Several people have requested my closing comments from this weekend. Here they are:
As followers of Jesus at Northern Hills we will be ready and willing to be used by God to make a
significant difference in our community and our world. We will continue to be a
church that is not processed, but possessed by the power of our living God and
through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Borrowing the idea form a call to worship from Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis, Tennessee:
Welcome to Northern Hills! Where we invite you to be part of the praise-offering,
hand-clapping, foot-stomping rhythm section of the Lord’s Most Dangerous Band.
But more than that, we invite you to open up to the mind-blowing, heartwarming,
life-changing power of God–a power that’ll disturb, delight, deliver, and lift.
It’ll make you young when you’re old, and live when you die.
And whether we’re black or white, rich or poor, upper class, middle
class or no class, whether we have Ph.D.’s or no D’s, whether we’re young or
old, male or female, Democrat, Republican or Independent, politically correct
or red-necked, you’re welcome here. Welcome to Northern Hills.
But be ready–at Northern Hills discouraged folks cheer up; dishonest folks ‘fess
up; sour folks sweeten up; depressed folks look up; closed folks open up;
gossips shut up; conflicted folks make up; sleeping folks wake up; lukewarm
folks fire up; dry bones shake up; and pew potatoes stand up.
But most of all, Jesus, the Savior of the entire world, is lifted up...
Welcome to the future of Northern Hills!