A Devotion from Daniel

Have you ever heard someone say something along the lines of “be the hands and feet of Jesus”?

I’m sure you have.  You have probably even said it yourself many times.  As Christians we are taught that we have a responsibility to continue Christ’s mission here on Earth.  He came to this Earth to draw the lost close to the father.  If that was Jesus’s mission it is ours as well.  We gather around The Great Commission; the command Jesus gave His followers in Matthew 28.  We know that the “good news” is to spread to the entire world.  That we are to baptize these people in the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.  We know that we are to teach them to obey the teachings Jesus gave us.  We know that by being the hands and feet we can draw the world towards the one true God so that we can accomplish this mission.

When our savior walked the Earth, He drew people towards the father by healing the sick, freeing the spiritually oppressed, feeding the hungry, and loving the un-loveable.  Our Churches today for the most part do a very good job at emulating this model.  We have become very efficient and comfortable running food pantries or soup kitchens to feed the hungry.  We send doctors and medicines all over the globe to bring healing.  We have prison ministries to bring hope and forgiveness to those far from society.  We send money all over the globe to house, feed, and educate orphans.  We love people because we want them to see Jesus held high on a post, to be drawn towards him and decide that they too would like to step into the light.

I could walk into just about any size Church in this country with any denominational sign hanging in its front window and I could find different ways that that community of believers there were being the hands and feet.  But how would we respond if we were asked to be the hands and feet in a situation that we never thought we would be asked to serve in?

This week as war erupted in Ukraine, I read a letter from a Pastor in Kyiv.  A young man about my age who also has four daughters.  He and his congregation had decided to stay in the capital in spite of the pending invasion so that they could serve the community they lived in during the worst of times.  Instead of collecting non-perishables for the local food pantry, they were busy converting their basement into a bomb shelter.  Instead of taking up a collection to support an orphanage they were giving free first aid classes teaching folks how to keep airways clear and apply tourniquets for when the fighting arrived at their front door.  They were preparing to be the hands and feet in conditions that they were not in any way shape or form prepared for or comfortable with.

Why? Why not flee?  Why not save your lives, your children’s lives, your neighbor’s lives by getting out of the line of fire?  Pastor Vasyl said “We have decided to stay, both as a family and as a church. When this is over, the citizens of Kyiv will remember how Christians have responded in their time of need.”

When you have a moment this week read Matthew 25, specifically verses 31-40.  Keep feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, keep visiting the sick, keep caring for the orphans and widows.  Keep doing the things that we are good at as a Church but remember we must also be prepared to go above and beyond, to be made uncomfortable in order to fulfill our Great Commission.

Message from Anthony

Relational Worship: Grounded in God

 “Jesus, lover of my soul. Jesus, I will never let you go. You’ve taken me from the miry clay, set my feet upon the rock and now I know… I love You. I need You. Though my world may fall, I’ll never let you go. My Savior, my closest friend. I will worship you until the very end.” (“Jesus, Lover of My Soul” Ezzy, Grul, McPherson)

The first and most important relationship for any Christian is a firm and well-rounded relationship with God. Our relationship with God is the very evidence of our Christianity, our desire to be “like Christ” in everything we say and do. We maintain and demonstrate this relationship through worship – not just the songs we sing on Sunday morning, but in every aspect of our lives. We worship Him in our family interactions, our work performance, our words, and our actions.

Every moment is a chance to show others what a true relationship with God looks like. If we really value our relationship with God and are truly thankful for the sacrifice that He made on the cross for our sins, then every aspect of our lives will reflect Him. In her book Breaking Busy, Alli Worthington says “I think that sometimes we Christians forget how special it is that we can have a relationship, a real, close, personal relationship with God.” and she is exactly right.

We take the privilege of that relationship for granted, especially here in the United States, because that privilege is never challenged. We don’t have to worry about someone taking away our “right to worship” or bulldozing our church buildings. We always have the comfort of knowing that God is “right there on the shelf” whenever we need Him. But that type of a relationship is not the kind of relationship that will inspire others to worship! We cannot lead others to a place that we are not going ourselves, and that includes leading them to a deeper and more committed worship of God.

Oscar Thompson and Caroline Ritzman put relationships in perspective in their book Concentric Circles of Concern (which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to take evangelism to the next level). One of the quotes that really sticks with me is this: “A person can never lead another closer to the Lord than he or she already is. Evangelism must flow from a life that is deeply in love with the Lord.”

You see, our talents and gifts mean absolutely nothing without a committed focus on God first. The privilege we are afforded because of the tremendous work of Christ is unique. We are offered a relationship, and it’s through that relationship that we will reach others.

There’s nothing we can do outside of that relationship that is going to accomplish the task of leading others to walk closer to Him. “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10 NLT)

Just as we cannot attain salvation for ourselves outside of our relationship with God, we cannot lead others without Him. As we noted a few weeks ago in our CounterCultural series, God isn’t in the head business, He’s in the heart business. God is more concerned with our heart than anything else, because the condition of our heart is what drives everything we do. Be driven to shine your light everywhere, because there’s a dark world out there that needs to hear about Jesus’ love.

Movie Event – Sponsored by the Missions Team

• The Youth Group has raised $183.22 of their $500 Mission goal this year!  Their goal is to donate $250 to ChildFund International – a group that provides basic needs for children all over the world, and $250 to put together 10 Thanksgiving food baskets for our community families who need them this year.
• The Youth Group will be attending the Zach Williams concert scheduled to come to Michigan on April 22, 2022 at 7pm at Mt Zion in Clarkston.  The youth will have first priority as to the tickets, but any remaining tickets will be available to the rest of the congregation starting April 1^st on a first come first serve basis.  Please see Anthony Knotts with any questions. Some financial assistance may be available.
• Our MCC youth group will be meeting off-campus for the summer from June through August on Thursday evenings from 6-8pm.  If you are interested in hosting the youth group at your home and providing a meal and space for the youth, please sign-up for a date in the summer on the sign-up sheet in the foyer.

Church Calendar

If you would like to book a space at the church building for an event, please contact Brenda Cox with the date, time, building location, and any other pertinent details, and she will add it to the church calendar to prevent overlapping events.  Her email is bmcox66@gmail.com and cell phone number is 586-615-1614.

Bethany Thomas – March 4
Jim Cavins – March 4
Jessica Riedl – March 10
Kathi Tope – March 20
Nancy Paul – March 20
Joe Romaella – March 24
Jacquelyn Thomas – March 25
Mike Tingley – March 28
Marion Thomas – March 31

A Devotion from Daniel

All societies and cultures have these rights of passages at different times in life that signify the beginning of, or the end of something.  The Jewish faith has their Bat Mitzvah when a boy becomes a man.  Many Hispanic communities celebrate a Quincea-era when a young girl becomes a young lady.  In our country, in general, there are some that are more common among the general population.  Maybe it is the freedom of acquiring a driver’s license or turning 18 so you can vote… and pay taxes.  Perhaps it is graduating from high school or heading off to college.

These pre-described cultural standards help us to know what is coming next.  They help us define responsibilities and are also useful in knowing what we can expect or ask of someone.  Many times, knowing what thresholds an individual has surpassed lets us know what they may be capable of.  Or at least it makes us think we know what they are capable of.  Because these norms are usually accurate in defining someone.  But they aren’t always.  If I describe a very successful person to you, someone who built a computer company let’s say into a billion-dollar conglomerate you would assume they passed the life test of college… but many who find themselves in this position are dropouts.  As we all know every “rule” has exceptions.  We have all met 17-year-olds mature enough to vote or own a firearm and 25-year-olds who we wouldn’t trust to cat sit for us.

Here is why I am thinking about these milestones of life.  The other day I changed the type of product I use to style my hair (that may be the least masculine sentence I have ever written).  Anywho, I was paying extra attention to the mirror as I applied this new gel to see if I liked it and I saw something I had never seen before, a grey hair.  I looked closer and closer and to my horror, I saw it wasn’t one, or two… it was an impending infestation.  I talked myself down trying to remember that if I played my cards right maybe after a few years becoming a silver fox would make me appear wiser!

Scripture is full of passages telling us to seek wisdom.  And I think stereotypically when we close our eyes and envision a wise man most of us see an older gentleman with white hair.  Here is the truth though it is not the color of the hair that makes us wise.  One of the reasons we gain wisdom with age is because, as we age, we often find it easier to let go of our pride and embrace humbleness.  Just like all the other examples above, no rule is 100% accurate.  We can encounter uncommon wisdom in a young man, and we can encounter old men who act like petulant children.

It is true that pride leads to dishonor and humbleness leads to wisdom.  Too many of us embrace our pride during our youth thinking there will be a time for humble thoughts and wisdom.  When our hair turns grey, that’s when we finally find it a bit easier to let go of ourselves.  When we finally slow down and see the value in things beyond ourselves.  Young men, young women you don’t have to wait to see grey in your mirror before you seek wisdom.  Tomorrow isn’t promised, lay your pride down today.  Older men, older women don’t hold onto wisdom as the property of the select few who have achieved AARP status.  Open the gates to all who seek.

Proverbs 11:2 (NASB)
When pride comes, then comes dishonor;
But with the humble there is wisdom.

Message from Anthony

The Worship Leader: Don’t Leave Your Family Behind

We’ve been talking about our role as worship leaders these past few months. We know that no matter what we do, we are leaders – hopefully leading others to grow closer to God. As we defend the Word and maintain a healthy worship life outside the church, there’s one area of our life that we can’t neglect. The first people we often lead are those in our family.

We have been called to be leaders, focused on bringing others into a learning and growing relationship with Christ. Sometimes we forget where that leadership starts, however. We become so focused on helping strangers grow to know God, that we forget to lead our families first. We pursue world missions in faraway places, but we leave our own homes in total spiritual disrepair. This isn’t what God desires from us.

    As we lead others to follow Christ, we cannot be ministers to the world and strangers at home. Abandoning our partner to become a ministry widow is not an option. Leaving our kids to languish amidst the world’s messaging and influence is not an option. Going it alone when tackling the resistance and opposition that comes with ministering to people whom Satan wants to keep from God is not an option. We have to begin and end our ministry on the home front.

    When a military power goes to battle, they endeavor to protect their homeland and especially their capital at all costs. They treat their homefront as a precious treasure, one that they would gladly lay down their lives to defend. We had a saying in the service “I’d gladly lay down my life for my country, but the goal is to get the enemy to lay down his life for his country first.”

But as worship leaders, we can tend to spend so much time away from our family doing everything as we try to follow God, that we leave our family utterly defenseless as we try to save the world. It doesn’t make any sense at all when you think about it. A true man or woman of God leads their family first.

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15b)

Missions Update – February 2022
Gideons International

“We are a body of believers dedicated to making the Word of God available to everyone and, together with the local church, reaching souls for Christ.”

Gideons representatives, Larry Quince and Terry Smith visited Meadowbrook on January 16th.  Gideons International gives out bibles globally in over 200 languages.  It has been a few years since they have visited due to the pandemic, so it was great to see them again and hear Larry speak about their mission and our churches’ part in that ministry.

Larry shared a testimony about a man that was so thankful for the Gideons.  He had previously had problems with alcohol and domestic violence, which resulted in his arrest and imprisonment.   While in prison, he was given a Bible, and that was instrumental in turning his life around.  The Gideons also hand out Bibles at college campuses which impact the lives of college students.  Bibles are also left in hotels, and guests that need them are welcome to keep them.  The Gideons also have greeting cards to purchase in support of their ministry.

Due to the support of our church and others like us, these Bibles are free to those who need them.  Our support of this mission is instrumental in spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation.  What a blessing and privilege to serve the Lord in this way.

SIS In Action

Sisters in Service thanks you for donating socks, lip balm and canned meat for the Blessing Bags provided free of charge to people in need.  During our January meeting, we packed 24 bags filled with hats, gloves, socks, lip balm, band aids, tissues and food.

The bags and additional socks and lip balm were delivered to Lighthouse who will distribute these items to their clients in need.

Our upcoming meetings will include the Ladies Breakfast, on Feb 26, and packing Easter Baskets for Rochester Neighborhood House on March 26 at 10 am in the Fellowship Hall.

Breakfast Invitation To All Ladies At Meadowbrook

Sisters in Service invites all of the ladies at Meadowbrook to attend the annual SIS Breakfast on Saturday, February 26 at 10 am in the Fellowship Hall. Come enjoy a delicious breakfast prepared by SIS, enhance your love for God and enjoy time together creating a special keepsake.  Please let us know if you will attend by adding your name to the sign-up sheet in the foyer or email Cathy at cathypodvin28@gmail.com.

MCC Youth Attend Winter Jam 2022

Anthony, several adults and some of the Meadowbrook Youth attended Winter Jam 22 on January 30, 2022 in Ypsilanti, MI.  This concert featured many Christian worship singers and bands.  It was a great time spent praising and worshipping the Lord together.

Zach Williams is scheduled for April 22, 2022 at 7pm in Clarkston at Mt Zion.  Anthony and some of the youth will be going.  Available tickets are limited, so please see Anthony Knotts for tickets and more information.   Some financial assistance may be available.

Anniversaries
Lothar & Arleen Rossol – February 2

Birthdays
Leanna Thomas – February 3
Shalon Cox – February 22
Zain Cox – February 22
James Friedlund – February 23

Message from Anthony

Our Hope in Christ

This month we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the hope that He brought into this world for all mankind.  Usually, we focus on giving to others, proclaiming His birth, and spending time with our family and loved ones. This year is a bit different for the folks up in Oxford, though, as they cope with the loss of four bright young lives and the significant impact on their families and the families of so many more affected by the shooting. For them, and for us, a tragedy like this during this season can get us thinking that this is more the season of taking than the season of giving.

Like with the 2015 shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg Oregon, I know this will be a time of mourning for Oxford and the surrounding communities. But this is also the time when we as a church need to show the love that God has for them more than ever. Through prayer, support, encouragement, and more, we can truly embrace the season of giving with all that we give to those who are hurting most right now.

We celebrate this season as the season of giving because we know the hope that Christ gave us in entering this world so many years ago, and we put that hope, that faith, into practice by how we love one another. So, as Romans 12:15 says: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” and remember what Christ told us so many years ago:

John 16:33 ESV
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Merry Christmas and God bless you and your families this year.

MCC Youth Group Spread Some Holiday Blessings! Happy Thanksgiving!

The MCC Youth Group kids prepared and delivered food baskets they put together for people in need on Thursday, November 18th.  Many families were blessed by their giving hearts and thoughtfulness.

Winter Jam 22 is scheduled for January 30, 2022 in Ypsilanti, MI featuring many Christian worship singers/bands.  There will be a group leaving the Church @ 2pm that day, if you are interested in going.  Also, a Zack Williams concert is coming up on April 22nd in Clarkston, Michigan at Mt. Zion Church.  Available tickets are limited, so be sure to see Anthony for tickets & more info.  Some financial assistance may be available.

There will be a Youth Group Christmas party on December 16^th from 7-8:30pm.  There will be a White Elephant gift exchange and lots of fun for everyone.

The youth group normally meets weekly on Thursday evenings at 7pm in the Youth Room Downstairs.  All kids from 3rd through 12th grade are welcome.  Be sure to come check out all the fun and fellowship!

December Sisters-in-Service (SIS) Meeting

We won’t hold a SIS meeting in December.  Our next meeting will be held on Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 10am in the MCC Fellowship Hall.  During this meeting we’ll make lunch and spend time with the kids from House of Providence.

Missions Update – December 2021 – Karamoja Bible Study Center

Meadowbrook received an email from Duncan at the Karamoja Bible Study Center.  He reported that some COVID restrictions have been lifted in Uganda and they are able to operate their Bible Training Centers again. They are starting a building project on recently purchased property and are requesting financial assistance. Duncan reports 10
decisions/baptisms occurred in the last month. They are very grateful for the church’s prayers and
financial support.  Here is a portion of Duncan’s recent email:

“Please let the entire church family know we love you all and always pray for you all. We appreciate your financial support towards the Lord’s work in Karamoja.  Villages Churches are gathering, and we planted another congregation last month. This church is also gathering under a tree shade. We give God the glory that when it comes to worshipping Him, people don’t care about where to gather. Church happens anywhere.

We have started digging a pit latrine. Now that we have water on the property, the pit latrine is being dug.  The hope of us moving and getting relieved from the renting burden is clear. This pit latrine work is a work in faith as well. We don’t have money to build it, but we continue to trust God who has brought us this far to finish what He started. 

The Missions team prayerfully considered their request of support and decided to send $1350 to them in support of their building project.  Additionally, we decided to give each of our missions a Christmas gift of $150 each.  The
exception being Karamoja, who will receive $1500 (combination Christmas gift and extra gift toward
building project).  The total of these gifts is $3000.

Thank you to our Meadowbrook family for the generosity that allows support of these valuable missions.  We really appreciate your love, prayers, and resources!  Praise the Lord that we are able to give assistance to the missions we feel God is calling us to support.  We also thank you for supporting the Thanksgiving Lighthouse Food Drive, Samaritan Purse Operation Christmas Child, as well as the Red Cross Blood Drive!  It is such a blessing to help others!

Birthdays
Karen Parrett – December 4
Mary Jane Cavins – December 5
Brad Koster – December 16
Karen Robinson – December 21
Elaine Klaus – December 24
Jerri Gilbert – December 29
Jean Cox – December 30

Anniversaries
Elaine & Eric Klaus (Anniv.) – December 1
Darrell & Jean Cox (Anniv.) – December 22
Matt & Brenda Cox (Anniv.) – December 27

Message from Anthony

Worshiping with Gratitude

There are so many reasons in our worship music to be grateful for who the Lord is and all that He has done, is doing, and continues to do because He loves us. Here are just a few to encourage you this season:

Give Thanks (Henry Smith, CCLI#20285)
Give thanks with a grateful heart, Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ His Son.
And now let the weak say I am strong, Let the poor say I am rich.
Because of what the Lord has done for us, Give thanks.

Thank Your Lord (Don Moen, Paul Baloche, CCLI#4220833)
I come before You today, And there’s just one thing that I want to say Thank You Lord, Thank You Lord.
For all You’ve given to me, For all the blessings that I cannot see, Thank You Lord, Thank You Lord.
With a grateful heart with a song of praise, With an outstretched arm I will bless Your name.
Thank You Lord, I just want to thank You Lord, Thank You Lord, I just want to thank You Lord.
For all You’ve done in my life, You took my darkness and gave me Your light Thank You Lord, Thank You Lord.
You took my sin and my shame You took my sickness and healed all my pain, Thank You Lord thank You Lord.

I Am Thankful (Anthony Knotts, CCLI#7144538)
I am thankful for the life within me, I am grateful for the joy I know.
I am thankful for the Lamb who rescued me, I am grateful for the joy I know.
There’s never been a love so wonderful, I know, I am thankful.
There’s never been a peace so powerful, I know, I am thankful.
I am thankful that you hung in my place, I am grateful for the joy I know.
I am thankful that you emptied the grave, I am grateful for the mercy you show.
There’s never been a love so wonderful, I know, I am thankful.
There’s never been a peace so powerful, I know, I am thankful.

What Can I Do (Graham Kendrick, Paul Baloche, CCLI#4554279)
When I see the beauty of a sunset’s glory, Amazing artistry across the evening sky.
When I feel the mystery of a distant galaxy, It awes and humbles me, To be loved by a God so high.
What can I do but thank You, What can I do but give my life to You, Hallelujah, hallelujah.
What can I do but praise You, Every day make everything I do, A hallelujah, A hallelujah.
When I hear the story of a God of mercy, Who shared humanity and suffered by our side.
Of the cross they nailed You to, That could not hold You.
Now You’re making all things new, By the power of Your risen life.

Thank You Jesus (Hannah Hobbs, Matt Crocker, CCLI#7004672)
Grace that flows like a river, Washing over me.
Fount of heaven, Love of Christ, Overflow in me.
Thank You Jesus, You set me free.
Christ my Saviour, You rescued me.
Take this life delivered, A vessel of Your love.
Wholly now devoted, To see Your kingdom come.
You’ve given me life, You’ve opened my eyes.
I love You Lord, I love You Lord.
You’ve entered my heart, You’ve set me apart.
I love You Lord, I love You Lord.

No matter what your season looks like, or who’s seated around your Thanksgiving table, we all have more reasons than we can count to be grateful this year. God bless, and happy Thanksgiving. I’m grateful for YOU.

Meadowbrook Youth Group Putting Together Food Baskets

The kids are meeting on Thursday evenings, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., at Meadowbrook, in the new TEEN Room downstairs.  It is located across the hall from the kitchen/fellowship hall.   The youth have raised funds and are planning to put together food baskets for people in need.  If you are aware of anyone in need of a blessing, please contact our Youth Minister, Anthony, at anthonycknotts@gmail.com.  The youth will deliver the baskets on November 18th.

SIS Create Fidget Mats to help Dementia and Alzheimer’s Patients

Missions Update – November 2021 – His House Christian Fellowship

His House Christian Fellowship exists to bring the gospel to college campuses and send students back out as world changers for Christ.  With twelve locations across Michigan, you can be involved as a student or a supporter on a campus close to you!