St. Andrew’s own, Meghan Smith, daughter of Mary & Kurtz Smith (Kurtz is our Men’s Ministry Leader), was officially announced as the first ever Levi’s Girl. Well done, Meghan, congratulations!!

1.  The Coming Economic Collapse of 2010

2.  Karen (video testimony)

3.  June 2010 Congregational Letter

4.  The Era of the Narcissist

5.  The Power of the Word of God

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1.8)

So were Jesus’ words to his disciples just before his ascension into heaven.  In this one little verse we see two things: first power (Holy Spirit power) is needed for the church to complete her mission, but also, when the Spirit comes he will propel us, “you will be,” into mission.

Several months ago the staff and vestry leadership began to prayerfully discern where and when we might plant a church.  Through amazing circumstances we have reached an agreement with the Music Farm (downtown Charleston) to plant a church using their facility!

The genesis of this endeavor began with our young professionals who live both downtown and West Ashley who have asked us to do something for quite sometime closer to their homes.  While we were entangled in the mess of TEC, and the potential negative outcomes, we were unable to focus much attention on things like church planting.  However, with the completion of our departure we have found both the time and a significant interest within the parish to engage new projects.

Serendipitous to the expressed interest of our young professionals, and our newfound freedom, was a conversation that developed with the general manager of the Music Farm who was very happy to explore with us the possibility of using their facility to plant a church.  As time moved on we had several conversations of the kind that only God can arrange:  through a variety of circumstances several of us – both staff and non-staff – had conversations with young adults who are completely and contentedly disconnected from a community of faith.  As we explored the challenges they face with regard to their faith we spoke about the idea of a church plant downtown and all expressed their enthusiasm and interest.  It became evident that the Lord was opening a way for us to engage in a constructive manner and work to reach a disaffected and disaffiliated segment of our community.

Now, here’s the framework:  after his believe-it-or-not resurrection from the dead, Jesus announced that “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”  Shortly thereafter Jesus goes on to say, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”  The Church of Jesus is established not simply as a place where people go to, but it is also a place where people go from.  This fall St. Andrew’s will take another step to become a place where people “go from.”  What do I mean?  Here’s what I mean:  I am inviting fifty people from St. Andrew’s to make a two year commitment and help establish a new church downtown.

These fifty people will be on the launch team for “St. Andrew’s City Church.”  We are asking the whole congregation to pray whether or not God might be calling you to join us in this very exciting initiative downtown.

We understand how much we are asking of these individuals who will compose the launch team.  It is no easy thing to leave the church you love and put your hand towards the hard work of building a new church.  As you pray over this serious decision it might help to know what to expect at the new church plant:

• You will have the same leadership that you currently have in Mt Pleasant.
• You will have the excellent pastoral and discipleship care of our LifeGroups.
• Worship will be very similar to our Wednesday nights and 10.45 Ministry Center services.
• You will still be connected to St. Andrew’s Mt. Pleasant through a network of events designed to keep the two communities relationally close.
• You will receive excellent training to equip you to reach out to the downtown community in exciting and innovative ways.

So what is expected of you?  We are asking that all those who wish to join the launch team make a two year commitment beginning this fall to support the worship and service life of St. Andrew’s City Church.  After this commitment is fulfilled you may return to St. Andrew’s Mt. Pleasant or remain downtown.

If you want to learn more about this exciting opportunity we will be hosting two informational meetings.  The first will be Wednesday, 14 July at 7.00 pm in the Chapel (downstairs in the Ministry Center), and, the second will be Sunday, 8 August immediately following the 10.45 service, again, in the Chapel. I do hope you will take this exciting opportunity seriously and pray whether or not God might be calling you to help us start a new Gospel-centered community downtown.

With much love,

Steve

On of the men who most influenced my young Christian life was John Wimber.  John, as you know, was the founder of the Vineyard Church and he had a soft spot for us Anglicans.  One of his greatest gifts was making the gospel understandable and then  helping us ordinary, every-day kind of Christians believe that we really had a part to play.  As summer sets in and my thoughts turn to the water I was reminded of one of my favorite Wimber stories – a story about fishing and evangelism:

In 1990 Larry Shaw was trying out a new outboard propeller on Ohio’s West Branch Reservoir when he saw a huge muskellunge just below the surface.  Shaw motored over to it, and cast toward it several times with no luck before the fish disappeared.  About a half hour later Shaw returned to the cove where he had first spotted the big muskie.  And wouldn’t you know, it was back!  Shaw turned on the trolling motor and crept closer to the big fish.  Suddenly, the muskie started swimming toward the boat.

continue reading "June 2010 Congregational Letter"

Karen talks about being ‘good’ and meeting the ‘Great’ family as God pursued her.

Karen from St. Andrew’s Church on Vimeo.

1. Why I’ve Always Liked Bono

2. Steve’s May Congregational Letter

3. Kindle, The Bible and The Koran

4. Expository Preaching: Time for Caution

5. Around The Horn – 5.06.10

One of the most amazing abilities Jesus demonstrated was his incredible ability to get along with other people.  Through His words, actions and attitude He created and atmosphere of approachability.  Throughout the Gospels we see Him create an ethos and culture of inclusivity that welcomed people from every strata of society.  Consider some of the people whose lives intersected with His: Zacchaeus the despised tax collector and Roman collaborator; Nicodemus a leader of Israel and teacher of the law; the prostitute who washed His feet with her tears; the untouchable lepers who found a healing touch; the little children who climbed on His lap; the Syrophoenician woman who received far more than a few crumbs from His table.

Jesus demonstrated an unguarded availability and love of others, even for His enemies, that love became the ethic by which the early church thrived (John 13, 1 John 3-4).  Francis Schaeffer called love the, “final apologetic.”  The non-Christian world, observing the church, commented, “See how they love each other” (Tertullian).  In all of history no other religion has crossed as many social and religious barriers as Christianity. Throughout history Christians have, with varying degrees of success, taken seriously the truth expressed by Paul: “that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.  And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5.19).

continue reading "May 2010 Congregational Letter"

April 2010 Congregational Letter

Sally’s Encounter – Video

It Felt Good!

NT Wright Steps Down

Around The Horn – 4.22.10

This past Monday was our first Vestry business meeting since our affiliation with ACNA.  We had our normal Vestry prayer meeting on the 2nd Monday of the month – but this was the first business meeting.  And, for the first time in the 9 1/2 years I’ve been rector at SAMP we did NOT discuss TEC at our Vestry meeting.  Nor did we discuss property issues, legal issues, employment contracts, 501(c)(3)’s, trusts, asset protection, by-laws, articles of incorporation or parishoner departures for other biblically faithful denominations/churches.

It was oddly delightful.

Odd because for the first time we realized how just much of our time and energy had been devoted to such things – even though we had held before one another – and the parish – the message and practice of “keeping the main thing the main thing.”

Instead, we talked about our understanding that the church does not have a mission, rather, the mission has a church.  And in light of this we looked ahead into the next ministry year at the questions of where and when to plant a new church(es), the deveolopment of our worship arts ministry/offerings and the engagement with a process of establishing St. Andrew’s as a site for formal Christian education – preferrably in partnership with an accredited organization such at St. Paul’s Theological Centre in which we’d function more formally as the local hub for regional training.  Then we put feet to intention and formed a Vestry team to work with the staff as we develop a strategic plan so that we might effectively pursue these hopes and dreams birthed within our hearts.

At the end of our  2+ hours of discussion my Jr. Warden, smiling, said it was the best conversation we’d had in a few years.  By the time I got home another one of my Vestrymen had texted me:  ”It felt good tonight, I don’t mind 2 hour meetings when we’re actually making progress.  Thank God we’re back to focusing on our true mission.”

Thank God, indeed.

And it did feel good.

An old friend, Kim Swithinbank, current Vicar of St. James, London, is in town this week.  Had him over to preach this morning.  Here’s his wonderful sermon, “Two Prodigals?”, preached at the morning celebrations.