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How YOU Can Make A Difference!

Everyone wants to make a difference and help those in need. And this time of year is always when the need seems to be in the spotlight. You can make a difference by partnering with Meadow Spring in feeding 100 families in need of a Christmas dinner.

It's only $25.00 to support one family. I believe everyone can support at least one family. Most of us can support 2, 3, 4, 5 or more. You do not even need to be a regular attender at Meadow to be a part of this.

Over the next two weeks, we are taking a special offering called "Food Drop" to provide 100 families in need with a Christmas meal. It's easy to give to the "Food Drop".

1. Give on Sunday, December 2 or Sunday, December 9 by using the envelope provided in the program. Write the amount you are contributing to the Food Drop on the line marked "other".
2. Use the postage paid giving envelope you receive each week to mail in your contribution. Write the amount you are contributing to the Food Drop on the line marked "other".
3. Use your bank's bill pay to send Meadow Spring a check. Mark "Food Drop" on the memo line.
4. Give online HERE. Just choose "Food Drop" from the fund choices you are given.

Why not write that check out now and bring it this Sunday or go on line and give now. Let's make a difference this Christmas for 100 families!

P.S. Don't forget we are having one service starting this Sunday at 10:00 am. See you then!

 

Five Important Announcements I Want to Share With You

I wish I could sit down with each of you personally over a cup of coffee and share with you these five important announcements that are going to dramatically affect your church and mine over the next 30 days. Unfortunately I can't, so I'm asking you to give me two minutes of your time to read and pray for and about the following:

1. Starting this Sunday we are moving to one service at 10:00 am. If you were present at our Party Sunday where we brought everyone together into one service, you know the room was electric and the buzz and community were off-the-chart! It was such a refreshing experience! So starting this coming Sunday, we are going to just one service every Sunday and the time for this one service will be 10:00 am.MeadowKIDS will meet in their specific areas at 10:00 am too. I am so pumped for this and for what it will do to our worship and the whole dynamics of what we experience on Sundays.
2. "Merry Family ChristMESS" starts this Sunday.Check out the video trailer! We are going to look at some of the dysfunctional people in Jesus' heritage - people who had really messed up lives and why they are there. Warning - you might find out they are more like us than what we bargained for! Do everything possible to invite as many friends as you can! We are praying that 15 people will become followers of Christ during the month of December. YOUR invitations to your friends is key to that happening!
3. Christmas Eve Services will be at 4:00 & 5:00 pm. Both of these services will be identical and filled with lots of music and fun. These 45 minute services are for the whole family AND your friends! Let's fill our auditorium and celebrate the birth of Jesus!
4. We want to provide Christmas meals to 100 families. That's right. We are praying that God will use us and our resources to provide a Christmas dinner to 100 families in need in our community. We have calculated it will cost $25.00/family and over the next two weeks, we are taking a special offering and challenging everyone at Meadow to sponsor at least one family ($25.00). Some of you will be able to sponsor multiple families. Bring your special offering on Sunday or mail it in to the church office! Let's be the hands and feet of Jesus and help 100 families this Christmas!
5. Family Movie Night is Saturday, December 8 at 6:30 pm. We are LOVING our new building and on December 8th, we are going to use it to show a very popular family Christmas movie. This is for the whole family. Bring snacks, pillows, blankets. Invite your friends. See MeadowKIDS or Rachel Carlson for "Sleepover Tickets" and invite your childrens' friends to spend the night and come to Meadow with you the next morning!

I am so PUMPED about the next 30 days. I believe we will see major life-change at Meadow and this Christmas will be filled with MAJOR fun and celebration at Meadow!

See ya Sunday (and don't forget to invite someone to come with you!)

Sunday Mind Dump

• From my perspective, I'd give today a 7 out of 10.
• Yes, we are moving to one service starting next Sunday at 10:00 am.
• One service will help us continue to build our momentum that we are experiencing.
• I'll be honest - moving to two services was probably a little pre-mature. BUT...we proved to ourselves that we can do it. Just didn't have the numbers to support two healthy services.
• Who are you inviting to come with you next Sunday?
• Powerful moment after the service today as a man came up to me with tears in his eyes saying that he has never been moved to tears in a service like he was today at Meadow.
• THAT is a win!!
• I'm still full from Thursday - but leftover are SOOOO good!
• Can't believe one month from today is Christmas!
• Who are you inviting to come with you next Sunday?
• We've never had a building at Christmas time. Do we decorate? I'm no decorator so if it happens, we'll need some help.
• However, I don't want to be a church this is more concerned about the decorations than we are about reaching people.
• I really am PUMPED already for next  Sunday. I am so looking forward to one service, the new series, the worship - wow...I wish it was NOW!
• I think we had enough Panera bread and bagels today to feed an army. Sheesh!
• Offering was low today - reflective of the attendance I think which was down due to it being Thanksgiving weekend.
• We are still trying to figure out the HVAC. The building is cold - I know it and I feel it too.
• My Foundations class is really good! I am learning more than anyone coming!
• Who are you inviting to come with you next Sunday?
• In other news ... the Vikes lost and it was not pretty!
• Went to see "Lincoln". Pretty slow movie but a GREAT movie on leadership.
• Had all the kids home last night - sure feels good to have a full house!
• Submitted an article about Meadow to several local newspapers. Let's hope they print it this week!
• So proud to serve with our staff and Leadership team - they really do make being pastor of Meadow a refreshing experience!
• I'm going to get back to the gym this week. I'm going to get back to the gym this week. I'm going to get back to the gym this week. I'm going to get back to the gym this week.
• We are asking God for two HUGE asks in December .... 1) Save 15 people on Sunday mornings, and 2) Use Meadow to feed Christmas dinner to 100 families in our community.
• This may not be much for some churches, but it really is an audacious prayer for us at Meadow!
• I'm trying to imagine what it will be like in one month when we celebrate all God did at Meadow during December!
• Completed the "Request for Proposal" this week. Have a meeting this Sunday to approve it then we will start submitting it to construction companies to see if our remodel is a project they would like to bid on.
• We've changed up a major portion of our remodel plan. We've added the element of removing a wall separating two of the theatres and making one larger auditorium.
• If you haven't seen the video trailer for "Merry Family ChristMESS" you can watch it HERE then post it to your Facebook wall.
• Who are you inviting to come with you next Sunday?
• Here's my question for you this week that I'd like your input and opinion on... "What, in your opinion, can we do to make a person's first time at Meadow a better experience?"

Sunday Mind Dump

• Wow! Wow! Oh wow! Oh wow!
• This will no doubt be one of the highlights of this year - maybe in our history.
• 7 baptisms and 10 child dedications! AWESOME!
• AND...the place was packed and the energy blew the roof off!
• AND...the music was off-the-chart smoking awesome!
• (Can you tell that this morning was incredible?)
• Yes, the water was FREEZING!!!
• One guest said, "Wow! Everyone from your church cooks great food!" (Yes...we only let great cooks come to Meadow!)
• It was so cool to see people spread out all over the building - down the hallway, in the lobby, sitting at tables, sitting on the floor - all enjoying the food and people!
• We were over capacity in auditorium! There were even a few people who stood in the hallway because they couldn't get in!
• From my perspective - we were REALLY full but it wasn't uncomfortable. What did you think?
• I didn't even get a nap in today because I was still so pumped about the morning.
• Today was my bride's birthday. I am so blessed to have her in my life!
• We had some friends over this afternoon to help celebrate her birthday - what a great group of people. I LOVE my church!
• This week will be CRUNCH time. One less day to get everything done in because of Thanksgiving.
• I'm finally coming down off my high and I am BEAT!
• Had several first time guests again this morning because of our sign out front. I am really surprised of the number of people who have come to check out Meadow because of our sign.
• The energy in today's service was really cool! It shouted "this place is alive!"
• I LOVE baptizing people. I get to be right there and see their emotion in their eye of the significance of this HUGE step they are taking in their relationship with Christ.
• I can't find the words to say how HUGE next week's service will be as we look forward to the month of December and the challenges God is putting before us!
• Our First Impressions Team went the second and third mile today in accomodating all the people in one service. I was totally impressed with how they welcomed and helped everyone find a seat.
• Both the kids were home today - I'm loving the "empty-nest" thing - but it is absolutely priceless to have the kids here.
• Showed the video for our next series which starts in two weeks. If you missed it, here it is... Merry Family ChristMESS.
• Start thinking now, who you will be inviting to the new series!
• Did I mention that I'm coming down off the high of today and I am REALLY beat?
• Here's what I'd like your input on... How did you feel about the "fullness" of the auditorium today? How do you think a first time guest felt? Too full? Room for growth?

I come to Meadow because...

We are working on writing an article to be submitted to the local newspaper and would like YOU to help us! Would you take a few minutes and write a paragraph or two completing the following statement?

"I come to Meadow because..."

You can just post a Facebook comment so others can read it too or you can email it to me at john@meadowspring.org.

Now...start writing!

Party Sunday is THIS Sunday!

If you've never experienced a Party Sunday at Meadow - you're in for a PUMPED UP experience this Sunday!

We are canceling the 9:00 am service and having one combined service at 10:30 am! We are bringing the whole church together for this! Woo Hoo! There won't be any MeadowKIDS because we want EVERYONE together for this Sunday of celebration!

There will be music - lots of music! We will be partying it up with several people who are going public with their faith in Christ through baptism! We will be celebrating with several parents as they dedicate their children and make a public commitment to raise them in a Christian influenced home! We will be getting a first look at the teaching series for December and it is going to be AWESOME!

THEN...following the service we are having a potluck to just hang-out with other great Meadowites! So bring potluck food! Meadow will be providing the plates, utensils, coffee, and water. We are still short on the number of chairs we have so bring your lawn chairs to sit in too!

Here are a few keys to help you and everyone else have a great Party Sunday:

• Get here early!
• Don't leave any seats empty as we expect a VERY packed audiorium!
• Help people find seats as they come in!
• Bring your cell phones and take pictures and video and post them to Facebook!
• Bring potluck food to share!
• Bring your lawn chairs!
• Leave your grumpy face at home and come ready to celebrate!

Day 2 - Prayer & Planning Get Away

Today has been a really good day. Lots accomplished among a sense of continual prayer. I really appreciate all of you who are praying for me.

Messages... I have pretty much settled on a series called "Help! There Are Zombies Among Us!". This series will kick-off 2013 and will focus in on how Christians are often half alive and half dead and what we can do to bring us back to the abundant life Jesus promises to give us! Following this will be a series called "The Blessed Life" where we will focus on one key spiritual discipline that literally affects every area of our lives. "Living a Legacy" will be about how we can make a difference in this life that will carry on after we are gone. I'm also exploring a marriage series for late spring.

Growth of Services... I have spent considerable time today praying and wrestling with how we can continue to bring growth to our services. We have LOTS of room for growth in both services and I want God to fill EVERY seat! What do we need to do? What do we need to pray for? Do we do a direct mail piece? Do we advertise in the local newspaper? December is such a ripe time to see new guests come. How can we leverage this time of year? This is not about numbers. Every number represents a real person and every person matters to God and matters to us!

Capital Campaign... The Phase 2 Team is putting together a really good list of things we want to do on our next step of remodeling. This will be a MAJOR construction project and will require us to have another capital campaign to secure the funds to pay for Phase 2. This will most likely be in late winter, early spring of next year.

Party Sunday... As of right now we have 7 people who want to be baptized this Sunday! Wow! I have been thinking about that ALL DAY and I am so PUMPED for Sunday to get here! We are having one combined service at 10:30. There is no 9:00 am service! And don't forget the potluck after the service! Bring potluck food!

As I said yesterday, I really need your input and opinions on this...especially on how we can continue to bring more people to Meadow to hear about a refreshing relationship with Jesus. I consider your input priceless as I pray and think it all through. You can email me at john@meadowspring.org or send me a Facebook message or post a comment.

Day 1 - Prayer & Planning Get Away

One thing that is extremely helpful to me in discerning God's will and the direction He wants to take Meadow is your input. I can't emphasize enough how much I value your opinions and input. I encourage you to email me or message me with your input on any of this or anything else at Meadow. I read every message and every email and they are vitally important to me.

What have I been thinking and praying about today?

Message Series ... I listened to a teaching series called "The Blessed Life" which is a comprehensive explanation and discovery of one single spiritual practice and principle that literally affects every area of our lives. Plan on this series in February.

Have you noticed there is a current fascination with zombies? I am thinking through a series that leverages this interest but gives it a spiritual and biblical twist. I'm not quite sure which direction I will go on it yet as there are a couple different options but this would be a great series to kick-off the new year with.

Last Sunday of this year ... For the last several years (at least as long as I can remember), we have not had services on the last Sunday of the year. We have taken it off to give our volunteers and staff a break to spend with family. However, I am rethinking that. Seems we bring in a lot of friends and neighbors to our Chrismas Eve service but then do not have a service on the Sunday following Christmas Eve giving new guests and friends a chance to come to a more regular Meadow service. I am fearful we are loosing some momentum. I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Direct Mail Project ... We need to get the word out more about Meadow and our ministry. I am so thankful for how so many of you invite and bring friends. But there are people in the community who have no friendship connection with Meadow that I think we need to get the word out to. Do we do a direct mail project sending a mail piece to every person in the community? Generally speaking, direct mail is not that effective but would it be different for us and our situation being that we are a new church in Chaska and there is already a level of interest in what happened to the old REX movie theatre. And then there is the cost. We are probably looking at about $5,000 for an mail piece that would be effective. Do we? Don't we? I would love to hear your thoughts on this too.

Thank you for your prayers. God is answering them as I pray and plan.

Sunday Mind Dump

• These last few weeks have seen some MAJOR commitments made by people at Meadow!
• God is changing people's lives at Meadow!
• Started watching "The Walking Dead" - not sure what I think.
• The staff is talking through a pretty major shift which we are thinking will improve the dynamics of our Sunday ministry in a big time way.
• I am heading up north tomorrow for a 3 day prayer and plannng retreat. A friend has loaned me his cabin and I'm heading up alone to spend 72 hours in prayer and planning for 2013. I really appreciate your prayers. These next three days will be HUGE to me and to Meadow.
• Phase 2 Team is compiling remodeling ideas and I really like the ideas that are coming out.
• My daughter has been home sick since Thursday. I love having her home, but wish she was feeling better.
• Don't forget...next Sunday is Party Sunday and we are having only one service at 10:30 followed by a potluck. This will be a MAJOR awesome Sunday!
• No...I won't be doing any fishing while up north. I will be doing a lot of praying, thinking, planning - not even much rest as I ask God how He wants Meadow to move forward next year.
• Several people want to be baptized next Sunday ... did I mention that next Sunday is going to be AWESOME!?
• We also have several child dedications - wow...I can't WAIT for next Sunday!
• I'm also totally pumped about two weeks from today when the challenge will be "The Big Ask" - what are we asking God for in December and in 2013? He's a big God - do our prayers reflect that?
• Sandy and I are talking about taking a vacation to some place really warm in January or February. Any suggestions?
• Can't believe Thanksgiving is just a week and a half away. Wow...December is almost here, then Christmas, then the New Year.
• So glad the election if over and no more ads.
• I have been disappointed in several pastors response to the election - seems they have forgot that God is in control and they just need to chill out and let God be God.
• I had a whole lot more to say this morning, but time was running out and I was editing my notes as I was speaking - that can be a bit distracting to me.
• Absolutely impressed with the music this morning and John Pennucci's solo was extremely fitting for today's message.
• The song he sang was called "Thrive" and that is actually the title of a teaching series I'm thinking through for next year....how do we "thrive" in our Christian life rather than just "survive"?
• No Foundations Class this Wednesday because of my prayer and planning get away. I hate canceling that class because I am really loving it and the people there. We are having a great time!
• I so love working with the Meadow staff. God has brought to Meadow a staff that is full of wisdom and insight - especially in decision making.
• Had some new guests again today. I love meeting the new people who come!
• So proud of Meadowites and their spirit of generosity and willingness to help those in need - especially this time of year!
• Here's what I would like your opinion and input on this week ... what do you think are some of the issues that seem to hold Christians up from really "thriving" in their relationship with Jesus?

Sunday Mind Dump

• This had to be one of the most awesomest mornings ever at Meadow!
• Four people gave their lives to Christ! THAT is the bottom line of why we exist!
• It was an intense message that was more a narrative of the crucifixion - but from what others are saying, it really connected and God used it.
• The band mixed it up today with a different sound adding a couple unique instruments. Wow oh Wow did they ever knock it out of the park!
• I am so proud of our volunteers!
• Once again, giving was extremely healthy and I couldn't be more excited about the generosity of Meadowites!
• My nap this afternoon? Definitely not long enough.
• Overheard a mom (new guest) tell her young son, "No honey, they don't have food here. This isn't a regular movie theater." ... I LOVE it!
• Had several people gone today for the sacred opening weekend of deer season and seasonal ball tournaments - but our attendance was still VERY good.
• We are combining into one service in two weeks for Party Sunday. This will be interesting as we pack everyone into one service to celebrate baptism and child dedication. I'm totally looking forward to it!
• Don't forget to wear your favorite team jersey or shirt next Sunday. There IS a reason I'm asking you to do this. You'll find out next week!
• Went to "Flight" last Friday night. I wouldn't recommend that movie to anyone.
• Has a BUNCH of new guests today!
• Looks like our sign and location are working - we've got several families now coming because they saw the sign and by driving by.
• Our internet presence and Facebook presence is also paying off as people are discovering and checking Meadow out that way.
• Went to a Love, INC banquet on Thursday night and I can guarantee we  WILL be partnering with them to help those in need in our community. GREAT organization.
• If you haven't been baptized yet as a follower of Christ - email me. It would be awesome to have you get baptized on Party Sunday!
• No bagels and pastries today. First Sunday of the month is always without these treats! Ahhh!
• If you heard a desperate boy's voice yelling from the men's bathroom today, "Help! I need someone to come wipe my butt!" - You heard right.
• Only at Meadow. Only at Meadow!
• I totally love reading all the comments on Facebook which people post about the service on Sundays.
• November 25 is a very KEY Sunday. I will be announcing some MAJOR objectives we will be praying for and going after in December! Get ready!
• I'm starting to think through a series on all the people who came back to life in the Bible ... you know...like zombies. Yup...don't be surprised if we do a series soon on the undead!
• Just had a bowl of Edy's slow churned butterfinger ice cream. Oh man...DElicious!
• Thanks for all the great input on what would make a great Christmas Eve service. We are planning with your input in mind!
• Got the news this week that it will cost us about $1500 to light up the outside sign and put lights underneath the awning. Keep your eyes peeled. Hope to have this done sooner than later.
• Here's what I'd like your input and opinion on this week...Christmas time is one of the times when more people are interested in attending church.  With that in mind, what are some ways we can get the word out and spread the buzz about Meadow during December?