Stage- expanded for better musical arrangement, drama, and mime.
Color schemes (paint) and carpet- needed to represent a modern church

Nothing has been decided or finalized yet, and nothing will be decided without your input and your decision. We've gotten some feedback from our members and the support to move forward with this project is overwhelming! If you'd like to see some proposed ideas for the changes, stop by the church office.


Externally-Focused Ministry: We will continue to plan, promote and put on events like Project Back to School (free back-packs for kids), Date Night for the community and other relevant and similar ideas. A soccer camp for kids is in the works for this summer. What else? What more? It's time to worry less about how many of us come here, and worry more about how many of us are going out there- living out the love of Jesus among our friends and neighbors.

WHY? Why put the effort into LifeGroups, and Sanctuary remodels and events that suck away our time, our energy, and our money? Why all this focus on others? What about me and my growth, we might ask? Wouldn't it be easier and better to just stay safe and happy with what we've got, to disciple the church we have? Yes, but I can't do that.

WHY? We called every single church in town this last year to ask them a question. How many people could sit in your church? We called Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Non-denominational and everything in between. We found out the amount of people that could sit in all the chairs and pews in Kelso and Longview on any given Sunday. (or Saturday, as the case may be!) And then we doubled it, because every church could have two services. And then we added several thousand just in case we had missed anyone. When we did this, we came to a grand total of roughly 30,000 people that could attend church in our city. Isn't that great? NO! Because over 47,000 people live in this city.

We can't sit idly by and say the job is done when 17,000 people don't even have a seat, let alone faith in Jesus Christ. You could fill up Kelso High School auditorium 42 times with the amount of people that couldn't even find a seat at church. And the sad reality is very few of our churches are even close to being at capacity at two services. Thousands and thousands of people right here in our community are separated from God and many of them are unaware that He even exists.

We're not here to do church. We're here to be the church. And if we are to be the church, we need everyone of you to give yourself completely to Christ. Why? Not for the benefit of East Hills, but for the benefit of those who don't yet know Jesus. Will you do that? Will you join wit us? Will you re-up for another year, better than the last? I hope you will.

"Touching Heaven" Women's Retreat

On October 6-8, the women of East Hills will take over Wright Hall, the centerpiece of Menucha Retreat Center in the Columbia Gorge, and hold their annual spiritual retreat. Ann Hight, EHA's pastor of women's ministries, will speak on the unseen hosts: demons, devils, angels, the Holy Spirit, and how they interact with us.

A $125 signup fee buys you three days and two nights in excellent facilities and beautiful surroundings. All meals are included, and the East Hills group will have several community spaces and meeting rooms to itself. However, this is less a vacation event than a spiritual enterprise. In addition to Ann's ministry, Becky Cox will lead worship from a grand piano, and you will have time for personal reflection and private devotions.

To sign up, or to find out more about the accommodations, provision for moms with nursing infants, etc., contact Ann at the church office, (360) 423-0521. In September, Ann will be sending out a detailed packet with packing checklists and suggestions on preparing your heart for this event with prayer and fasting. You can also find out more from our free retreat DVDs, which give you a short video look at Menucha's facilities and have a signup card attached.

Cheap date recipies

Here are the recipes mentioned in the May 27/28 church bulletin.

HEART TO HEART MEATLOAF

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 package dry cornbread stuffing mix
• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs

Mix all ingredients; mixture will be soft. Shape into a heart, place in oven-proof baking dish, spread with 1/2 cup ketchup, and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.

EASY CINNAMON PULL-APARTS

• 1 tube refrigerator biscuits; snip each biscuit into two pieces
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Dip each biscuit piece into butter, then into the cinnamon/sugar mixture, coating evenly. Place in greased pie plate, arranging loosely in one layer. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes. Flip over onto serving plate.

SUNSHINE CAKE

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1/3 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 can mandarin oranges, undrained

Mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 in 9x13 pan for 30-40 minutes. Frosting: Gently stir together 1 small dry instant vanilla pudding mix, 1 20-ounce crushed pineapple, undrained, and 1 large tub Kool Whip.

By-laws and skateboards

First thing: Bob Simmons suggested posting the text of the proposed by-laws amendments on the web, so here you go.

Amendment No. 1 would change Article VII, Section A from this:

Up to four (4) members shall serve on the Board of Deacons. They shall be elected at the Annual Congregational Meeting. The term of office shall be two (2) years with the term of two (2) Deacons expiring each year.

to this:

Up to six (6) members shall serve on the Board of Deacons. They shall be elected at the Annual Congregational Meeting. The term of office shall be two (2) years with the term of half expiring each year.

Amendment No. 2 would add a new section to Article XIV as follows:

Employees, Officers, Board Members and Committee Members will avoid conflicts of interest in the performance of their duties. Such conflicts arise when their decisions or actions would materially benefit themselves or others related by birth or marriage. Conflicts of interest may also arise in decisions concerning employment, performance review or discipline of an employee who is related by birth or marriage. Regulations and guidelines for the avoidance of conflicts are found in a "Conflict of Interest" policy adopted by the Board of Elders.

Remember, May 16 is the deadline to vote on these changes.

Second thing: we hosted the skate-park meeting on Thursday as planned, and several church attenders came to speak. A small contingent of skateboarders argued (very politely!) against building at the much less desirable Tam O'Shanter site, which could not acommodate below-ground structures. And the city of Kelso community development director and his staff spoke highly of the Rotary Park site and of their belief that the park's impact on property values would be positive. Friday's Daily News has more details on those arguments.

The other side of the story was the unashamed display of NIMBYism from nearby homeowners who felt the wants of those who own the land for the park, those who build the park, and those who use the park should take a distant second, third, and fourth to the wants of those who live down the street from the park. As my last post said, East Hills does not take a side on this. But if offered a vote on the skate park, I think Thursday's ugly display of selfishness would push me to the skaters' side.

Skateboarding is not a crime... well maybe

At 7:00 this Thursday, East Hills is hosting a community meeting about a proposed skate park nearby. This is not a religious event, and the church has no position on the park. But it will be our neighbor if it gets built, so there is nothing wrong with EHA attenders showing up to give their two cents. Because of work, I will not be there. Fortunately though, I have a blog, so I can spew my two cents at any time whatsoever.

Personally, my little contact with local skateboarders has made me think their unwholesomeness is very exaggerated. I spent several hours at a skate park in Longview to practice action photography, and I was impressed. Although they were unsupervised, the only bad behavior I ever saw was the occasional underage smoking, and they seemed to get along with each other well. And they were certainly more polite about having their pictures taken than a lot of respectable adults and downtown businesses! Add in the ministry opportunity they represent, and I suggest they would do us more good than harm.

The Da Vinci Code, part 2

In The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown takes a skeptical tack toward the historical accuracy of the Bible and the lordship and preeminence of Christ, and his alternative view of morality uses a liberal reading of Scripture as just one of many influences. My natural response to reading it was to want to answer his criticisms in detail. In 2003, when the book first came out, many Christian writers did just that, in articles like "Dismantling The Da Vinci Code" and "Breaking The Da Vinci Code" that employ detailed, point-by-point rebuttals.

If reading the book troubles you, or if someone should bring it up in an effort to question your faith, my advice is to not use those techniques. Do not be drawn into a defense of some small, technical, difficult point of history or Biblical teaching. It gives your opponent-- or your own doubts-- too much credit. A better way is to turn questions back on the questioner. Brown asks "Why faith? Why trust Scripture?" Instead of reaching for an art-history book or theological tome to form an explanation, I would ask in return, "Why skepticism? Why trust Dan Brown?" The illusionist and skeptic James "The Amazing" Randi said this:

I'm highly skeptical, but what is that skepticism based on? If you're skeptical as well, have you asked yourself, "Upon what do I base my skepticism?" Are you just plain ornery? Do you just not want to go along with the status quo? Do you know some people who believe in it who are really pretty dense and you don't want to join their group? You must have a reason, I think, for yourself and for others as to why you are skeptical.

Brown is not here to answer the question for himself, but he does not hide his own personal views either. Brown seems to admire a life based on moral values. The values he proposes, though, do not come from a more accurate account of Jesus' life or teachings. In fact, they do not draw from ancient teachings at all, but from the counterculture of the sixties, the universities of today:

• We should remove our trust from the writers, compilers, and translators of the Bible. They passed on a record that is barely usable-- certainly not to be regarded above all other ancient manuscripts, and probably less reliable than many.
• Religion is valuable so far as it improves our lives on this Earth, but missionaries who convert people from other beliefs to Christianity are no better than those they come to save. Christians have no better claim on truth than any other past or present religion, and a worse claim than scientists and historians.
• Christianity oppresses women; they should be elevated to a new status, officially equal to or higher than that of men. Promiscuous sex should be permitted or even encouraged.

Brown's skepticism and moral relativism do not come from understanding long-ago events better than the rest of us. They come from hipness and up-to-the-minute trendiness.

Each era's writers recast history and myth in ways that are tinted by the distinctive concerns of their time. For instance, T.H. White's The One and Future King, written between 1938 and 1958, is a novelized treatment of Arthurian legend, but filtered by then-current world events such as World War II and the nuclear arms race. By expressing the anti-war concerns of his own time and portraying the Round Table as a scheme to release England from the grip of brute force, White lends his version a recognizable coloration from his time, one it shares with C.S. Lewis' and J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy works. Fast-forward to 1983: the feminist fantasy author Marion Zimmer Bradley writes The Mists of Avalon, the first volume of her own Arthurian series. She retells the story from the viewpoints of its female characters, painting Arthur's rule as a clash of male-dominated Christianity and an older, fictionalized matriarchal paganism.

For one good Christian evaluation of our time's own tinted glasses, the ones Bradley, Brown and others like them are looking through, I suggest reading this whole speech. It is the 2005 Easter address of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and he devotes it to challenging the skepticism of Brown and others (such as the writer of the "Judas Gospel"). His key point:

We are instantly fascinated by the suggestion of conspiracies and cover-ups; this has become so much the stuff of our imagination these days that it is only natural, it seems, to expect it when we turn to ancient texts, especially biblical texts. We treat them as if they were unconvincing press releases from some official source, whose intention is to conceal the real story; and that real story waits for the intrepid investigator to uncover it and share it with the waiting world.

Because of this, new rewritings or alternative versions of classic stories are often unfriendly toward our faith. Michael Crichton wrote Eaters of the Dead, a Beowulf-derivative in which the Christian narrator is replaced with a Muslim one. Phillip Pullman, who considers the Narnia books highly misogynic, wrote His Dark Materials, a trilogy of children's books with many of the same elements (talking animals, child heroes traveling to other worlds, etc.) but in which God is the enemy. And Brown shows us what our own religion looks like through that same suspicious, countercultural lens.

You cannot recognize the perfection of Scripture when looking through the filter of any one era's transient issues, important at the time though those issues may be. In the antebellum South, some theologians decried the Bible's endorsement of slavery while others complained of its support for abolition. Thomas Jefferson famously compiled his own edited Gospels to remove the supernatural passages and give a realistic account that fit his own beliefs, ending with Jesus in the grave. Going further back, the gnostics were so dismissive of physical reality, so eager to "wake up" from this flawed world, you could almost say they only needed the parts Jefferson left out! The Da Vinci Code is not a serious attack in need of a scholarly defense; it is a good example of why the passing trends of our day-- or any day-- are not good measuring sticks for eternal truths.

Please vote

East Hills is currently in the middle of an all-mail election. On Tuesday, May 2, the church sent out ballots to the (just over 100) official members, so they can vote on two proposed by-laws amendments.

Amendment No. 1 would change the Board of Deacons rules so that we are technically allowed to elect six deacons instead of four, which we have been doing anyway for some time. No. 2 would direct the Elder Board to write and enforce a conflict of interest policy for church leaders. (Full disclosure: I am the son of Ann Hight, Pastor of Women's Ministries, and Tom Hight, an elder.)

If you have one of these ballots, please mail it back or drop it in the box in the church foyer by May 16, because if the total number of votes cast is less than 50% plus one, we do not have a quorum and the outcome does not count.