Visitors checked the Web site first

We had a large group of visitors during first service today. A group of youths and adult sponsors from First Reformed Church of Sioux Falls, S.D. were in Lincoln for the Dare2Share conference Saturday. They told Pastor Steve and me they decided to come to Horizons because they found our Web site and thought it was cool.

Awesome!

One of the adult sponsors told me they were really excited to see we had a trailer for the new "24" series posted on the site. They couldn't download it using free WiFi while traveling, but they liked the idea.

If you haven't seen the trailer, visit the home page and click the Full Details link to get to the trailer download. Jamie did a great job on the piece. In the future, we'll also get more video posted such as the most recent video with Trever and Pastor Steve. I would also like to get downloadable audio files of Pastor Steve's messages posted. If this is something you'd like to help the eTeam with, send me an email at lmf@neb.rr.com. We could use help keeping the site updated with new information.

You never know who will be looking for a church to visit.
LMF

Who calls a Horizons snow day??

As I'm watching the snow fall taper off a bit, I thought I'd let you know that we're preparing a few ways to let everyone know about the status of services, classes and Sundaes on Sunday tomorrow.

Pastor Steve will be making the call early tomorrow morning...earlier than most people will normally wake up even for early service. Now that I know what time Steve will be up, I think he understands that I don't want to know THAT early, but sometime around 7-7:30 a.m. the Web site will be updated with information that either everything is cancelled or that everything will remain on schedule.

Steve will be leaving recorded information on the church office phone system so you can either call 420.6600 or check the site. If you have questions, feel free to email me at lmf@neb.rr.com.

LMF

On the radar...

I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to Sunday. Why? Let me count the ways:

• First off, Pastor Steve is launching a new series, "24::The divine drama of Jesus' final hours." Every time we begin a new series, it means a new graphic for the Web site and frankly, I was kind of freaked out by the books spewing from the guy's mouth in the last series. I love the "24" logo Jamie Brown designed. Did you see the movie last week? We're working to get it posted on the site.
• Ice Cream: Sunday night is the next Sundaes on Sunday. You have to love that. Even if there's a blizzard this weekend, come out for ice cream. It's a cool thing to do, you get to meet people you may not have time to chat with around the Worship Celebrations and Jerry Bockoven is a terrific speaker. 6-7 p.m.
• Strive for Five classes are kicking off. This is where life-change is going to happen at Horizons. Pray for everyone taking the bold step to learn more about one of our five core values.

I heard a lot of buzz Sunday about the men's rafting trip and the women's trip to Omaha for Beth Moore Live. About 40 guys are signed up (there's room for about 50 if you're interested) and around 35 women have signed up for Beth Moore. Give Candie shout if you want more info and are interested in either event. She'll help you get hooked up. 420.6600 or candie@horizonschurch.org.

LMF

A World of Hurt

I'm neck-deep in this semester's political science classes. Back in high school, I had an algebra teacher who would say nearly each day, "Mathews is wallowing in the quagmire." Things haven't changed much.

Terrorism is a quagmire.

It's easy to study abstract theories and even mind-stretching to argue what is "just" and "good." But when it comes to terrorism and terrorists, we're talking about real people, really bad people, doing real and really bad things to unarmed and innocent people all to achieve a political goal.

I'm wallowing in the fact that I'm studying a hurting world that I have no power to fix, only understand.

And the more I understand, the more I pray for those who are hurting and those who hurt.
LMF

Killing time or missing opportunities

I hate the phrase, 'I've got time to kill.'

Yet I used it last week with Mace. He and I were on the UNL campus Thursday morning and, after we had finished our business, he wanted to go visit my instructor in the next building.

"Mama, can we go visit Captain Randy?" And what do I say but, "sure, Mace, we've got time to kill."

The truth is, I don't have time to kill. Like everyone else, I have what I have and not a minute more. Shouldn't that time be filled by investing it with people? What's wrong about a sit-down, face-to-face discussion about the world/health/family/school that I've reduced it to the in between time we have in our packed schedule? I don't like having that mindset about the time I spend with people. Video games, yes. People, no.

It's one thing to say we value people. It's another thing to invest in people. Not money but time. And time spent with other people is never time killed.

LMF

What's your job description?

Tomorrow morning I have a meeting with a small group of communications directors for churches in Lincoln. We began as a group after three of us returned from MinistryCOM last September. We decided to meet on the first Friday of each month and also to start inviting others to join us. We're still less than 10 people, but we're growing, learning and sharing.

Our plan for tomorrow is to share job descriptions. I've been working on mine all week and frankly, it's been a challenge. Leading communications at Horizons involves so many ministry areas and wearing several hats at once. Some days, I don't keep up very well. I haven't posted to the blog now for two weeks and the Web site needs an update that didn't get done Monday. I've been doing this for nearly 18 months and I'm still learning the job.

I started writing a job description that seemed adequate but it was too long. There are things I think should be included in the job but they are not the things I have time or the team power to do. I want it short, snappy and to the point. Here's my newest draft:

As Communications Team Leader, I advise and assist anyone in any capacity at Horizons with any project that requires any message to be relayed to others in any form or forum to be heard by those it's intended to reach without any distractions.

It isn't exactly what I wanted, but it's close.

LMF