Skip to main content
Category

Intersections

Cold Spring Church has been at the crossroads of our community for more than 300 years, and Intersections is our blog of engaging ideas designed to get you connected to what matters to you!

Jul 01
Love0

How To Create A Thriving, Growing Church. Great Ideas + Thoughtful Action = Transformational Change

By Intersections

  “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Hi friend,

What are you thinking about? Got a few great ideas? Whatever it is, pay attention to it because what we think about affects our actions. Thinking, while important, is just well, thinking, unless those good thoughts are put into positive action.

Our Time, Energy, and Attention represent what we believe. (For more on TEA, read my post about Charlie Brown, here.) Our attention is not only influenced by our faith in Jesus, but our thinking including our experiences, biases, fears, hopes, and dreams, also influence our thinking!

Psychologists, pastors, and educators all know that our thinking is influenced by our actions and attitudes. Visualization coaches and trainers recognize that realizing high achievement requires mastery over our thoughts. Take a minute and consider your thinking habits.

Getting control over our thinking begins by changing unhelpful thinking habits into more productive ones. Once you can identify your unhelpful thinking styles, you may become aware they often occur just before and during distressing situations. If this is your experience, you can try different techniques to refocus your mental frame of reference and choose alternate thoughts empowering yourself to see the situation in a different and more helpful way.

The Mental Filter- Some thought habits can function like filters allowing us to notice only what the filter allows or wants us to notice, and we dismiss anything that doesn’t. Like looking through dark lenses or paying attention to only the negative stuff, anything more positive or realistic is dismissed. Ask yourself, Do I only notice the bad stuff? Am I filtering out the positives? Am I wearing those dark glasses that cloud my thinking? What would be more productive and realistic?

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse” Philippians 4:8 (MSG).

What thoughts help you grow and change? Remember, “…the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” Let’s make July a month of great thoughts that are transformed into action by God’s Spirit. Thank you for all you think about… and then do! Great Ideas + Spirit Led Action = Transforming Change!

Let’s keep creating A Thriving, Growing Church. Great Ideas + Thoughtful Action = Transformational Change!

All the  best,

Pastor Kevin

May 31
Love0

Vote For Yourself

By Intersections


“Make your motions and cast your votes, but God has the final say”(Proverbs 16:33, MSG).

Who will you vote for on election day? Voting has become one of the most polarizing issues in the country. We are often quick to describe our opinion on an issue by criticizing or dismissing others who express alternate views. There are over 71,000 registered voters in Cape May County, and ballots cast totaled 59%. Voting is an essential opportunity for every eligible citizen to participate in civic conversation.

The Gallup Pole folks say that year in and year out, we vote when the issues matter to us. What matters to you?

When we vote for the candidates of our choice, we are making a statement about ourselves.

“My vote doesn’t matter!” is a myth because it denies the value we place on ourselves, and intrinsically possess. If we choose not to vote and not participate in the structures of government whether at City Hall or the local church, we make a statement about how much we value our own ideas. Your ideas matter!

Those who refuse to accept the responsibility to be involved implicitly cast a vote about their own self-worth by their silence in the election process. Make every effort to participate.

The implication of our form of government (United States as well as Presbyterian) is that we all have something to offer. We may not all be as loud or (better) articulate as the next person, but let’s not forget that we are all created to be communicators of ideas, and creators of possibilities. That’s what Cold Spring Presbyterian Church represents to. The greater Cape May community, possibilities that are empowered by the Spirit as we follow Jesus Christ.

According to Peter Block writing about building thriving neighborhoods, “the core question is this: What is the means through which those of us who care about the whole community can create a future for ourselves that is not just an improvement, but one of a different nature from what we now have?” (Peter Block, Community, 2008, p 33).

Our ideas and perspectives are full of value! We are created in the image of God. We can choose to be creative in expressing our own uniqueness at home, and the office, at church, in the community, when we participate with others. We make a positive statement that we are important, our community is important, and we have something to say when we vote. Over the past few years more and more of us are volunteering, offering gifts, getting involved in ways that matter to them, and the community is noticing. More and more people are finding resources they really want from our community of faith. Thank you for participating in God’s mission to Energize Spirits and Transform Lives!

What you think about yourself is the bottom line. “Will you be at the polls Tuesday?” And after Election Day, how will you get more involved to be an even greater blessing to others around you?!

Pay attention to the issues and the candidates who are vying for political leadership. Take time for living the life Jesus invites us all to enjoy by gettin involved in any way you can. Vote for yourself, then for the candidates of your choice. Let others know you take your ideas seriously. I do.

Pastor Kevin

 

May 19
Love0

2019-05-19 Message- Jesus’ New Whole-World Diet

By Intersections, Sermons

We do like thinking that life is simple. We often prefer thinking Binary. Off/On. Good/Bad. Right/Wrong. Sacred/Secular. Rich/Poor, Republican/Democrat. American/Foreigner. Male/Female. Believer/Atheist. Light/Dark.

Even as small children, we looked at life through safe/danger absolutes. Consider the things that go bump in the night. That is what scares us when we are children. And the same panic can continue as a fear factor throughout our adult lives. It is the same fear that makes possible all those awful “teenage slasher” movies, zombie stalker sagas, and all the ghost stories you ever heard around a campfire. Our childhood insecurities, and the need for us to somehow divide the world into a “safe” (day) and a “scary” (night), is a way to manage the chaos and unexpected outcomes that are part of daily living. We can tell out kids, there is nothing “bad” out there at night that is not present in the day. God created the world and said it was all good. The world of day and the world of night are the same world. The world created by the divine does not know the difference between night and day. God’s presence is always and everywhere, even when the world looks dark and scary, not just when the world looks sunny and bright.

The amazingly diverse world and God’s abiding presence is behind the text in this week’s reading from Acts. Peter, who had already been preaching to the Gentiles about Jesus, is criticized by those who believe in Jesus as the Christ, but still cling to their unique Jewish identity (Kosher/Unholy). One of the hardest things for some of the earliest disciples of Jesus to learn was that our identity does not come from family or ancestry, gender or race, or the foods we eat, but from our relationship with Christ. It is still one of the hardest things disciples of Jesus are still trying to get right: Having the capacity to see the spectrum, the continuum of life experience that reflects the range of God’s beautiful creation.

A continuum of choices applies to our diets, as well. For example, many years ago I decided a great way to become healthier was to adjust my diet to reduce carbohydrates. Even without carbs, there are so many choices that contribute to my wellness. (Recently, I became aware of a very useful chart for those following a Keto lifestyle at Ketogenic Supplemental Reviews. It shows the incredible range of food choices that optimize the low-carbohydrate diet.)

In the first century “binary” world of good/bad, kosher/forbidden food choices, Jesus spoke of whole life wellness and a continuum of choices. To dine with someone with a different background was to suggest that there was also a spiritual union as well. For a Jew in the First Century, to dine with a Gentile suggested that you approved and participated in their pagan practices. Eating with outsiders was not just a breach of protocol, it was a break with hundreds of years of tradition. That is, until Jesus shows us the depth of God’s Table of abundance. Are you hungry for some new spiritual food? You will want to join us on Sunday as we consider Jesus’ New Whole World Diet.

Apr 01
Love0

Easter Is The Time To Release Your Gifts!

By Intersections

Release Your Gifts! Easter Makes it Possible!
What is released when you combine Easter with technology? A strange question, right? But Christopher Lim, a 25-year old ruling elder at the Indonesian Presbyterian Church in Seattle referred me to an insight by the inventor of the printing press. Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg was a German blacksmith, goldsmith, inventor, printer, and publisher who introduced the world to his press. In 1455, he envisioned the printing press’ power when he wrote:

God suffers in the multitude of souls whom His word cannot reach. Religious truth is imprisoned in a small number of manuscript books which confine instead of spread that public treasure. Let us break the seal which seals up holy things and give wings to Truth so that she may win every soul that comes into the world by her word no longer written at great expense by hands easily palsied, and multiplied like the wind by an untiring machine. (Johann Gutenberg, 1455)


Technology is about tools. While we associate technology with our modern, digital, age, the first stone cutting tools developed tens of thousands of years ago, as well as today’s simple pair of scissors all describe the tools used to accomplish work. Tech has undoubtedly become more powerful and accessible since 1455!

Comparing technology in the 1980s to today is still shocking to me. In 1983, I had the pleasure of teaching ten pastors at Bloomfield College, a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)-related school, while a pastor of a nearby congregation. I titled my course Ministers and Micros. Dragging their latest technology into the classroom underscored the students’ commitment.

The Osborne 1, a popular portable computer at the time, weighed in at 23 lbs.! I still recall the memory of the Rev. Ronald Johnson every week lugging his Compaq portable up flights of stairs and placing it on one of the classroom’s tiny desks. Power cords were everywhere since none of these early “portables” had long-lasting batteries! As a class of ministry trailblazers, we helped each other learn how to use the best available tech and techniques to produce the best ministry outcomes.

That class was important because church leaders have a responsibility to access and effectively use the best available technology to connect God’s love to the world. Gutenberg said, we must not allow “truth to be imprisoned” but released! Tools release God’s gifts!
Leaders in every walk of life, from the small business to the shore boutique, from nonprofits to community groups, have a similar responsibly today. Use the best available tools to release our best gifts. We are the sharers of the Good News! Content creators, network builders, storytellers, producers and directors, elders and deacons, supervisors and staff, artists and designers, musicians and performers, community developers, doers of justice and workers for Christ’s peace, all leaders in the church. We use tools of theology, and master the tools of technology.

In 1983, I referred to the intersection of theology and technology as TheoTech, and I believe the church now more than ever, needs to hang out at that same corner if the Good News of Jesus Christ is to widely seen and heard, and transform the lives of families and our neighborhoods!

In Spring’s Eastertide, consider what your life would be like today if Jesus never burst forth alive from the tomb? What if the earliest women and men who witnessed the risen Lord didn’t make a way to share the story? What if the Gospels were never written, copied, and published around the world? What impact would the Great Reformation have achieved without Gutenberg’s printing press?
Imagine what would happen if a chick never broke through its shell? That’s what Easter is all about, breaking through shells of isolation, barriers, and disinterest. What would Cape May be like if Cold Spring Presbyterian Church remained inside its red brick church for 300 years? Well, our doors are open! Everyone is welcome inside in order that everyone is equipped to be sent outside to release their gifts!
In person and online, from conversations across the street to advertisements in the Shoppe, we are releasing our gifts! And you, all of us, have gifts to offer! We all have TEA. Tea? Yes, an acronym that represents our Time, Energy, and Attention.

Sunday, April 7, during worship after the Offering for Local Missions, I added Honoring Time, Energy, and Attention in the Neighborhood. I want us to briefly share what we have seen or heard, or what you have said or done, that has helped, blessed, or encouraged others.

We don’t need names or circumstances, just brief portions of TEA? Did someone go out of their way to help? Have you witnessed anyone doing a special act of kindness? Maybe you visited someone feeling lonely, or on your Prayer Walk you prayed God’s blessings on who and what you encountered. Did you enjoy inviting someone to worship, or to dinner? It only takes a few minutes to inspire others to offer their own acts of kindness.

In what ways do you release the “imprisoned” truth and “spread” the “public treasure” Gutenberg wrote about so passionately more than 600 years ago? What seals need to be “broken” so that we become transformative neighbors? Let’s focus our efforts together to release our gifts to boldly transform our community using tools of every kind to share the Greatest Story ever told!

He is risen! Release your gifts!
Pastor Kevin

Mar 01
Love0

Are You Ready For Greater Things

By Intersections

”Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).

On a sunny day in March, just before Easter, a new church was starting. Energy and anticipation were running high. Over two hundred people signed the charter documents and publicly pledged their resources of mind, body, and spirit to achieve the mission of the new congregation. Neighbors got together and agreed that God has challenged them to make a positive difference in their community. They were committed to each other and their town. Denominational leaders, community leaders, supporters, and neighbors crowded the site as ceremonial shovels were placed into the soil. The founding pastor read scripture and preached the first sermon. Afterward, the celebration continued in songs and stories of faith. For years to come, the community was blessed because of the great things God did in their midst!

The beginning of Cold Spring Presbyterian Church was a bit like the church, above. For 305 years, we stillare: In the community. With the community. For the community.As we continue our transformational journey, we are re-doubling our commitment to deliver needed spiritual resources in the name of Jesus Christ, in new and effective ways, right here in greater Cape May. What an exciting journey! And, what’s more, you have an important and unique part to play adding your gifts, time, energy, attention and wonderful songs and stories of faith!

March is a great month to be moved by the winds of the Spirit! There are many ways to participate as a faith community this month. I am sure you will want to invite friends and family, too! I have included a few very special events, below:

Sunday, March 3, afterour 10:30 AM worship celebration in the red brick church, join us for Lunch and Conversations at the Back Bay Bistro. (RSVP to Lenore Bowne.)

Wednesday, March 6, we gather in Price Hall for our third annual Ash Wednesday Service. This year we have invited our friends from First Presbyterian in Cape May to join us. After a meaningful service, stay for a complimentary lunch. It’s the perfect start to your Lenten Journey!

Friday, March 29at 5:00 PM, you will enjoy our Spring Fling Roast Pork Dinner. Details are in this issue of the Brickette, or online. Visit bit.ly/CSPCSpringFlingfor details and to make your reservations.

Sunday, March 31from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, we are invited to join with the entire West Jersey Presbytery in this year’s Congregational Life Sundayat the Hammonton Presbyterian Church. Rides are provided. Its a great afternoon to learn and grow with others who want to make a difference in their community, too! (See details and RSVP online at coldspringchurch.com.)

Palm Sunday is April 14!You will want to join in this important worship celebration as we enjoy special music and experience the Gospel recalling Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem at our 10:30 AM service in the red brick church.

Maundy Thursday is 6:00 PM, April 18  Plan to attend this meaningful communion service in the red brick church at 6:00 PM. All are invited. Invite your neighbors to gather at the Table with Jesus as we remember the Last Supper.

Easter Sunrise at Sunset Beach begins at 6:15 AMThe third annual Easter service on the beach promises to be another energizing event! Details online. Complimentary coffee, tea, and breakfast treats. Come as you are and enjoy great music and an inspiring telling of the Good News that He Is Risen! Listen with neighbors and friends to the Cape May Point beach sounds of waves and seagulls as the sun rises!

Easter Worship Celebration, 10:30 AMA beautifully decorated sanctuary, special music, interactive message for kids, and inspiring message from God’s word await you as we retell the Greatest Story Ever Told. You and your family will want to arrive ready for what could be a life-transforming experience of hope!

God with usis the core motivation for our church’s mission. The motives of nonprofit and charitable organizations are fundamentally different from their for-profit counterparts. Charities, foundations, fraternal and affinity groups, and faith communities such as churches, are all driven by their motivations to benefit the community at large. Nonprofits are established to serve a socially valuable purpose for the public good. But, in addition, our church is established to serve a spiritually  valuable purpose, too, for the the public good. Though the interests of the public change over time based on shifting contexts and community needs, the motives of a worshipping and witnessing community should be clear even during tumultuous and disruptive change, and transformational journeys. Can a congregation fall in love with its neighborhood? Oh, absolutely! We have, and that’s our continuing job to do.

Our faith community is deeply rooted in the places and the people that call it home. How will they know God’s love and the forgiveness and hope Jesus provides if they don’t experience it here? How will those who struggle with the challenges of daily life find the resources they need if they don’t find those resources here? Are you looking for hope? Find it here! Do you want to live your very best life, the abundant life? Meet the God who loves you, here!

Show God’s abundant and unconditional love to neighbors, friends, family, strangers, and visitors this month because we are:

In the community.

With the community.

For the community.

Thank you for sharing and choosing to be an important part of our future. Jesus said, “Greater things you will do!” And we are!

Feb 01
Love0

We Have A Heart

By Intersections

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Whether you enjoy or avoid Valentine’s Day, we all have one inescapable need: to feel loved. Love is a core value of Cold Spring Church. God loves us more than we can possibly imagine.  “For God loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…” (John 3:16-17). We seek to, “love one another with mutual affection…” and to “outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10). We want to belong to something meaningful and feel cared for. Each of us can fulfill our life’s mission of love that God has given us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10). God wants us to show that love to others every day of the year. 

“The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart”  (That is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:8b-13).

For many, special days like Valentine’s Day only reinforces that we either feel loved, or it reminds us that we feel unloved. While all of us are unlovable from time to time, all of us can count on God “lavishing his love on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). 

You are loved! All of us (and I mean all of us, including me!) struggle to consistently and authentically have a heart for everyone. Always listen and show respect to others. Jesus’ love for the world shows us that we will have heart-to-heart contact with neighbors we might not agree with, with people we may not like, or even fear. Our neighbors, young and old, deserve to experience the love of God. And Cold Spring Church continues to deliver spiritual resources to our neighbors. As Presbyterians, we are positively influenced by the great 16th Century Reformers like John Calvin. Our faith affects our entire being. Our Transformation Journey engages both our mind and heart.

To “have a heart” as a follower of Jesus, however, is not easy. It is not automatic. On our Transformation Journey, we want to thoughtfully reflect on our ministry as we move forward. How do we do that? One way is to remind each other to test all we do by asking ourselves:

“Does this idea show I have a heart?,”

“How does our project/ministry show the love of God?,”

“In what ways did our service/event/activity show God’s love?,”

“How could I improve and better show God’s love next time?”

The Apostle Paul reminded the community of faith in Rome:

“The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim).”

As we embrace a We Have a Heart spirit this year, we will better reflect and demonstrate the love of God in greater Cape May because… (say it with me!):

I have a heart!

We have a heart!

Yes, we do, and we will!

And thank you for all you do!

Pastor Kevin

Jan 18
Love0

Our next Explorer’s Membership Orientation Begins February 10, 2019

By Intersections

Are You Ready to Grow From Tourist to Explorer?

(More people are responding, “Yes!” to that question. How about you?) If you’re ready to say Yes!, our 2019 Explorer Membership Orientation begins February 10, 9:15 AM in the Red Brick Church.

Hello friend,

We are delighted that you have found many reasons to be involved at Cold Spring Church! You have worshipped with us, attended our events, volunteered in numerous ways, and have become an important part of our community of faith! We are honored by your current connection with us. But if you’re looking for something more, I have an opportunity for you to consider!

We hope now is the time for you to say “Yes!,” and attend our informal and informative Explorer Membership Orientation starting Sunday, February 10th.

We will gather for three Sundays in February: 10, 17, and 24. Our 45-minute sessions will begin at 9:15 on the 2nd floor of our Red Brick Church Worship Center!

Bring your questions, doubts, and stories as we get to know one another and the unique benefits and responsibilities afforded to members, as we consider the foundations of the Christian faith.

Let me know this week that you want to build a new future as an Explorer in 2019! This is the year of possibilities that starts right now! However you choose to connect, we are delighted that you are part of our community!

RSVP today! Call 609-884-4065, or email hello@coldspringchurch.com.

I hope to see you at 9:15 for our first class on February 10, 2019.

Dr. Kevin Yoho, Transformation Pastor

Jan 06
Love0

How to Use the Brickette and the Connections to be informed and share the news!

By Intersections

Happy New Year! Thank you for being connected to Cold Spring Presbyterian Church. There are many ways to be involved in our community, and two of them are easy to access and share!

The Brickette- Monthly Newsletter—

(coldspringchurch.com/newsletters/)

The first week of each month, the Brickette will highlight upcoming events and tell the story of our community of faith as it enters its 305th year of ministry, witness, and mission.

Connections- Weekly Briefing—

(coldspringchurch.com/email-campaigns)

Remember to sign-up to receive the weekly Connections news brief. While the Brickette is a monthly review and pre-view, receiving our Connections in your inbox (usually sent Thursday each week) will give you a timely, quick read of the weekend-ahead events including worship, activities, and lots of photos that help tell the amazing way people like you are making a difference in greater Cape May.

You can catch-up on past issues of both the Brickette and the Connections online, too. So get connected and share what God is doing in our community.

Jan 01
Love1

Open the Deck Chairs- TEA for the New Year!

By Intersections

This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone (Titus 3:8, NIV).

Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” (Matthew 9:37-38, MSG).

SS Cold Spring Church– One of my favorite Peanuts cartoons shows Lucy, once again, lecturing Charlie Brown on the meaning of life: “Charlie Brown, life is like a deck chair on a cruise ship. Passengers open up these canvas deck chairs so they can sit in the sun. Some people place their chairs facing the rear of the ship so they can see where they’ve been. Other people face their chairs forward – they want to see where they’re going. On the cruise ship of life, which way is your deck chair facing?” Charlie replies, feeling frustrated: “I’ve never been able to get one unfolded.”

Sometimes we can feel a lot like Charlie Brown. Getting stuck at getting started! It can consume our valuable time, energy, and attention to the point that we end up accomplishing very little, and even more importantly, could end up distressed, or depressed, figuring out the next step! For Charlie, which way his deck chair was facing, finding his place on the ship was secondary to getting the deck chair opened in the first place! 

Opening our own life’s deck chairs represent how we invest three gifts that God has given all of us to share. And I mean all of us; no matter our age or experience, whatever our talents or interests, or particular cycle of life, or our mobility. The three gifts are our Time, Energy, and Attention. (Think of it as our TEA, for short: Time, Energy, and Attention.) As the New Year begins, take a moment to review how your TEA is tasting! If you have lots of Energy and Attention, but no Time, you probably feel overwhelmed. If you have Time and Attention, but no Energy, you are likely exhausted. Or, maybe you have lots of Time and Energy, but no Attention. If that describes you, then you are probably distracted. But when our TEA is in balance, we can “open our deck chairs” to feeling more energized and engaged. And, we will feel more satisfied in doing good in the community in the name of Jesus Christ! We will find our own unique place on the ship called, Cold Spring Presbyterian Church. God commissioned us three hundred years ago to chart a course for blessing our community in the name of Jesus Christ. Do you need help with your deck chair?

Consider the scripture verses above for insight from God’s word about how we can find our place on board. The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to Titus, the New Testament book bearing his name, as a kind of instruction manual for the young pastor. Titus was concerned about what activities the new community of faith should focus on. The believers who met at Titus’ house church on the Island of Crete didn’t just to be busy. They wanted their Time, Energy, and Attention focused on the right priorities. Loving and glorifying God. Serving others. So Paul stressed— devote yourselves to doing good! That’s Titus’ bottom line as he followed Christ, and how Paul wanted every ministry and activity to be evaluated. Was it good for others? Did it accomplish good, or not? If so, do more of that. And if not, then stop doing that!

Jesus’ words inspire us to get involved in this New Year. He said, “What a huge harvest! How few workers!” When we look at the greater Cape May community of neighbors, friends, and family, do we see opportunities? Well, God does. And God has invited Cold Spring Presbyterian Church to “open our deck chairs” and do good! There’s work to accomplish. Love to demonstrate. Service to offer. Like it was said of Jesus who reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. Proclaiming the Good News about Jesus requires us to do good. To bless others. To respect others. To welcome everyone.

Once we figure out where we put our “opened deck chair” we will know how we fit in, join in, or serve by investing our Time, Energy, and Attention better. Some of us want to celebrate where we’ve been. We have lots of experience. That’s great. You would be a great encourager, prayer warrior, or contributor, and your source of wisdom can help us move forward. Or, perhaps you are called to face forward and help to set the course, grow, and help the ship bring its gifts to the community.

Our communities and neighborhoods deserve hope and wellness of mind, body and spirit. Cold Spring Presbyterian Church has the spiritual resources to do even more good in 2019. Will you consider your TEA this week and ask God how to best invest your Time, Energy, and Attention. Get those deck chairs opened and get ready, “striving what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13). I think 2019 is going to be an amazing adventure in our 305th year of doing good in Jesus’ name. Get your TEA ready! All aboard!

-Dr. Kevin Yoho, transformation pastor