PRAISE GOD...and Pass the Coffee

This is from Pastor John to the congregation at large:

Dear Mosaic Fellowship,
I just wanted to share a quick praise with you. For months now we’ve been wrestling with the best way to get the Coffee Shop and art studio renovation work permitted and done so we can be up and functioning in our neighborhood. Well, we’re finally seeing some great progress. The architect has finished the needed drawings which will go to the city today or tomorrow for permits. Thursday we’ll be starting the actual renovations. The entire ceiling and east inside wall needs two layers of drywall for fire code. This will take a couple of weeks to complete and then we will just need to install counters, equipment and seating. Please join us in thanking God that we’re finally able to move forward on this.

He WANTS us!

These last few weeks I've been building my desk in my basement. I'm making my own space down there. It really is kind of neat, but it has not been without its difficulties.

In addition to waiting for the space to be cleared and all I actually had to build the desk, one of those Sauder jobs. But, you see, I'm not very mechanically inclined. I had to follow the instructions ever so carefully to get it right and even then I screwed it up a few times and had to undo some of the work and redo it the righ way. Eventually, I got it finished and I am very happy with the work.

I think building Mosaic is very similar. The instructions that God has for a perfect church are very particular, and we are bound to screw it up to the point of having to re-work a few things from time to time.

I'm glad that God is so graceful though. He really has blessed our endeavor so far. He gives us grace where we don't have the know how. We can't ruin His work. I guess that's the wonderful thing about it--he includes us in the process because he loves us and is excited to see what WE are going to become through it! HE doesn't need us, he WANTS us!

The Need for Entertainment

We really don't have anything for children at this point, that is children from 6 onward. We expect them to just sit in service and be quiet. Up front we talk about how Mosaic is to be a family and everything is casual. Kids getting up to go to the bathroom two or three times in the service is really a distraction for some people.

The thing is many of our members come from churches where there was a well organized kid's program in place. They are used to dropping the kids off and getting what they need from church. So, we now have a generation of church goers who don't know how to train their kids to both sit in church or to serve at church. They like their kids are their to be entertained, except they might call it being fed.

Visionary or Team?

I've been pondering this since I watched the opening ceremony to the 2008 Olympic games. They didn't hand over the artistic vision to a committee they handed it over to a visionary directory and supplied him with the resources to pull off what we envisioned.

As I struggle with the direction of the Worship Arts at Mosaic, I wonder if this is the direction that would be best for us--to communicate a vision for a worship service to a creative team as opposed to just giving them the sermon notes.

CHINESE STUDENT VISIT:

"We said our final farewells to the 14 Chinese exchange students we hosted last week just last night (Thursday) as they came through Spokane on their way from Glacier Park back to Tri-Cities and on to China. A HUGE THANKS to all of you who hosted these great kids. God did work and much seed was planted and tended. One of the students wanted to be baptized in the Tri-Cities before returning to China. That may happen today! Looks like there will be more opportunities to do this in future years and even send some of our own to China to teach others for a couple of weeks. Praise God for a global Gospel!"

Consolidation?

I've just taken on more responsibility with Mosaic. Gary feels that his position as Music Director is not necessary. This will involve more work on my part but more fitting as Worship Arts Director. I guess that's OK. I think I 'm ready for it though. I've come to realize that I don't need to be a musician in order to manage them. It is a bit intimidating though. Gary's decision though is a good one and I do believe he was right in coming to that conclusion on his own--his position just isn't necessary and is a fifth wheel so to speak. Even John said it is an answer to prayer.

By 1000's, 100's, and 10's

We just had a great leadership retreat. It was only the 24 hour variety which seems to be the only kind any of us can afford time-wise. It was productive. I felt it was more productive than the last one we had over a month ago.

I was inspired. We had fun, played games and laughed together a lot which is always good. There was wine there but not as many people partook as last time.

We played some fun games but I think most importantly, we started to get a handle on what it is we're trying to accomplish and how we are going to accomplish it, breaking things down into smaller chunks. We started to come up with objectives, goals and deadlines. The mission of building God's Kingdom through Mosaic looked that much more reachable? Fulfillable? It was a good thing.

We Lost a Family

We lost a family this week. No, they didn't die, but they are going to worship somewhere else. The reason given...they just prefer expositional preaching as opposed to topical. We've been doing the latter lately.

A few years ago, fresh out of Bible college I would have felt the same, but having been planning worship services or helping to plan them, I see things from a different angle. It is just a lot easier to plan out a series topically/thematically than it is expositionally.

I mean, did Jesus preach expositionally or topically? Topically. Same with Paul and the rest of God's "secretaries."

Anyway, I'm sorry to see them go because they were instrumental in setting up technical aspects of Mosaic. I don't think it means we won't ever do expositional again. A lot of this depends on John though.

My First Sermon

I've done a talk or too or shared the sermon with John, but this is my first time doing the sermon all by myself. Whew! It went pretty smoothly I thought. What helped was that the elements really blended together and made for a good service as a whole.

I heard a lot of positive feedback from people afterwards. I wasn't even fishing for it either. People just came up to me and told me what a good job I did on the sermon.

I had fun with the power point and some of the illustrations, but I really do also feel that I got message across.

Three in a Row

We've been able to plan fairly well for this series. There are the kinks and I'm still learning the worship pastor ropes, but for three weeks in a row we have dramas going up that will be well rehearsed and prepared. This is Jared Steiner and Chris Pitotti rehearsing for a drama I wrote called "L'amour De Dieu est Folie" (The Love of God is Folly)

All is Calm on the Music Front

I talked to Jill in person, which is probably what I should have done in the first place. She's cool. She just talks things out is all, it wasn't so much lobbying, griping or faction forming as it was just wanting to make sure it wasn't just her.

It wasn't, I actually think there could be more music . . . a little more anyay.

Worship Missing?

Praise involves music. I see it in scripture. I just don't know what to do about it. I got this forwarded to me from John:

"Hi John, Gary, Eric and whoever is involved with the order of service and music. I have never emailed anyone at Mosaic but worshipping God through music is something I am passionate about. I didn’t realize I was passionate about it until it was missing from my church.
I love the way Mosaic has developed its own personality or culture. The way we do things is exciting, fun, inspirational and more family… more people friendly -lot’s of good stuff. The complexities of having so many pieces of a service to pull together must be hard. It’s fine to use music to link those pieces but know that it is no longer worship. Most times at church I feel like I’m there dancing with God, it’s glorious, wonderful, I’m sharing my heart with him……...and then the music stops. Time for the next activity. I have been doing some informal polling with twentysomethings, Moody students, Holly and Nathan, Natalie, my own son Andrew. They all feel that the few songs we lump together don’t give us enough time to interact with God.
I was wondering what you thought of this idea. Mars Hill mentioned that their music is at the end with communion. Is it possible that you could start with the interview of someone at the beginning instead of the end? Then you could use the band wherever needed but from communion on, there would be 3-4 songs without interruption, no prayer, no announcements, only song. The wonderful thing about communal music is that it draws everyone together. They are now participating in the service. John could announce before communion that this could be a time to sing, to worship, pray in their seats, or go up and receive prayer (people could be available on the stage for this) The beauty of it is that children don’t have to be quiet during the song service.
I miss my time with God in praise and worship. I don’t like leaving my church feeling hungry for that time with him. Many times this is my time to reflect on what I’ve heard, to repent, to lift my hands in surrender to Him. My morning devotional cannot replace my need for this. I’ve tried having worship music in the car, at my computer…nope, it’s not the same. Thanks for listening. Jill"

Worship is missing? Where did it go? Is it all about the music? Is music all there is to worship? I responded to John and others:

"Polling the twenty-somethings are we? I don’t know that I completely disagree the concept of having a longer music (notice how I didn’t say worship) set, but something strikes me not so right about the way this voice is being made known. I guess I feel like a faction is being rallied before we’ve even had time to discuss this. Is it just me?"

Art felt the same way..

"I feel the same way Eric--We need to discuss it, but not allow "lobbying" to dictate a direction. I come from churches that have used the 45 min. sermon and 20 min. music set, but I'm open to other ways of doing it. I'm just wondering if one person's preferred style is getting in the way of open discussion and the Holy Spirit's leading as opposed to lobbying for the direction you would like to see it go. We'll put it on next week's agenda and get other people's input. Art"

I need to pray and search God's Word on this more.

The Head Button Pusher, II

It's working out. I unlock the door and there are teams to do what I used to try to do by myself. Nick or the Janz's have set up the screens and projectors. Nathan sets up the sound and the bands are doing their thing. Therefore, with all those automatic processes going with minimal maintain on my behalf, I can tend to the more creative tasks that I am gifted for anyway, like planning the services.

We finally got four services planned out in advance for the next series. It helps when John preaches topically.

The Head Button Pusher

Maybe, as a leader that is what I need to be. I'm too hands on. There aren't enough hours in the week to do what I need to do to make Sunday morning happen. It is happening but I'm getting burnt out. This isn't my passion. I need to find a way for it to be my passion again.

I thought about it this morning after a nowhere confrontation with John yesterday. I see the need to set up the systems so that I am just pushing buttons and people are responding and doing all the other work.

Then, after I build the teams my job is to maintain them, nurture them, play the part of pastor?!?

So far, the only team that this seems to be working with is the drama team and they don't play every Sunday.

We Did It!

Woo Hoo! Mosaic launched its first service this morning! About 180 people showed up! It was cool. God is awesome. I do believe he has blessed the work of our hands. Praise God! The video clip of Groundhog Day went smoothly as did the Power Point. I put 35 hours in this week, but we made it happen! Whew!

Opening Day Monologue

Eric Stapleton walks onto stage in Burger King-esque type get-up with headset on.

ERIC:
Welcome to Mosaic, how would you like your church today?
(pause for response)
A quad mocha with extra whipped cream? I'm sorry, Starbuck's is just a few blocks that way.
Eric points to a location where Starbuck's might be.
This is Mosaic, it's a church.
(pause)
Oh, you knew that already, well, this isn't like that other church with the barista and everything. But we can probably get you some coffee.
(to audience)
Art, we got some coffee today?
(pause, then back into headset)
Yeah we got some Sanka and some Folgers or something. Now, for the rest of your order, how would you like your church?
(pause)
Yeah, unh hmm. What kind of worship do we offer? Well, I don't always know the answer to that question. I'm kinda new here myself. Some of the people here have their devotional time, trying to bear the fruit of the Spirit in their day to day life. Others of us just workin' it out with fear and trembling--
(pause)
You mean music? What kind of music we offer. I see. What's that?
(pause)
Contemporary, traditional, warm and fuzzy feel good lift me up praise choruses.
(pause, Eric writes down some notes)
.
Right. Now what kind of contemporary? We talking '70's Jesus people contemporary? Or--
(pause)
Oh, just no satanic rhythmic rock type jungle music. OK. Maybe your preference would be 'conditional' worship music. Yeah, that's combo of contemporary and traditional, but no hard edges.
(pause...Eric writes down some more notes.)
Whip cream, no extra charge. Next, sermons. Content driven, style driven, expositional or topical? Sermons geared to the attention span of a gnat?
(pause)
Got it. Power point, fill in notes? 'K.
(pause)
Youth ministry? Let's see, we got dynamic, non-dynamic, fun centered, non-fun centered, or baby-sitting.
(pause)
OK, got it, pull through to the next window. Remember, satisfaction guaranteed or your tithe is refunded.
(Eric looks out at audience.)
Next. Welcome to Mosaic, how would you like your church today? Please take your order forms and fill them out. Seriously, fill them out. Later on John'll tell you what to do with them. Go ahead and put down all your preferences for church. We’ll give you a few minutes.