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  • About
    • About
    • Who We Are >
      • What we believe
      • Our Staff
      • Membership
      • Our Story
    • What We Do >
      • Worship
    • Gathered Worship
  • Give
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  • Grow
    • Discipleship and Small Group
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The Christmas Pearl: 4 Gritty Things about Advent

12/2/2020

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A natural pearl occurs when a piece of grit works its way into an oyster, after which the oyster, to defend itself from the irritant, secretes layer upon layer of coating fluid on the piece of grit until a pearl is formed. 
Christmas, as a global celebration, is a lot like that pearl. Layers and layers of the shiny and smooth have been built up to protect the world from the irritant at its heart. Twinkling lights, cheerful colors, elves, ugly sweaters, bows, gifts, tinsel, snow, Bing Crosby, reindeer, candy canes, silver bells - the world's oyster has been adding layers to this pearl for about 2000 years now. And it's as lovely as you would expect a pearl to be. 
And Christians who object to all of this stuff can have a point and miss the point at the same time. 
Yes, the world finds the incarnation to be an unbearable irritant and protects itself from the grit of Jesus' birth by layers of shiny pearl. But it does not, in doing so, defeat the grit. The grit is not neutralized but enshrined. Every pearl is a temple devoted to the power of a particle. And if the pearl appears to succeed in obscuring the grit, it also succeeds in keeping it securely right at the heart of things. 
And what is the grit that is intractably at the heart of Christmas?

Violence
Jesus was born as an act of war. His incarnation was a dramatic escalation in the heavenly fight for our redemption and he was born, unequivocally, that he might die. His birth itself was violent in the way that all births are; it featured blood and raised voices. And, though it was a crudely ineffective gesture, Herod's slaughter of the Innocents is very much a part of the nativity.
Poverty
In both relative and historic terms, Jesus was born into an underprivileged household. The account of the nativity highlights the lack; lack of housing, lack of furniture, lack of resources, lack of privilege. Time and sentimental depiction would render that poverty less offensive, but think about it very hard and you will see it for grit. Jesus' parents had to worry about things like food and clothing. And their example prevents us from using our own bank accounts as a reason for why we can not be obedient to God until our circumstances improve. 
Rebuke
The manner of the incarnation is a rebuke to the elite, to the connected and entitled. Jesus' parents were pedigreed, but they were powerless. The birth did not happen in Rome at the height of its power, nor Imperial London or cosmopolitan New York. Jerusalem, it turns out, was a fine place for Jesus to die, but for his birth a backwater village was called for. And the only elites who play any part in the nativity are wise men who show up so late that they have nothing to contribute to the event but worship, gifts, and the threat of a danger that came from their penchant for palaces. 
​Sin
This is the gritty thing at the heart of Christmas that will always be the biggest source of painful irritation to the world. Jesus birth was not a divine excursion, or the heavenly equivalent of a semester abroad.  Jesus left the courts of heaven and endured nine months of gestation, an ignominious birth in squalor, the peril of adolescence without modern medicine, and all the worst this world has to offer so that he could, as an adult, die for the sins of those who killed him. And it wasn't because of sin in the abstract that he came, but for sins as specific as the straw on which he lay in the manger. It was for my particular sins and your particular sins. And what amount of built up pearl could ever make pleasant as irritating a piece of grit as that?
No, this grit at the heart of Christmas is made beautiful by the pearl built up around it, but no amount of pearl could ever make it safe. 

And so I'm happy to wish you a merry Christmas, a Christmas with all the lustrous pearl the season has to offer. But I'd also wish you an irritating Christmas, one where the grit at that heart of the season makes its way into your own heart. 

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5 Reasons to be Optimistic about Our Church

9/3/2020

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Back in 2004 the band Modest Mouse released the album “Good News for People Who Like Bad News.” I’ve thought about that title more than once this year. The year 2020 has been full of good news for people who like bad news, hasn’t it?
And not only is it easy to focus on the negative stuff; it’s necessary to acknowledge it all. That’s an important part of the grieving process. 
But there is good news and cause for optimism, too. If you’ve felt unsure about Furnace Brook Wesleyan Church and had concerns about how it will come out of this, I’d like to give you five reasons for optimism. 

The Mission
    We are making more and better disciples for Jesus. Our efforts have not been put on hold and they are bearing fruit. People are getting discipled and are meeting in small groups in person and online. We baptized 8 people earlier this summer! Our live streamed services have expanded the scope of our ministry; on youtube, facebook, and PEGTV each week many people are edified by our worship and teaching who never joined us in a building. Our mission is how we decide to do what we do, and it’s also how we measure how well we’re doing it. So take heart.

Difficult Decisions
    The leadership of Furnace Brook (Pastor Tate and the Board) have made difficult decisions in a timely fashion. They have looked at the budget with clear eyes and have taken necessary steps to reduce overhead and to put us in a sound financial position to bless others and to go into the future with confidence and margin. 

Elasticity
    Our church has elasticity in our spiritual DNA. We have demonstrated again and again that we are willing to be flexible in our pursuit of God’s will. And this leaves us uniquely suited to not only survive but flourish in the upheaval of this season. God is doing a new thing and our church is not so brittle and backward facing that we will foolishly resist him. And God rewards supple wineskins with new wine.

Building
    We all miss our building, and no one more so than the pastor. But the Board of Furnace Brook is wisely committed to the process. We are earnestly investigating all sorts of possibilities, but we also have the patience needed to make sure that we get this right. We are determined to end up with a situation that is forward looking and that takes into consideration the ministry requirements of this new season that we are in. That’s huge. The place where we arrive will be so good and so right as to redeem the journey by which we came to it. 
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Prayer and Revival
    We are committed to prayer and to revival, and this is no small thing. This isn’t the spiritual stuff you say to check off the spiritual box. Please consider signing up to join us on September 25 for “A Night with New Room.” You can participate from home or join us in one of the locations we hope to set up for the purpose. And from now to then, would you consider taking the Psalm 85:6 challenge to join us in concerted prayer? And let me tell you something personal about my own prayer: I have been praying really hard for the last several months and God has consistently responded to my prayer by giving me a sense of peace and a conviction about the good things to come, even if he has been vague on the details. 

So be encouraged. The things in our favor greatly outweigh the challenges we are facing and God is with us. 






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Five Things to Do When You Can't Do Anything

8/14/2020

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We all hate those seasons in our lives or areas of our lives where the tires just spin and there doesn’t seem to be anything that we have control over or any meaningful way to accomplish our purposes. Perhaps there is a broken relationship where you’ve done everything that you can do from your end. Or perhaps you’ve filled out all the job applications there are to fill. Or you can’t leave until your quarantine is up. And, yes, we hate these times and places in our lives, at least in part because we’ve been taught to reckon our value by the things we do. If I am in a position where I can’t do anything I feel “worthless,” which is a remarkable thing to think of a person who was redeemed with the “precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”But “there’s always something you could do” someone will object. Maybe there is always something you could do, but it’s wrong to say so, even if it’s true. When I am stuck, when, for better or worse, I’ve done all that I can do, scripture tells me to be still and know that He is God. The alternative in such a situation is to be active and prove that I am not. 

Pray
But not just as a matter of spiritual effort. Don’t pray in such a way that you are “doing” prayer, being incapable of doing anything else. Pray as an expression of lament. Pray because your situation stinks and God loves you. Pray to take God into your confidence. And, though your prayer doesn’t “accomplish” anything it will have the effect of reminding you that there is a God and that the success of your brief participation in the eternity of which he is Lord has less to do with your activity than you might think. 

Wait
Don’t make a virtue of your impatience. If you have done all that you can do and God has told you to wait, then wait without embarrassment. Do the hard work of rejecting your insecurities about waiting. No one is “merely” waiting who, in waiting, is doing that exact thing that God has commanded him to do. 

Rest
Rest is a good use of those situations where you are denied the pleasure of having meaningful work to do. Rest is an investment in future activity, true. But it’s valuable in and of itself, apart from any indirect contribution to my productivity. Your rest is valuable for the simple reason that you are. God gives rest to his beloved ones.

Prepare
In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus tells us about ten brides who go out to meet the bridegroom who ends up being a long time in coming. There’s nothing for them to do but wait and sleep as they do. At midnight the cry rings out. He has come and it’s time for them to join him, but five of them neglected to prepare for the wait or its conclusion and they have no oil for their lamps and are left stranded in the dark. 
There’ve been times when I thought, for instance, that my problem was that I was excluded from the conversation and there was nothing to do about it. And then, when I was suddenly invited to participate in the conversation, I found that I had nothing helpful to say. 

Accept help
Maybe the worst thing about those times and places where I am incapable of making good things happen, is that I am still very capable of preventing good things from happening. And I usually do that by closing off avenues of assistance, downplaying my need and denying my helplessness when concerned people offer their assistance. Of course you’d rather be the one coming to someone else’s rescue than being the chump in need of rescue. But a cheerful acceptance of your dependence on God and the people he uses is, itself, an act of worship.




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COVID 19 Church Updates

4/9/2020

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As a church, we are doing our best to be smart, timely, and flexible about responding to our changing circumstances. And it's important to us that you know what's going on. Read below for Furnace Brook's latest news and updates.

1. We will be changing locations.
Ever since our initial three year lease ran out we have been trying to make a more permanent arrangement for our church. It has felt as though all of our efforts to get a long term lease or a purchase agreement for our current location or for another property have been thwarted and that's been very frustrating. Leasing month to month has made us feel insecure; but now it looks providential. The lease we have been paying is much higher than we can afford to pay for a building we can't meet in or than what we would expect to pay on the other end of this crisis. And we are not locked into it. So we will be moved out of our current location at 67 Gecha Lane by April 30th.

What this means:
  • We will be saving $2500 a month in lease, to say nothing of electricity, fuel, insurance, and other related expenses, money that can go toward our mission and, potentially, relief during this period.
  • We have begun looking for an office to rent at modest expense that would give us a physical address and a place from which to work.
  • We will go on streaming our services on Sunday mornings, and working to edify and connect the people of Furnace Brook through small groups meeting electronically. 
  • When the current restrictions are relaxed to allow meetings of small groups again, we will look at combining meetings in homes with our streamed Sunday service.
  • And when, on the other side of this, we are able to meet again as one people in one place we will do that! It may mean worshiping in a mobile location for a time, and we may even end up back at 67 Gecha Lane, but there will almost certainly be options available to us then that are not available now. 
  • We will need help to move our things out of the building into the 20' storage containers we will be using. And if anyone has a place where we could store those storage containers once they've been filled please let us know. 
  • God works in situations that are volatile to bring about His glory. We should live and worship with an expectation of his provision.
  • Now more than ever it is pivotal that we are a group of believers who are driven towards making more and better disciples.
2. Pastor Joel Tate is going to be Furnace Brook's only paid staff person for now.
  • Mary's contract expires at the end of April and the board made the budgetary decision earlier this spring to not renew the contract. It was a difficult decision and the board made it very reluctantly. Mary's professional abilities and her remarkable personal qualities account for much of Furnace Brook's success during her years of service. But even before the pandemic and its economic impacts we were on a budgetary path that required significant reductions. 
  • Joel will pick up some of the things that Mary had been doing and we will be looking for volunteer assistance to cover others.
  • Abbey will go on serving as our pastoral intern, but we will not be able to make the contributions to her seminary expenses that we had been making before.
  • Pastor Joel is committed to our mission, and available to pray, counsel and talk with you. You can contact him at pastor@furnacebrook.org or by calling him at 483-3002 (google number) or 499-8126 (home phone.) He is not too busy for you! If he can't talk to you at the time that you call he will arrange for a time to talk. 
3. Our Annual Meeting, scheduled for May 17th, is indefinitely postponed.
  • The Northeast District of the Wesleyan Church has given all the churches in the district permission to forego the annual meeting that the Discipline (our church constitution) requires.
  • With so much going on and so many important decisions to make we are reluctant to completely cancel that meeting, and are hopeful that we might be able to hold an annual church meeting some time this summer or fall
4.  Expect phone calls.
  • We have designated some leaders in the church to help Joel with the important work of connecting with everyone who considers Furnace Brook his or her church. 
  • You might get a phone call or an email from someone on behalf of the church to check in on you. We want to know how you are doing physically, mentally, and spiritually. And we want to know how your livelihood is being affected, and if there is anything that you need. You can share as much or as little as you would like. Just know that we are eager to love you. 
Our mission is to make more and better disciples, and nothing about that mission is on hold. As a church we are going to come out of this season very lean and mission focused. But we are going to come out of it. 
​

During their time in the wilderness the Israelites experienced calamities and plagues, suffered violence and want. And yet, every indication is that the number of Israelites who came across the Jordan was actually greater than the number of Israelites who had come through the Red Sea! 
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Let that be true of us! We can do the work of growing in our faith now. We can offer the Word of life to our friends and neighbors now, inviting them on the journey with us. And when we meet again, as we certainly will, there will be people meeting in person with us for the first time who had been meeting with us virtually for some time, who came to faith through the nimble, adaptable, unflappable, mission-over-comfort ministry of our church for the glory of God! We can't wait for that day.

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January grab bag

1/16/2020

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From time to time we like to share with you some resources and things to enrich your life and faith walk. Some of it is stuff that you will have no use for, and some of it is stuff that could change your life. And some of it will prompt you to share stuff with us: please do! We would love your suggestions and feedback.

Music

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​John Mark Pantana is for people who like the music of Josh Garrels and raw transparency from someone whose faith journey looks a little "zig-zaggy."
Click on the image to the left for a link to the artist's youtube page.
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Kanye West's Sunday Service released an album in December that further establishes and solidifies West's role as a creative and authentic follower of Jesus Christ. And this is just really good, robust gospel music.
Click on the image to the left for a link to the music on youtube.

Resources

Dwell is a fantastic app for people who want to increase their Bible consumption through audio. Some of the best aspects of this resource are only available with a subscription, but there is plenty here for free.
The Prayer Mate App is a very useful resource for those of us who have better intentions than follow through when it comes to prayer. Have you ever told someone you'd be praying for them and then completely failed to do so? Put this app to work to help you redeem your time and follow through on your good intentions. 
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Reading Material

Check out the poetry of Luci Shaw. Doing a simple google search will lead you to lots of examples of her poetry that are available online. But if you like what you read than you should yourself (and the author) a favor by buying one of her books. 
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February

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Throw away at least one thing a day each day in February.
Buy seeds.
Purchase a house plant, and then name it.
Memorize a poem.
Eat 4 fruits and 4 vegetables you've never had before.
Go to your local library to check out some snowshoes.
Do an ephemeral art project. 
February is coming. I've been told (and I believe it's true) that you should never make a big decision in February; it's such a difficult and melancholy month that it's likely to warp your judgment.
But if making big decisions would be unwise, it would be no less foolish to avoid making any decisions. Resolve this January that you will do at least one of the following things to redeem your February.
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Furnace Brook DCF Project: What We're Doing and Why It's Important

11/13/2019

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I had only had the three children in my care for a short time when I brought them to the Department of Children and Families office in the Asa Bloomer building in Rutland to meet their mother who was, understandably, anxious to see and touch her children again. We went into the office waiting room and waited until a concerned social worker could meet us to escort us to a room further inside the offices where we sat and waited. 
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The children looked around speculatively, trying to decide which of the tattered toys they’d like to fight over first. The rooms reflect the fact that DCF cares. Efforts have been made to furnish them with a wide range of safe toys and furniture conducive to family interaction. They have been painted in cheerful and pleasant colors. 

No family ends up in that room without there having been considerable heartache and grief to bring them there. The time spent in that room will be the high point or the low point of someone’s week; and sometimes both at once. And if families are important so are the spaces where “family” is permitted to happen. 

DCF Work Project

We want to honor the work that DCF is doing and the families for whom they are doing it by making sure that these emotionally significant places fully reflect the way we all feel about what happens in them. Our Office of the Department for Children and Families in Rutland County has given us the opportunity to renovate and refurnish their two visitation rooms, the places where children in custody can have supervised interactions with their families. We are going to replace old, tired toys and furniture and redecorate the rooms so that they will be positive places where fractured families can maintain connection with dignity. And we need your help. Find out more here.

The other thing we've been given an opportunity to help with is the "store" that DCF maintains with clothing, toiletries, and other items that would be helpful to families with children in custody as well as foster families and all those in need. DCF is in need of help with sorting and stocking items and would be grateful for assistance with staffing the room.


When their mother came in I felt a lot of feels. I ached for her and for the children. I felt insecure. I felt hopeful. And I felt more than a little out of place. But I can only imagine what she and the kids felt in that moment. Since then, I’ve logged hours in those two rooms and others like them, and I know that there will always be a need for rooms like this until Jesus comes back. 
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But, speaking of Jesus coming back, do you know what he’s doing in preparation for his return? He is preparing a place for me in heaven. He is getting rooms ready for when a family fractured by sin can be reunited with the Father in heaven. If that’s how Jesus is spending this time, it feels really appropriate for us to spend that time in much the same manner: getting rooms ready so that fractured families can be together in a gracious and well appointed place. 
If you are interested in joining us in this effort (or in helping us to staff and stock DCF’s “store”) please follow this link to the page on our website where you will find more information and a chance to sign up. 
By Joel Tom Tate

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Why Do Christians Avoid the Topic of Sex?

10/17/2019

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It’s been quite the month or so in the pulpit of Furnace Brook Wesleyan Church. We’ve been preaching through 1 Corinthians and it turns out that Paul has a lot to say on the topic of human sexuality. (Listen to some of this month’s sermons here.)
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This Month We've Talked About Sex a Lot.
So we have squirmed and laughed uncomfortably and held our breath together. It’s been good, but it’s been . . . uneasy.
We’re aware that there is a caricature of the church as a finger-wagging place where everyone is hung-up on sex. “It’s all sex, sex, sex with them. They need to just move on.” We know this is a thing that people think and say and, implicitly, we hear that the more mature you are the more “over it” you will be. 

And the church does not want to seem ridiculous or immature. We don’t want to confirm the stereotype and push people away. And the result, sadly, is that a child is more likely to hear about drag queens at the local library than an adult is to hear about married sex at church, regardless of how much the Bible has to say on the topic.

And the Bible has a lot to say on the topic. From the Old Testament law to Jesus’ instruction in the Sermon on the Mount to Paul’s letters to the various churches, the Bible is remarkably frank and explicit about human sexuality (2 Corinthians 12:21, Ephesians 5:33, Galatians 5:19, Genesis 2:24, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Corinthians 6:18).  It’s strange how much more prim and cautious churches are than is the Bible which those churches preach. 

In many of our churches, we have effectively ceded discussion of the topic to an aggressively mistaken and hostile culture in an act of self-censorship. It amounts to a crisis of self-confidence. We might fear God enough to practice his teaching, but we fear the world too much to preach it. 

Pastors shouldn’t seem strangely intent on working it into every sermon, but neither should they seem reluctant to mention it, as is often the case. Recovering a good balance starts with understanding why we might be reluctant to cover the topic and why we should do it anyway.

Why Do Christians Avoid the Topic of Sex in Church?
Two reasons why we wouldn’t want to discuss sex in church:

1. Hot button, divisive issues.
Some of the reluctance to inject delicate and politically charged issues like “marriage equality” and transgenderism into the worship service is not only understandable, but admirable. If our goal is to reach lost people for Jesus why would we put stumbling blocks in their way? Taking a “Jesus first, social issues second” approach makes more sense than a “social issues first, Jesus second” approach (starting with the social issues will often mean going no 
further.) But the problem with this approach is that you can not separate Jesus the Lord from Jesus’ teaching on human relationships, including human sexuality. You can no more lead with Jesus and defer social issues to some 
conversation in the distant future, than you can entice someone to consider broccoli with an appeal to its nutrition, while putting off to some later date a consideration of its taste and texture. (And, yes, I know that how you feel about 
my comparing Jesus to broccoli will depend a lot on how you feel about broccoli.)

 2. Sexual Fatigue.
Ironically, living in a sex-saturated culture does not necessarily stoke the flame of passion to a roaring flame. In fact, it can suffocate the libido in the same way that an all-you-can-eat buffet kills the appetite. Imagine living at the Golden Corral, waking up there, going to bed there, feeling bloated and queasy all the time, and imagine how you would groan if once a week you had a chance to go outside and enjoy a break from the sizzles, scents, and clinking of cutlery and on one of those occasions someone tried to talk to you about food. This, I think, is a real problem for us and one that Paul did not have to deal with in his cultural context. It doesn’t mean we should give people a break from talk of sex, but we might have to bring it up in a manner that is different from Paul’s.

Why Should Christians Talk About Sex in Church?
While those reasons to not talk about sex in church are well and good, I think it’s important that we discuss sex in church anyway. Here are four reasons why:

​1. To not is to surrender.
My grandfather once took me out in the middle of Lake Champlain in an old rowboat that was both leaky and low enough in the water that even mild waves might lap a little over. We had two coolwhip bowls and I was almost constantly employed in the business of bailing. When I expressed my frustration with the bailing he told me that I could easily lose the war against the water but I could not win it, except by getting safely back to the shore. Neither the leaking water nor the pervasive culture will take a break just because we do, and if we fail to bail out each other's boats we are consigning each other to dreadful swampings. Not discussing sex in Church surrenders the discussion to the world, whose beliefs do not line up with God’s design for sexuality. 

2. It is pertinent and of interest to everyone.
The topic of human sexuality applies to every person, regardless of age and situation, and most people have a lot of questions on the topic. If people are concerned and curious that’s an “in” the church can’t afford to ignore.

3. Scriptural fidelity
If all scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching and edification (2 Timothy 3:16), then our preaching content should be roughly proportional to scriptural content. If God felt it was worth revealing we should, in humility, consider it no less worthy of proclaiming.  

4. Romantic hope
If you listen closely you will hear that a lot of our cultural language about sex is tinged with a sad cynicism. Real romance has been a casualty of our sexually permissive and libertine culture. And the church can create space for real romantic hope for longing people by restoring a biblical approach to sexuality wherever we can. Where people follow God’s heart for human sexuality there is more sexual joy and romantic delight. As Christians, we should be aiming to understand and apply God’s word in all aspects of our lives (Colossians 3:16), including (but not limited to) sex and romantic relationships (2 Timothy 2:15).

Written by Joel Tate

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How to do a Faith ‘Building inspection’: 22 Questions for Self Inspection

8/28/2019

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This past Sunday (8/25) Pastor Joel talked about building a faith that would survive the fire (listen to the full sermon here.)

 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.
- 1 Corinthians 3:12-14

 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? - 2 Corinthians 13:5

Paul’s metaphor of building a house reminds us that our faith, like a house, requires a strong foundation, sound materials, careful workmanship, and ongoing maintenance.

It is a good faith practice to regularly audit your faith life, or have a ‘building inspection’ for your faith building. Are there materials at your disposal that you didn’t have when you first started building your house? Have you used some building materials that are worn out or unsturdy? Regular faith examination can be painful, but is an important part of spiritual health.

Consider asking yourself some hard questions about your faith life. Determine how sturdy your building is, and do the hard work of making repairs where needed. Below is a list of questions to help you do a ‘building inspection’ for your faith. 
John Wesley’s list of 22 Questions for Self-examination that you may adapt to the purpose of a “building inspection”:
  1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
  2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
  3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
  4. Can I be trusted?
  5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
  6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
  7. Did the Bible live in me today?
  8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?
  9. Am I enjoying prayer?
  10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
  11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
  12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
  13. Do I disobey God in anything?
  14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
  15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
  16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
  17. How do I spend my spare time?
  18. Am I proud?
  19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
  20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
  21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
  22. Is Christ real to me?

Prayerfully consider each of these questions, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anything that you may need healing in, that you may need to repent of, or that you are unaware of. Contact the church office if you have any questions or would like to discuss the questions above. You can email the office at: office@furnacebrook.org, or call (802)483.2531.

How to be a Good Building Inspector
Self-examination is important, but we all have blind spots and gaps in our knowledge. Building inspectors are tasked with intentionally seeking out faults in a home in order to strengthen the whole structure. This can be a painful process for the homeowner, but is beneficial to the longevity and usefulness of the home.

Christians have a role to play in building each other up. This is no easy task, and should be done prayerfully and delicately. Below are some guidelines for how to lovingly assist your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Principles for building inspectors:
  • Be gracious but not permissive. When you identify a problem be quick and ready with the grace, but do not offer or accept excuses.
  • Persist with scrutiny even when (and especially when) it is uncomfortable and painful for you and the one you are inspecting. No shortcuts.
  • Make no assumptions.
  • Believe about the person you are inspecting that he who began a good work in him will be faithful to complete it. (Philippians 1:6)
  • If you come across something in your inspection that is true of you as well, own up to the apparent hypocrisy and resolve to address the matter in your own life. Do not let hypocrisy make you useless to the one you are inspecting. 
  • Offer, whenever possible, action items instead of criticisms. This will sound like “develop a schedule that makes the Bible a priority,” rather than “you’re not reading the Bible enough.”
  • Pray at the beginning and the end of the inspection. And throughout. 
  • Commend everything there is to commend, and expect, Jesus being a good Savior, that you will find commendable things in even the most distressing saint. 
  • Ask questions about behavior (it’s definite and measurable) but always work to make the connection between a person’s behavior and that person’s heart and convictions.
  • Use a template for the inspection, but follow the Holy Spirit. The question that needs to be asked most may not be on your list of questions. 

We are all being built up in the faith, and came to Jesus broken and sinful. The beauty of our Savior is that he has saved us (past tense), but is also actively saving us (right now!) in our daily lives by building us up to be more like him. It is our privilege to grow our faith in Him daily, and to reach out to those around us to know him more deeply. As a church we are committed to making more and better disciples: more by sharing our faith and blessing our community, and better by encouraging and equipping each other in the faith daily.

Questions? Would you like to have a ‘Building Inspection’ done? Contact the church office. You can email the office at: office@furnacebrook.org, or call (802)483.2531.


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4 Updates from Furnace Brook's Pastoral Intern: Abbey Elliott

8/22/2019

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Furnace Brook is blessed with many things, one of which is our Pastoral Intern Abigail Elliott. Abbey has been focusing her efforts at the Brandon Campus this summer, but will be transitioning to a more to  the Pittsford Campus as the Brandon service winds down this fall.

Below is an update on Abbey as it pertains to her Ministry and our Church. 
Hi everyone, 

Your Pastoral Intern is still alive. Life is crazy but I wanted to take some time to update you with some things going on in my life. I finished my undergrad at Castleton in December. Since then, I’ve started my second construction season with the Agency of Transportation and started working at Head Start preschool. I’m loving both jobs. The fall sports season is underway; I’m coaching cross country at Otter Valley and cheer on the Rutland Raiders because Cody [Abigail's boyfriend] coaches football. 

On top of that I started my Masters of Divinity program at Wesley Seminary in June and started my second semester a week ago. It’s a crazy, exciting, and stressful journey. I’m excited for what God has in store for us. 

This past summer, Furnace Brook held a service in the Brandon Town Hall. It was an amazing growing experience. I loved the less formal environment, the interactive teaching, and taking communion every week. Unfortunately, we were a smaller group than I intended it to be, but I believe God planted seeds for better things to come. 

Here are some things you might want to know about what is happening in my life:

1. I am currently attending Weslyean seminary at Indiana Wesleyan.
I'm passionate about sharing the Gospel, and I'm excited to see how God is going to seminary experience to bless my community. 
It’s exciting to be excited about something. My undergrad classes were interesting but I wasn’t eager to learn. My seminary material is thought provoking, applicable to my current ministry content, and it’s encouraging. My classes so far have focused on spiritual health and changing the culture of evangelism in the church. These things are essential for a healthy church so I’m looking forward to sharing my findings with you all. 

2. I'm staying in the Word and feeding myself spiritually with blogs, devotional, and podcasts. 
Here are some of my favorites:

Blogs
  • sayable.net- down to earth, honest blog about the ups and downs of the spiritual life. 
  • Devotional: BiOY- Bible in One Year by Nikki and Pippa Gumble. They provide the Alpha material. Alpha is a series that explores the Christian faith. This program delves into who God is , why God is important, and how  he changes lives. The material is conversational and inclusive for anyone curious about faith. I highly recommend. It is an App and has been my favorite thing to pair with my morning coffee. 
  • Seedbed Daily Text- this is sent to my inbox through seedbed.com. Author J.D. Walt takes his readers through different books of the Bible or a series to offer fresh perspectives and deepen one’s theology. A friend of mine told me last week that he really enjoys the short readings and the new perspective. 
  • She Reads Truth- at shereadstruth.com. This resource was recommended to me by a dear friend who has a busy home life. This devotional is great for a quick dose of encouragement and verses to hold onto for the day.
Podcasts: 
  • Elevation with Steven Furtick- sermon based. This podcast is put out by Elevation Church. 
  • Proverbs 31 Ministries- Biblical truth for any woman in any season. Ministry and non-ministry focused. 
  • Paula Poundstone & Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me!- both NPR podcasts. Hilarious and not in the slightest church related.
All of these podcasts can be found on Apple podcasts and Spotify. 
Books

My time reading is consumed by seminary material and construction specification manuals. Work work work. If I have free time, I enjoy reading DCF books, Jane Austen, and running/health books. I like short and sweet because I’m rather impatient.  

3. God is teaching me through leadership experience, and growing me in ways I didn't expect. 
I can’t do everything and not everything is going to work. It has been extremely difficult to let things die so that better things can be born. It seems to be a season of praying and waiting. As I mentioned before, the Brandon Campus did not go as well as I hoped it would. As a result, we have decided to take a break from meeting at the Brandon Town Hall to enter into a season of prayer and evaluation. It’s hard to stomach but I’m confident God will carry us through. And honestly, perhaps less stress will be good for me ;) . Zechariah 4:6 says, ‘“Not by strength or by my might, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord of Armies.’ God has ample strength and I’m grateful for the strength He gives me. 

4. I am praising God for his work, and seeing the fruit of the Holy Spirit in my ministry. 
I started discipling two women who are young and eager in their faith. I’ve been praying for discipleship opportunities for about 6 months as  the initial people that I wanted to disciple fell through. Discipling these women happened organically and is totally providential. I’m thrilled and humbled to be able to disciple these women. Both women see spiritual formation as an essential ingredient in their spiritual lives.

Discipleship is so important to me because I care deeply for the spiritual health of the people around me. Spiritual maturity isn’t something we can do ourselves. During discipleship we implement spiritual disciplines like Bible reading, scripture memorization and time alone with God. This process of spiritual formation creates a life lived with intentionality. As we work through the tough stuff, the Holy Spirit reveals to us our purpose and calling. As a result of this maturing process we become rooted and grounded in love which leads to a desire to share and invest in other people.  It is an internal process with an external reaction. 

I can’t wait for the time in the life of Furnace Brook where every person is either discipling or being discipled. Please be praying for us!  

Please Pray for me.
Please be praying for time management: having the proper priorities,and patience. During my busy days I can lose sight of what is important or sometimes I take on more than I can handle. Please be praying that I prioritize the things God wants me to be dealing with rather than what I deem as important. 

Blessings, 
Abbey Elliott, Pastoral intern

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Books Your Leadership Team is Reading

7/22/2019

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Looking for a good read to challenge, expand or inform your faith journey? Consider some of the books your Ministry Leaders are reading right now! Got a great book to share? Comment below!

Below are the books the Ministry Leaders are reading during this season.
1.  John McDonald, Care Ministry Leader
As the Care Ministry Leader, John coordinates visits for the sick of the congregation, as well as prayer, meals and similar assistance for those who are ill. In addition, John is a member of the Prayer Ministry. Contact John at: 1parley2@gmail.com.
What John's reading:
Banding Together: A Practical Guide for Disciple Makers by Jon Weist
Not sure if you're up to the challenge of discipleship? Check out this intuitive guide on Band Meetings by Jon Weist. Jon's guide is the result of research on the Methodist revival, and the success of Band Meetings. This guide is designed for those looking to lead a Band, but has useful information for anyone who isn't familiar with Band Meetings: including a framework for disciplemaking, and how to disciple outlined step-by-step.

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2. Barry Tate, Forest Dale Supply Pastor
Barry is the Supply Pastor at Forest Dale. He leads the Forest Dale service on Sunday's at 6pm, 1895 Forest Dale Rd. He is passionate about Furnace Brook's Mission of Making More and Better Disciples in our Brandon community. Contact Barry at: P.O Box 189, Benson, VT, 05731.
What Barry's reading:
Henry Moorehouse: the English Evangelist by John MacPherson
This book chronicles the life of Henry Moorehouse, a buisnessman turned English preacher whose ministry drew large crowds. 
The Minor Prophets by Charles L. Feinberg
If you've ever had questions about some of the less knows prophets like Haggai or Zepheniah this is a great book to check out! The third of three volumes, this is a scholarly exegetical and expository commentary.

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3. Ed Hackett, Growth Group Leader
Ed is a member of the Prayer Team, and also leads the Men's Band on Tuesday mornings (resumes September 10th, 5:45am, Pittsford Campus). Ed is eager to support men to live and love like Jesus. Contact Ed at: 
reved84@aol.com.
What Ed's reading:
The Relational Disciple: How God uses Community to Shape Followers of Jesus, by Joel Comiskey
The Relational Disciple analyzes Jesus's disciple making process with a relational lense, noting implications for disciple makers and those looking to deepen their relationship with Jesus today.

Groups that Thrive, by Joel Comiskey
What make some groups successful and others fall flat? 
In this book, researchers , Joel Comiskey and Jim Egli analyze their research of 4800 small group participants across four continents. The authors summarize their findings in 8 conclusions and practical advice on how to create a thriving small group.
 Ed's thoughts: "Solid insights and great encouragement!"

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4. John Solie, Discipleship Ministry Leader
John heads up the Discipleship Ministry. He is eager to see lives transformed in the pursuit of Jesus, and for the faith to be multiplied in the small group context. Contact John at: 
jsolie2000@yahoo.com.
What John's reading:
Miracles by Eric Metacas
Do miracles happen today? Are miracles valid or can science explain them? Metacas analyzes miracles using scientific and anectotal evidence which speaks to the skeptical and the passionate believers.

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5. Carla Peck, Events Ministry Leader
Carla heads the Event Ministry which coordinates and exectues Furnace Brook events such as the Blood Drives, and Bonfire Nights. Contact Carla at: 
bostonfan802@yahoo.com.
What Carla's reading:
The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly

 "I like crime/detective novels and especially his Harry Bosch series" says Carla. Check out Connelly's book for a good summer read.

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6. Stephanie and Frank Rue, Worship Ministry Leaders
Stephanie and Frank lead the Worship Ministry at Furance Brook. They are enthusiastic about expressing praise and worship through song, and ushering others into the presence of God. Contact the Rues at: 
srue@therues.com
What Stephanie's reading:
Worship Words by Debra & Ron Rienstra

Rienstra's work examines the importance of language in worship. Curious about worhip or looking for some appreciation of words in worship? Check out this book to gain some appreciation for using words in worship intentionally.
The Worship Architect by Constance M. Cherry
Cherry delves into the nitty gritty of worship in her work, outlining a worship blueprint for worship leaders. 
What Frank's reading:

Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
How can contemporary Christians stay Holy? If we're set apart, how do we stay apart? Bridges delves into the role of the Holy Spirit and staying holy as Christians.
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    Furnace Brook Wesleyan Church, Pittsford VT


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    Pastor Joel Tom Tate 
    ​Leads Furnace Brook Wesleyan Church and thoroughly enjoys life in the most un-churched state in the Union.

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