CenterPoint Church

This coming Sunday, June 1st, we're going to have a great time flying kites together. Won't it be fun to see a bunch of kites flying in the air? This will be an activity to invite friends and family to who might be interested in meeting those who are going to be part of CenterPoint Church.  We'll meet at the St. Croix Falls school fields from 10:00 AM to Noon (Turn off at the road leading to the VFW building, north off of Hwy 8,  take a left at the T.  Drive two blocks.  The school fields are on your right.)  Watch for the flying kites!

Following the kite flying, we will be meeting at the Lions Club Park (one mile outside of St. Croix Falls on Hwy 87 north) for a hot dog barbecue.  The park is located right on the St. Croix River, so you can bring your fishing pole if you like to fish.  The BBQ will be from  Noon until 2:00PM. 

Plan to come!...Let's go fly a kite!! 

If you are unable to come for the kite flying, please come for the barbecue.  Sunshine and warm temperatures are being forecast.  It should be a good time! 

 

There have been 17 women studying the book of Daniel over the past 10 weeks.  We have two weeks left to this amazing study.  After the first lesson we all made the commitment to become people of integrity in overwhelmingly enticing surroundings.  But we don't want to stop there.  This Lifeway study by Beth Moore has been teaching us that God doesn't mean for us to have integrity just for integrity's sake.  He wants us to have integrity so we can be trusted with responsibility.  Christ didn't set us free just for freedom's sake.  He sets us free so we can get out there and do what He's called us to do.  The study has been teaching us that Daniel represents more than character.  He represents a life God can use wildly in the worst of circumstances.  Daniel's intense relationship with God should be our example.  We should want what Daniel had.  We should want to be people God can use to show Himself MIGHTY! 

In Christ,  Julie

     There are many who have been faithful to pray and fast each Tuesday for CenterPoint Church.  What an incredible blessing to know prayers of (ACTS)...Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication are being offered from 6:00AM to 11:00PM each Tuesday!

 

We welcome and covet prayer for CenterPoint Church. We invite you to join us in prayer throughout the week for God's continued direction and blessing, and in FAITH seek God for His provision to meet our immediate and long term needs to build His church.

We had a great turnout for our second Launch Team meeting on Sunday at the Panda King in St. Croix Falls.  We were amazed at the number of people who came when it was a holiday weekend! The unity and excitement about what God is going to do in and through CenterPoint Church could be felt by everyone who came.   There was a great time of discussion about our first Preview Service.  We all shared areas where we could serve, and then signed up to serve.  CenterPoint Church could not happen without the help of many committed and enthusiastic people!  Thanks everyone!! Now it is just a matter of inviting, inviting, inviting to the kite-flying/barbecue event next Sunday morning, and to our 2nd Preview Service on June 8th.

This Sunday, May 25th, you are invited to the second Launch Team meeting for CenterPoint.  The gathering is for all those who are sensing the call of God to do whatever it takes to prepare for the actual launch on September 14th, 2008.  There will be a short time of worship, a quick message from the Word, prayer, and planning.  We'll meet at the Panda King in St. Croix Falls from 9:00-10:00AM.  The larger the Launch Team, the greater impact the launch will have on the Valley....Can you hear the rumble & the whisper?...Come as you are!

A very good friend of ours sent the following reflection written by Horace Bushnell some time ago, in the 1800s.  It has been very meaningful to us, and we would like to share it with everyone.  We are learning to trust God more and more through every circumstance of our life.

"The simple thought of a life which is to be the unfolding of a Divine plan is too beautiful, too captivating, to suffer one indifferent or heedless moment. Living in this manner, every turn of your experience will be a discovery to you of God, every change a token of His fatherly counsel. Whatever obscurity, darkness, trial, suffering, falls upon you; your defeats, losses, injuries; your outward state, employment, relations; what seems hard, unaccountable, severe, or, as nature might say, vexations – all these you will see are parts of constitutive elements in God’s beautiful and good plan for you, and, as such, are to be accepted with a smile. Take your burdens, and troubles, and losses, and wrongs, if come they must and will, as your opportunities, knowing that God has girded you for greater things than these.”       Horace Bushnell

It will soon be 29 years since I became Dick's wife.  Shortly before saying, "I do", Dick shared with me a verse he felt God had given him for our marriage.  It was Isaiah 42:16. Through the years, I have understood better why God gave him this verse, and I have grown in my appreciation of its meaning.  Each time God asks us to follow Him, He always leads and guides. He always turns the darkness into light. He always makes the rough places smooth.  He NEVER forsakes us. As we all follow the Lord in serving to plant CenterPoint Church, we can trust that God WILL lead and guide as He takes us along unfamiliar paths! 

Isaiah 42:16 says, "I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.  These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." 

Thank you, Dick, for listening to the Lord.  It has been and continues to be quite a ride!

In Him,  Julie

May 20th marks five weeks of Prayer and Fasting on Tuesdays, seeking God's blessing and favor on the development and growth of CenterPoint Church. Once more we see God's blessing as three new families joined us on Sunday AND we have filled the openings on the prayer schedule. It's so encouraging to see God's hand move as we continue to realize the vision and direction of this ministry to reach the lost in the St. Croix Valley. What an awesome God!!!

Sunday, May 18th, marked our First Preview Service, which was held at the Holiday Inn Express. The owner graciously opened up the Conference Room for us to meet..... at no charge. Once more, we see God's favor as we seek to have our needs met. A sweet, peaceful and encouraging spirit reigned over that service and Pastor Dick gave a challenging word from the Book of Revelation and the Church of Philadelphia. The foundation of FAITH...its importance...keeps coming back to me. Hebrews 11:6, "Without FAITH it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him", really affirmed the importance of FAITH. Our relationship with God is largely determined in our Faith. We must believe He exists and that He is exactly who He reveals Himself to be in Scripture. Without this kind of Faith you cannot please God. We must believe He will respond to us as we earnestly seek Him. It can be easy to substitute religious activity for true Faith. We can claim we are being "good stewards" of our resources, when in fact we are walking by sight and not by Faith....Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see". We can actually refuse to do what God tells us unless all the resources are in place first. Faith has to do with our relationship...not our circumstances. Nothing is more secure or certain than that which we entrust to God. When God trusts us with a task that seems impossible, the only thing preventing it from coming to pass is our lack of Faith / or disobedience. God will lead us to do things that are impossible in our strength, but He will grant us victory as we step out in Faith. God wants to do the impossible through our lives. All He requires is FAITH and obedience. We certainly have experienced what seems or appears impossible factors in relation to our vision of planting CenterPoint Church. FAITH in our God of the impossible is our answer!!!

Love and Blessings,   Sandy Erickson

We had a great first Preview Service. So many people worked to make it all come together. Thanks to everyone who came early to set up, those who greeted, the Children's Church volunteers (the story of Noah and the Ark came alive for the kids!), the delicious brownies, and the great time of worship led by Jonathan and the worship team!

This was our first try. We were able to collect a LOT of valuable information that will make our next Preview Service even better. It was great seeing you all. What a great ride we’re on! But remember, don’t get too comfortable… you never know when things are going to change…

Here we are looking at our first Preview Service this Sunday, May 18th!

These are the details for this Sunday, May 18th: The service will be held in the conference room at the Holiday Inn Express on Highway 8 in St. Croix Falls.10:00AM. The service will begin at ll be easiest to park behind the building and come through a door that will be open to the conference room. However, there will be  greeters posted at both entrances to the room to welcome you and any guests you may have invited. There will be Children's Church after the worship time for children of all ages. If that’s an area where you feel led to help, contact Julie for more info.

If you’re not already serving somewhere, make sure to contact me or Julie (715/294-1833) to find an area to serve in. We will need help in setting the chairs in rows, and then putting everything back the way we found it after the service. Remember… every member a minister. We were created to serve. We’re not complete without it.

This is getting exciting, isn’t it?! Remember to keep praying… our Enemy doesn’t want this to work and he will try anything to stop it… all things through prayer!

I hope to see you on Sunday,  Pastor Dick

Tuesday, May 13th, will mark four weeks, or one month of Prayer and Fasting, seeking God's blessing and favor on the development and growth of CenterPoint Church, and to have realized our first Launch Team Meeting. We have begun to lay a good foundation to realize the vision and direction of this ministry to reach the lost in the St. Croix Valley. God is soooooo faithful!

Prayer was certainly answered Sunday, May 11th, as CenterPoint Church 'officially' gathered as members of the Launch Team. Mark, owner of the Panda King in St. Croix Falls, graciously opened the doors and provided space for our group to meet. I believe each person in attendance experienced God's presence as we worshiped, received an encouraging message from Pastor Dick, and eagerly listened as Julie outlined our agenda going forward. The Lord impressed upon me the need for members of the Launch Team to pray we each will experience a real servant's heart as we move forward building God's church. The Lord so often, when impressing something on my heart, continues to lead me down avenues that speak to me 'loud and clear'...maybe I'm not a very good listener! In a devotional this morning, I opened to "Servants of Christ", an article written by Charles Swindoll. He writes, "We are the servants, God is the Master". We will tend to reverse this! God's revelation of Himself, His purposes and His ways depend directly upon our obedience. He may not reveal today His intentions for the next five years, but He will tell us what our next step should be. As we respond to God's revelation, He will accomplish what He desires and He will be the One who receives the glory! Our fulfillment comes from serving our Master.

God wants us to take the role of a servant. God doesn't need us to dream great dreams for our lives,our families, our businesses, or our CHURCHES. He simply asks for obedience. He has plans that would dwarf ours in comparison. I can't imagine the plans He has for CenterPoint Church, can you?!

Ephesians 3:20 " Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Jesus Christ throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen

Love in Him,  Sandy Erickson 

Our first official Launch Team gathering yesterday morning at the Panda King was very encouraging!  It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces all together in one place.  At present, there are about 45 people who are wanting to serve on the Launch Team.  We were created to serve, and it is evident that God is placing His mission on the hearts of more and more people.  He has called us to go outside of our comfort zones to serve those who don't yet have a relationship with God, and who do not have a church home. Keep checking each month's schedule to keep up with all that is happening.  Is He asking you to serve to advance His Kingdom here in the St. Croix Valley?

In Christ,  Pastor Dick

About a month ago as we were thinking of the many things that had to come together to prepare for launching CenterPoint Church, a good friend shared a great idea with us.

In a few days many of us will be getting a tax rebate check from Uncle Sam - $600 to individuals and more to families.  There are so many things you might be planning to use that money on- but we want to add an option that will have an eternal impact.  

To really launch strong as a church, we are praying that God will raise a minimum of $15,000 for start up costs (we need a sound system, chairs, projector, tables, copier, paper, office supplies, computers, desks, etc...), and a minimum of $10,000/month for salaries, rent, utilities, insurance, and all that is needed to allow for effective ministry.

So what's the great idea?  Here it is!

Would you be willing to share a portion or all of your rebate check toward the start up costs for CenterPoint Church?   Denny Weber has built a great offering box that will be available at every Launch Team gathering & Preview Service in the event you feel led to invest your rebate check in building God's Kingdom.

Our personal journey with funding has really just been a backdrop to the greater story of God expanding our faith - and we have a feeling He will do the same with all of us.  As we have faith, God will bring about the funding.  God does not operate on the scarcity principle.  His resources are not limited.  God operates on an abundance mentality, and He already has everything that our church will need.  What He provides may not be as much as we are expecting - or it could be more than imagined.  Either way, it will be exactly what we need. 

"Where God guides, God provides."  We can trust that God will provide everything we need to effectively start CenterPoint Church.  But more than that, we pray that God will grow our faith exponentially during the journey!

Pastor Dick

You can now see what is being planned each weekend by clicking on the page for each month.  The pages are found under "ABOUT CENTERPOINT".  To see all that is scheduled for the month of May, click on May Schedule.  To see all that is scheduled for the month of June, click on June Schedule.  Take a look and mark your calendars TODAY.  You don't want to miss any of the Launch Team gatherings/activities, Preview Services, or Come Back Events that have been planned. Here we go....