Thoughts and reflections from Liberty’s Pastors

October 10, 2019

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Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You….
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step, You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days.
(Lyrics by Rich Mullins)

Dear Friends:

Tradition tells us that there was a special blessing in Jesus’ time that went: “May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.” In the first century, a rabbi’s students would follow him along the dusty roads of ancient Israel and would be covered by the dust kicked up by their rabbi’s feet as he led them. These followers traveled with their rabbis just as the disciples followed Jesus from place to place. Think about the stories of the gospels – Jesus calls the disciples to follow Him – and they drop everything to follow. Jesus walks from village to village, teaching, preaching, healing, and the disciples follow him, step by step in their well-worn sandals, hoping to gain some of His wisdom, his spirit, his power, his love.

Hence this ancient blessing, which meant that not only may you follow your teacher, but may you follow so closely that you are covered with the dust of His feet.

Friends may you follow the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life so closely, you are covered with the dust of his feet.

With Fall Blessings,
Becky

October 3, 2019

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Dear Friends:
I hope you have had an opportunity to walk Liberty’s prayer labyrinth! Our labyrinth, by the Pathway to the Son, was given in memory of two beloved Liberty members, Brian and Megan Casey.

The labyrinth is an ancient way of prayer and meditation. Becoming popular in the Middle Ages, those who could not make the holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem used the symbolic prayer walk of the labyrinth. Chartres Cathedral in France has perhaps the most famous labyrinth of our time.

You will notice that this circular prayer path moves you slowly toward the center – and toward God. At the very center of our labyrinth is this Bible verse: “Be still and know that I am God.” ~Psalm 46:10. We invite you to do just that!

People who have difficulty sitting still to pray often find that walking and praying is helpful. If you tend to get distracted mid-prayer (and many of us do!), the labyrinth literally keeps you “on track.” When I walk the labyrinth, I recite short verses to myself, such as:

  • “Teach me your way, O Lord,” Psalm 27:11 or
  • “The Lord is near to all who call on Him.” Psalm 145
  • I also love to pray this promise from Psalm 116:
    Because He bends down to listen,
    I will pray as long as I have breath.

A common prayer practice in a labyrinth is to pray for your “own” on the way in (family members, close friends) and pray for other people and places on the way out.

We are so excited to deepen our prayer lives through this beautiful labyrinth. Special thanks to Tom Wood and Wood Landscaping for their construction of the labyrinth.

With Prayers & Blessings,
Becky

P.S. Brochures to further your labyrinth walk are available in the Church Office, or here on the church website.

September 26, 2019

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“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” ~Luke 15

Dear Friends:

One of my favorite stories in scripture is known as The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Although, it is really the story of two prodigal sons—and one amazingly grace-filled father. You know the story, the focus is on the runaway son who demands his inheritance now so he can spend it on wine, women and song (or something like that!). Then there is the grumpy older brother, who is resentful of his younger brother, and I am guessing anyone who is not as “righteous” as he.

And the father? When the youngest son finally runs out of options and returns home, his father runs to him with open arms. Place yourself in that moment—and picture our heavenly father running to you with wide open arms. The son is welcomed home with a feast—not only literally, but in every sense of the word—a feast of forgiveness and love and grace by his overjoyed father. And the grace-impaired elder son? The father begs him to join in the feast, but he refuses.

The father in the parable then tells this resentful son, “Everything I have is yours.” Pause on that a moment—Everything – Everything I have is yours. This is a promise not only to two beloved sons, but to each of us. Everything in God’s hands is given to us—mercy, grace, unfailing love, unending faithfulness, new life.

How would your life be different today if you really believed God was saying these words to you?

With Fall Blessings,
Becky

September 19, 2019

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FROM THE DESK OF PASTOR KYLE

Dear Friends:

This past weekend, I was serving with 12 other Liberty members with CrossRoads Missions in Louisville, Kentucky. One of the things I like most about serving—particularly as a church—is that it gives me new perspective on how other people are seeking to live out their faith in their own communities. An effective way of sharing the good news of Jesus in Delaware doesn’t always work elsewhere. Serving others, knowing their challenges and how they sought to overcome them, seeing their resilience in action inspires me to come home and face my own challenges head on.

One church we served, Portland Avenue Presbyterian Church, had one of these inspirational stories. An historic church in a declining neighborhood, it had been scheduled for closure more than 20 years ago. But God had other plans. A new pastor came along and brought with her new ideas. Their historic church building burned to the ground ten years ago last winter. But God had other plans. With the help of other churches in the area, they bought the abandoned storefront next door, converted it into a church, and added space for other ministries, too. It’s stories like these that confirm for me that God is bound and determined to set the Gospel loose in our world.

So often, I find that serving others—holding out the hope of Jesus for others—leads to a fresh injection of hope in my own life. If you’re looking for a place to serve, I invite you to find a member of our mission committee and ask about how you can serve others as part of the Liberty family. I promise you’ll do more than serve others, you will find your own faith strengthened, too.

Grace and peace,
Kyle

September 12, 2019

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Dear Friends:

Our fall sermon series, Words to Live By, will explore those passages of scripture that capture the core of our faith – and that our pastors are passionate about! We will discover together how the Bible is not just full of words to consider – but words that are life-changing. As the Rev. Tim Keller observes, “The gospel is good news, not good advice.” Scripture is a map for life, and together we will study that map through powerful passages from both the Old and New Testaments. Together, we hope to live out that great commandment from Deuteronomy 6:5-9:

You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

May we write these words on our hearts.
Blessings,
Becky

PS: Work continues the Old Hall – soon to be transformed into Fearing Hall! Here are a few photos of our progress!

  

September 5, 2019

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FROM THE YOUTH NOMINATING COMMITTEE:

Dear Friends:

On September 24, 2017, the congregation elected the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC), charged with finding a successor to Todd Tracy in our Youth position. We agreed from the start to search both for ordained pastors focused in youth ministry as well as non-ordained youth directors.

We advertised the job opportunity widely:

  • At five Presbyterian seminaries (Princeton, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Chicago & Dubuque) and at three other seminaries
    (Fuller Seminary, plus the Methodist and Lutheran seminaries in Columbus).
  • At 20 Christian colleges in the Midwest which offer majors in ministry.
  • On five youth ministry job-sites, as well as on Indeed.com.
  • Becky, John, and Kyle reached out to their contacts to identify possible candidates.
  • John & Becky conducted interviews at Princeton Seminary.

Here was our process:

  • Since January 2018, the APNC received 176 résumés.
  • If a résumé showed promise, we asked applicants to submit answers to six supplemental questions.
    (27 applicants were sent these questions)
  • If the APNC continued to be interested, a 45-minute interview was scheduled.
    (11 candidates were interviewed)
  • If the candidate was still viable, reference checks were made (for four candidates).
  • Finally, our top-ranked candidates were invited to spend a weekend in Columbus for further interviews.
  • Throughout this process while the APNC was evaluating candidates, candidates were also evaluating the available position at Liberty – and specifically if they truly wanted a youth position.

After 20 months of searching:

The Associate Pastor Nominating Committee enthusiastically recommends that the Session hire Tanya Karn, Liberty’s interim Director of Youth & Family Ministries, to become our Director of Youth & Family Ministries.

Tanya has been involved with Liberty’s youth ministry since 2015 as a youth assistant, and as interim Director since 2017 (her husband of three years, R.H., has been a youth assistant at Liberty since 2010). Tanya has a real and contagious Christian faith and has done a strong job leading our youth over the past two years. We believe she will continue to provide very positive and faithful leadership in the coming years.

We thank the congregation for the opportunity to serve in this important role.

Brenda Lucas, Chair
Brad Carleton  
Anna Gardner 
Angie Hurd 
Mike Kivett
Tracey Scott
Pastor John Hart

August 29, 2019

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Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.
It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ~Colossians 3:23-4 

Dear Friends:

How did you all start out in the world of work?

On this Labor Day weekend, I can’t help but think about the various jobs that I have held over the years. My first job, when I was 13, was babysitting. I earned 50 cents an hour and all the cookies I could eat.  Then my last summer before college, I was hired as a waitress at the local Big Boy’s restaurant.  I worked the night shift, from 4;00 in the afternoon until midnight four nights a week. Of course, there were perks to the job… I was given a free uniform. Remember the old Brownie uniform? That’s kind of what my waitress outfit looked like: brown skirt, white blouse, with a little orange bow tie. The crowning touch was the hairnet over my cool Jane Fonda haircut (!).

But I did learn a lot that summer.

I learned how to balance five plates at once without using a tray, how to keep smiling even when being called out by a customer, and I learned a lot about money that summer.  I learned that teenagers rarely tip, business folks tip fairly well, and truckers tip best of all.  All in all, it was a fruitful summer.

On this Labor Day weekend, I find myself turning to Paul’s words to the church at Colossae:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord….”

The priest Benedict (@500 A.D.) took Pauls’ words seriously, reminding his fellow monks that everything they did – from the dishes to weeding the community garden – was God’s work and therefore holy. Even the rake in their hands was holy. A mom in her blog recently reflected on this idea: “I take the sponge and rinse it in the sink. Nothing in this kitchen is all that special. I’ve been living as if my daily, mundane tasks—the brushing of my son’s teeth, the kissing of his scraped knees—as if they were nothing significant. I’m mesmerized by St. Benedict’s words…. Suddenly my life, the very sippy cup I fill with milk and raise to my boy’s lips, is an instrument of worship. How did I miss it before? How was I so sure that God did not value my unimpressive daily life?” 

What are the tools of your trade?

A stethoscope? Keyboard? Truck? Needle & thread? Your sales pitch? Heavy textbooks in your backpack? iPad? All are holy.

All work matters to God.  May we do it all for the Lord.

Blessings,
Becky

August 22, 2019

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So, God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. ~Genesis 1:21

Dear Friends:
This Sunday at 10:00 a.m. is Blessing of the Animals! Liberty will be the host to a wagging, squirming, wriggling, fluttering array of beloved creatures. The Bible reminds us that in the beauty and diversity and complexity of the natural world, we see the hand of the Creator.

Father Zosima, in The Brothers Karamazov, exhorts his congregation:

“Brothers…love all creation, the whole and every grain of sand in it. Love every leaf, every ray of God’s light. Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.”

We bring our pets to worship to receive a blessing.  We, of course, are blessed in turn: blessed by our pet’s faithfulness, affection, care. We are blessed by how they expand our family and our hearts.  The German mystic, Meister Eckhart, proclaimed:

“Every creature is full of God and is a book about God.”  

Amen!

Please join us for this furry, feathered, finned celebration – and invite a friend!

Blessings,
Becky

August 15, 2019

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Dear Friends:

What a great Heritage Sunday! Many thanks to everyone who helped to make it happen – and who celebrated 209 years on the banks of the Olentangy River with us.

We have some more amazing August Sundays coming up! This Sunday, August 18, is Rally Day with “Touch-a-Truck”, Food Trucks, a Bounce House, Blessing of the Backpacks, and information on 101 ways to grow in faith and outreach thru Liberty. Then on the 25th, it is Blessing of the Animals – with our own St. Francis!

So, what’s the catch? It’s all a celebration – but we are also hoping that you will take advantage of these special Sundays to invite a friend. In fact, I’d like you to think of these coming Sundays as “Friend Days” – where we share the joy by inviting someone to join us.

The single most effective way to grow the church is by the power of a one on one invitation. Church consultants say that 80% of the people in a church first came “because a friend or relative invited them”. George Gallup Jr. surveyed non-churchgoers and was surprised to find that “70% of all people who do not now attend a church responded that if someone invited them, they would react favorably”.  Contrast these statistics with another statistic found in a recent Presbyterian publication, which concluded that “the average Presbyterian invites a friend to worship once every 24 years”. (No wonder we are known as the frozen chosen!) Do take the time to invite a friend, a newcomer to the neighborhood, a new face at the office, to join us in one of these special worship services and to discover (maybe for the first time) God’s great love for them in Jesus Christ.

See you Sunday!

Blessings,
Becky

Thank you to the Second Stringers and Fellowship Team for a great Heritage Sunday and Chicken BBQ! Special thanks to our Fellowship Elders Kristopher Steele, Angie Campbell and Melinda Wood, and to our firepit crew: Kris Steele, Jim Beck, Kevin Futryk, Jim Hardy, Todd, Griffin & Bennett Koehn, Gary Ufferman, and Wayne Wentz.

August 8, 2019

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Dear Friends:

You have seen the headlines:

“Ohio Comes Together to Mourn Shooting Victims” (Columbus Dispatch)
“Carnage Numbs Nation” (The Star Tribune)
“Shaking a Bewildered Nation to its Core” (NY Times)
“Sorrow, Anger: Nation Mourns“ (USA Today)

The events of these last days are bewildering, heart-breaking, impossible to comprehend.

How can there be such hatred, such violence? How can it happen here in our great nation, over and over again? Why? What can be done? We are almost numb to the violence these days…almost. But then we watch parts of the scene or read about the victims, and something shatters inside of us.

Scripture speaks to our hearts, even in this.

Especially in this. There are times in our lives and in our nation when lament is the only response possible. I find myself turning to Psalm 137: “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion” and Dayton, and El Paso, and Orlando, and Parkland, and….

We often don’t know how to respond.

But, as followers of Christ, we can respond in love. We can pray. We can send help. We can build bridges with people who are different than us. We can decry racist chants and inflammatory oratory. We can speak up. We can extend the circle of Jesus’ embrace.

Above all, let us pray for those who have lost loved ones. I also want us to pray for our nation. We are people who have hope in Christ even when the worst happens. Let’s hold onto that hope and share it with those with whom we come into contact, with love and grace.

Lord, we are in shock and grief. The hatred and violence of this past week is so dark that it takes our breath away. We pray for the families and friends of those who died. Help them to know your hope and care even when the grief feels unbearable. Be with the injured as well. Heal them. Surround them with your comfort and care. We thank you for our first-responders and police and medical personnel, and all who rushed in to save countless lives. Comfort us as we lean on your love and compassion in the face of this deep loss. In Christ, who is our Hope. Amen.

Blessings,
Becky

August 1, 2019

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“Do not come any closer,” God said (to Moses). “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3)

Dear Friends:

It is so exciting to see the construction work going on inside the Old Hall!  By the time the Hall is finished this fall, it will no longer be an Old Hall.  It will be the newly renovated “Fearing Hall”, named after longtime Liberty member Doris Fearing. It will also be a reminder of the faithful, faith-filled, ongoing commitment of each of you to Liberty, and to Liberty’s ever-growing mission and ministries. Great learning, sharing, fellowship and, yes, a million meetings will unfold in that renewed space.  Talk about holy ground.

Whenever Liberty is undergoing a construction project, (and we’ve had quite a few!), I turn to C.S. Lewis, who reminds us that it is not only our buildings that are under construction.  Each of us, as believers, are under construction, too. Lewis writes:

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

Now THAT is a construction project!

See you under the oaks this Sunday,

With Warm Summer Blessings,
Becky

 

July 25, 2019

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Dear Friends:

It is wonderful to be back with you – and a special joy to be back for Vacation Bible School!  John & I are enjoying being secret S.N.O.W. agents, and Kyle is one great mad scientist trying to foil our mission.

There are 300 children on our campus, and over 100 teen and adults teaching, leading crafts, snacks, music, games and all kinds of special activities.  If you haven’t yet eaten “I Spy with my Little Eye Banana Cream Pie” – or played freeze tag with the chilly cubes or the frozen blizzards – well, you are missing out!

Our theme is evangelism – joyful, joyous sharing our faith.  If you are wondering how that fits in with secret agent skits, well, believe it or not, it works! So far, the children have helped us uncover clues that read “Spread News Over…” – so I think we are almost there!

These children’s excitement about learning about Peter and Paul’s adventures from the Book of Acts is contagious. Evangelism is a word that tends to give most of us the heebie-jeebies and conjures up images of televangelists threatening brimstone and fire.  At Liberty, our children are learning that it is a joy to share the good news in simple ways with those around you.

I want to thank everyone who is helping with VBS this year – especially our fearless leader Dawn Parr, music leader Angie Hurd, tech wizard Steve Banks and the amazing VBS committee: Emily St. John, Todd Beitelschees, Doug Benoit, Janet Bunnell, Casey Fuchs, Tina McClen, Christian McCloskey and Cheryl-Pieper Lima.  Every teacher I have spoken with has said, “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”   Neither would we!

I look forward to joining you under the oaks this Sunday,

With Warm Summer Blessings,
Becky

July 18, 2019

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FROM THE DESK OF DAWN PARR

THE GREAT COMMISSION:
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
~Matthew 28:19-20

At one time or another, all Christians are confronted with the command of Jesus found in the Great Commission. These are the last recorded words of Jesus, so they have utmost importance. With His limited time left on earth, these words were a significant message to the apostles. His message is a daunting task and one that cannot be completed without JOY. What is JOY? It is the knowledge of God in all circumstances. The emphasis of these words continue today, and we must keep JOY with us as we complete His work.

Let’s breakdown His message:

  1. “What is a disciple?”

    Jesus calls us to become disciples and to make disciples. We can begin this through hearing His word. Preaching the Gospel is an essential first step to fulfilling the Great Commission. Those who Preach must have God with them and be filled with JOY.

  2. “How does one make a disciple?”

    Once the word is heard and understood, it is important that we offer Healing, Encouragement and Care. We are called to be Jesus’ agents-doing His work. However, the work can only be completed if we carry JOY in our hearts. It is through His gospel message that we can heal the spiritually sick. With the Lord Jesus, we can encourage others as they understand and believe the Gospel message. As new Christians grow in JOY with Christ, we are called to care and prepare them for the mission field.

  3. “How are disciples sent to all nations?”

    The third question infers that they Go. However, this requires us to “send them”. So, how are they sent to all nations? The purpose of mission is to be intentional about going into the world with JOY, both locally and globally as we carry the Good News to a hurting world.

Next week, kids attending Liberty VBS will be led on a secret mission. As Agents in Training, kids are on a clandestine operation to discover the mission of the S.N.O.W. Agency. While seeking out the meaning of S.N.O.W., they will understand how to be filled with JOY as they learn the Gospel Message. Code words will be added to their list of clues and upon the conclusion of their training, the agency’s mission will unfold. Agents will be equipped to carry out His message with JOY to all nations.

The Great Commission spells out the central purpose for all believers. He is the Director of S.N.O.W. Agency and our mission is clear. Our lives belong to Jesus Christ. He redeemed us so that we might become useful in His Kingdom. Both His presence and His authority will accompany us as we carry out His disciple making mission. Be filled with JOY as you spread His Good News!

Amen.

July 11, 2019

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FROM THE DESK OF PASTOR KYLE

“God’s voice is glorious in the thunder. We can’t even imagine the greatness of God’s power.”  ~ Job 37:5 

Dear Friends:

Having not grown up in Ohio, I still can’t quite get used to summers with a constant threat of rain. Ordinarily, a forecast of scattered showers and thunderstorms wouldn’t be enough to draw my attention. Add to the mix that we worship outside under the magnificent oaks on the church lawn, however, and I seem to be glued to my phone’s weather app.

Worshiping outside is a tradition that so many of us love.

With this year’s especially rainy start, I am always glad when we can gather together in nature’s beauty. This past Sunday as I began to preach, a distant rumble of thunder added a bit of urgency and unexpected excitement to our service. If you’re like me, it is so easy to fall into a rhythm and become complacent. Everything happens according to plan—”decently and in order” as Presbyterians like to say—and we can forget that when we gather for worship, whether inside or under the oaks, we are entering into God’s awesome, almighty, holy presence. And the Bible is full of stories that remind us that God wields power in all kinds of surprising ways.

Sometimes it takes a clap of thunder to surprise us and wake us up to God’s presence in our midst…

That peal of thunder reminded me that when we come into God’s presence in worship, our eyes, ears, and hearts must be awake and open to God’s powerful grace and graceful power at work among us. When Moses went up Mt. Sinai to be with God, he came back so radiant he had to put a veil over his face. Similarly, when we come to worship, we should expect that our time spent in God’s presence should leave us noticeably changed.

Perhaps it’s something to ponder this week. What do you expect to happen when you come to worship? How are you expecting to see God at work as you pray and praise and pay attention to his word?

And how are you expecting that you will be different as a result?

Grace and peace,
Kyle

July 4, 2019

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FROM THE DESK OF STEVE BANKS

God’s Spirit Gives Us Freedom!

Dear Friends:
Here at our church, we have become especially familiar with the words from 2 Corinthians 3:17 which reads; “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty”. As we celebrate Independence Day, we are also thinking of the words, “Liberty” and “Freedom”. We are so fortunate to live in a country where we can live and worship freely.

When you include verses 16 and 18 to the passage in 2 Corinthians, it helps to further explain how when we turn to Christ, the Holy Spirit frees us from the grip of sin and evil, allowing God to completely work in our lives for His good as we properly and fully serve Him.

2 Corinthians 2:16-18
“But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

Last week when I was in Seattle for a few days, I had the opportunity to throw a football for a while to two young African-American kids at a sports facility where my daughter was training. The kids were having so much fun catching and defending each other! We had a great time! It just so happened that a couple of nights ago, I had a dream about this experience. This time though, one of the kids came over to me in my dream and asked me why certain people treat them badly. It caught me off guard and without knowing what to say, I could only think of telling him that it was because some may not have Christ in their lives. I then told him that God looks at all of us equally and loves him as much as He loves me. In my dream, I also thought of the greatest commandment, Matthew 22:38-39, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” I went on to tell the child that if everyone practiced this commandment, there would be no more hate. I then encouraged him to do the same for others, as difficult as that might be for him. I have no idea of why I dreamt of that, but it certainly has pertained to these verses.

True freedom as Christians is not the right to do whatever we want, but rather it’s when we turn to Christ that He gives us the desire and freedom to love and serve others.

In His Service,
Steve

June 27, 2019

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FROM THE DESK OF PASTOR KYLE

Dear Friends:

Of the Bible’s sixty-six books, five books—Obadiah, Philemon, 2 & 3 John, and Jude—are only one chapter long. This summer, we’ll be looking at all five of them in a sermon series called, “One Chapter Wonders”. And, while the books we’ll be looking at might be small, they are filled to the brim with wisdom and Good News for us today.

These bite-sized books of the Bible are a great way to get started with reading your Bible. If you’re like me, it can be easy to get bogged down in the longer books that are filled with difficult-to-pronounce names and situations that seem far removed from our modern times. But these five short books are brief enough that you can read each them in their entirety in one sitting without getting bogged down in the details.

So often, we consume the Bible in chunks, so it can be easy to miss the context that adds color and meaning. Being able to read a book of the Bible in full is important because it allows us to consider the full scope of what the writer is trying to tell us. In Obadiah, for example, which we looked at last Sunday, we could easily get caught up in the fire of the judgement God announces against Edom. By looking at the full book, we can see that Obadiah is about more than punishment, but that everything God does is colored by grace.

I encourage you to read along with us this summer as we continue our look at these One Chapter Wonders. I hope you’ll find them to be inspiring and faith filling!

Grace and peace,
Kyle

June 20, 2019

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FROM THE DESK OF DAWN PARR

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
~ Galatians 5:22-23

This summer, we are teaching lessons on the Fruit of the Holy Spirit—in a simple way for Sunday school. The kids have created their very own Fruit of the Spirit Tree. Each Sunday we are adding a new fruit as we learn about these gifts:

  • Strawberry of Love
    The strawberry is in the shape and color of a heart. God’s love is more special than any other love. We cannot do anything to make Him love us more, and the more we grow in our friendship with God, the more we will be able to share His love with others.
  • Oranges of Joy
    When we peel an orange, the pieces inside are in the shape of a smile. We define Joy as the comfort of knowing that God is with us all the time—whether we are happy or we are sad, God is always there.  This comfort will make you smile—that is Joy.
  • Pineapple Peace
    Did you know that a pineapple is already prepared in pieces to eat?  If you cut the crown off following the diamond pattern that you see on the rind, then you can pull apart the pieces, God gives us peace that we can rely on anytime.  Every piece of your life can have God’s peace.
  • Patient Watermelon
    Growing up, most of us had watermelons with seeds. It takes patience to remove the seeds when eating a watermelon.  There are times in our lives when we need God’s patience as we pick through difficult situations.
  • Goodness of Grapes and Kindness of Bananas
    Bananas are loaded with potassium—nature’s electrolytes for our bodies, and grapes are full of antioxidants—to stop free radicals in our body. God’s word and His relationship with us nourishes our soul and protects us from the world.
  • Faithful Cherries
    Cherries grow in bunches and stick together.  Jesus is faithful to those He calls His own.
  • Gentle Pear
    One must be gentle with a pear or it will bruise.  God is gentle with our spirit and when we draw close to Him, we can experience and share that gentleness with others.  
  • Apple of Self-Control
    The Bible tells the tale of Eve’s choice. She did not have self-control. Actually, none of us have self-control. Instead, we need to give ourselves over to the saving power of Jesus. The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is the real power of God that we can experience in ourselves. The more we draw close to Him, the more fruit he will give us in lives.  Grow your FRUIT this summer and experience the Holy Spirit’s full presence in you!

Blessings!
Dawn Parr
Director of Children’s Ministries

June 13, 2019

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FROM THE DESK OF PASTOR JOHN

Dear Friends:
Work has begun on the renovation of the Old Hall! 

Before the construction of the Carriage House in 2009, the Old Hall was one of the few adult meeting rooms at Liberty. When the Carriage House opened, all groups who had met regularly in the Old Hall moved across the parking lot to enjoy the new, clean, up-to-date rooms in the Carriage House.

But Liberty continues to grow, and more space is necessary to accommodate new groups. As the design renderings show, the renovation of the Old Hall will make it an inviting, desirable, and comfortable place for groups to meet for study or fellowship.

The renovation will take three months to complete, during which the Hall will not be usable (scheduled groups have been re-assigned to other rooms). With the Hall closed, a handicap-accessible portable bathroom — located in the northeast corner of the lower parking lot — will be available during summer outdoor worship.

When finished, the building will be re-named “Fearing Hall” in honor of long-term Liberty member Doris Fearing. Doris’ 2008 bequest of $500,000 made possible Liberty’s Endowment Fund, a major upgrade to the Barn sound system, an office computer upgrade, a strategic site plan study, and an advance gift to the Renew campaign.

The renovation of Fearing Hall will bring the two-year Renew Campaign to completion. Now that the Youth Room renovation is complete and the renovation of Fearing Hall has begun, please review your 2019 Renew commitment to be sure you’re up to date! Your contribution makes all the difference.

Serving Jesus with you,
John

June 6, 2019

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Dear Friends:

This Sunday, June 9, we meet outside at 10:00 a.m. for worship under the oaks! What could be better than to worship in the beauty of God’s creation? We will also be simulcasting the service inside the air-conditioned Chapel. If you need steady ground underfoot, then we recommend taking the sidewalk to the Chapel, or handicapped parking by the lawn, where you can hear us and where the deacons and elders will check-in with you. Please help any visitors find a good spot!  In case of inclement weather, check the homepage @ 8:30 a.m.

This coming weekend is also Liberty’s Be the Church Weekend! Our youth leave on their annual mission trip – but they don’t get to have all the fun! We have all kinds of ways that YOU can be involved and make a difference for those in need in our community.

This Saturday you can join us in picking up litter and helping a local neighborhood. Or on Sunday you can join in creating tie blankets for foster children, assembling hygiene kits for the homeless and those in Women’s Shelters, making cards for homeless teens and those serving overseas, visiting the homebound and more!  Call the Church Office to register, or simply join us on Sunday! And if you can bring cookies to the kitchen Sunday a.m., or much-needed supplies by Friday a.m. (see list) – that would be greatly appreciated!

Below is a poem by a favorite Christian writer, Ann Weems.  May everything we do as a church – from Columbus to Chicago to Honduras – be a gift of living hope to another.

Our Gifts are Gift of Hope

Our yearning after God,
our hope for a better way
creates infinite possibilities
to touch the lives of the untouched

to reach the hearts
of the unreached

to feed the bodies
of the unfed….

Our gifts are gifts of hope;
O God,
touch
reach
heal
feed
accept
and love us
that we might love one another.

~Anne Weems, Searching for Shalom

Serving Jesus and His beloved children with each of you,
Becky

May 30, 2019

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Dear Friends:

The Apostle John writes,

“Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18). In other words, “Love is a verb; without action it is only a word.” Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection are God’s love in action.  And us?

Well, we have to start somewhere – and June 7-9th, we hope to give you the opportunity to try all kinds of local missions!  Please join us in our Be the Church Weekend – where we will be making a difference for others who are right on our doorstep.  We want Liberty to be known as a church that cares – not only for its own, but for our those in our community.

Are you good at minor repairs and painting? Join our Furniture Bank crew.
How about baking cookies, or visiting the homebound?  Join our cookie or visitation crew!
Maybe you want to make a difference for foster children – then sign up to help with tie blankets.

Or maybe you and yours can help pick up litter for an hour on Saturday morning?

Or serve a meal?

Or bring in or assemble supplies for our military serving overseas?

We have endless possibilities – for all ages! Details below.

SIGN UP on SUNDAY or Click Here to Follow this LINK!

Help to make Liberty the Church that Cares – with arms outstretched all over Columbus.

Serving Jesus with you,

Becky