Joann Edwards

Sharing the Big Idea Anytime and Anywhere

Is it summer? For real? We had our first "Boatin' Big Idea" discussion group in the family room at Camp Flathead this week instead of on the Barnacle... Cold and rainy weather didn't put a damper on the discussion, but we're looking forward to a dat (like today) to cruise around w/friends and share the Big Idea. I'm excited (and hopeful) that the weather will be better by next Tuesday! And, excited about the prospect of doing the Big Idea as a family over the holiday weekend July 5. I was part of a planning meeting this week about the July 5 Big Idea, and I can tell you it's shaping up to be GREAT. We'll all be able to say that we can connect w/God and others anytime and anywhere through the Big Idea.

Still have a couple of spots available on the boat email me (joanne@keystonecc.org) if you're interested!

Religion VS Relationship

I ran across so old (2001) writings from a website I used to haunt called www.wuzupgod.com. They posted , "G Words" a dictionary of sorts, with definitions and sayings & scripture of what they thought God might be say to us about a variety of subjects. I thought these two fit with our current series...

On RELIGION:
("God" says religion is) Your creative attempts to get right with me by imaginative rituals, exercises, self torture, etc...When I have already done all the really hard work for you Instead of trying to guess what I want from you why not read my "bestseller", the Bible and let me get our RELATIONSHIP started on the right foot.

Note, according to the site, the word "religion" appears no where in the Old Testament and the only place where it's described in the New Testament is in the following verse:

James 1:27. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is the: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

On RELATIONSHIP:
(the opposite of RELIGION, "God" says it's) My effort to get you right with Me, by My hard work, love and persistence.

Isaiah 65:1-2. "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by thouse who did not seek me. To a nations that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' All day long I have held out my hands t oan obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations."

Network Volunteer Thursdays

This Thursday marks a turning point for Network Volunteer Thursdays. We invite parents with children at home to volunteer their time in the offices (working on a variety of ministry projects) while we provide supervised care and fun for the kids.

This week we're adding a twist! We're going to run through the Big Idea Team tool from the weekend together (9-9:30am). We're excited to bring in this time of sharing and reflection into our time together.

Everyone's welcome! Join us.

Volunteer Thursdays Expanding!

Over the past 2-3 summers, we've invited Keystone parents with kids to volunteer around the offices Thursday mornings during the summer. Childcare, fun and games are available for the kids, and parents help our Network Services staff with a variety of tasks to get ready for the weekend.

Its so much fun, and become so popular that we've decided to offer the childcare option year around! And we're expanding to offer the service to any/all Keystone leader or volunteer in any ministry area.

• Do you volunteer in the children's ministry and wish you had a chance to get in and re-stock or clean and organize your area?
• Looking for a chance to get online and research music, pull together chord sheets, or find mp3s?
• Are you a stay-at-home parent with some skills repairing or painting? We've got maintenance projects waiting for you!
• Do you schedule tech team and need time and access to a computer to get next months schedule or meeting lined up?

Everyone's welcome! Thursdays 9-noon.

And that's not all! New this fall, we're adding the Big Idea to the morning. We'll take a 1/2 hour (9-9:30) and take a run through the Big Idea team tool from the previous weekends talk. Another great way to learn and grow together. Take a step with us! Questions? Email Joann Edwards joanne@keystonecc.org.

Everybody's Doin' It!

Blogging... Everyone's doing it, in fact Keystone's been kind of behind the times, getting into the game late. But we're ready, we're just going to do it.. Adding the following blogs to our typepad suite:

• The Big Idea Blog
  • Individual, Team, Adult group and Children's weekend materials beginning with the new series, Eat This Book

• Prayer Blog, revised and simplified coming July 2008

• Keystone FAQ Blog, coming August 2008

Summer Serve/Groups

If you are a team leader at Keystone, now is the time to be thinking about summer serve opportunities. We're planning to promote summer serve/group opportunities soon, and it would be awesome if we could include an easy/fun summer way to connect folks with your teams. Email me or your staff contact with your number one fun summer serve opportunity!

And summer is also a great time to think about short term groups! Looking for a reason to get together around the grill? Meet friends and take the weekend message up a notch by hosting a BIG IDEA group at your home this summer.  Email Jane Beal and let her know you're interested today.

Zip It's Been Hard on Me

Talk about a hard 3 weeks! This Zip It series has sure been challenging. It's been hard to live the 7 day challenge, when it seems like 7 minutes can't go by before I catch myself complaining, being critical or gossiping about something... For example, right now I'm sitting in the beautiful public library in Lowell with a great view of the river and it's all I can do not to jump up and tell the teens reading to each other out loud to ZIP IT! Complaining about teens reading! In a library! Shame on me.

And don't even ask me why I'm in the public library, I'll just go off about how I live in a (beautiful place) that is in Internet purgatory... Dial up just blows..

This whole incident reminds me that its not just about changing what we say and how we say it, but our thinking and I'm busted with one of my favorite passages... "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:2. Yes it is a beautiful day.