Serve Spotlight: Carrie & Dan Beck

December 20, 2012 by at 9:00 am No Discussion

Carrie and Dan BeckCarrie and Dan Beck serve as the Coordinators for the LCBC York Cleaning Team. One day before our campus launched, I asked Carrie, “What do you enjoy?” She quickly responded, “I love to clean!” Days later, I asked her to lead our Cleaning Team. I knew I had found the right person! Carrie and Dan are a blessing to our volunteers and our campus and we greatly appreciate who they are and all they do!

 

1. Explain what you do as a volunteer at LCBC.

We are the Cleaning Coordinators for the LCBC York Campus. We have 4 teams that alternate every other Sunday morning starting at 7:00 am and another team that cleans Monday evenings at 6:00 pm. We serve by resourcing our volunteers so we can make this place shine.

2. What was it like to get involved and volunteer?

It was totally fulfilling. We were excited about volunteering, a new campus just opening in York close to our home and a way to give back to God for all that he has done for us.

3. What one concern did you have about serving?

The big concern that I had was why couldn’t I do everything? I wanted to clean, be a greeter, work in the cafe’, and be a program stuffer. But, I knew that was not possible so I picked the one thing that I’m gifted in and that’s cleaning. I can spot a piece of lint on the carpet from 100 feet away. Seriously, getting enough volunteers was my concern. Needless to say, not everyone has a cleaning passion like I do. As for Dan (whom is a bit more shy then me), his concern was meeting new people and not knowing what to say.

4. What’s one cool thing that’s happened because of volunteering at LCBC?

Since we’ve opened the York Campus, we’ve had such a great opportunity to meet and develop real friendships with other volunteers and even staff members. It’s really cool to strike up a conversation with someone you say “Good Morning” to in the bathroom and talking to them about their experience at LCBC. (as I’m wiping down the countertop)

5. What would you say to someone who is thinking about serving at LCBC?

Go for it, you won’t find anything more rewarding then serving at LCBC. If you find out you don’t enjoy cleaning, we’ll continue to talk with you to see what other ways you could serve. God gives all of us many gifts and talents, we just can’t be afraid to use them. There is nothing more fulfilling than serving God in any way we can.

If you are interested in learning more about serving at LCBC check out when the next 14 is happening at your campus! Check out other spotlight posts here. 

Thanksgiving Meal

November 15, 2012 by at 9:00 am No Discussion

Next week, most of us will sit down to a table filled with all kinds of savory delicacies. We’ll gather around a table with people who are meaningful to us. We’ll share in an experience. We’ll give thanks.

I wonder what it was like for Jesus to sit down at a table for the last time with his friends? Perhaps you know the story…on the night before Jesus was betrayed he sat down at a table and shared a meal with those closest to him. The relationships around that table were meaningful, they were significant. He found himself giving thanks, breaking bread, and drinking wine with those who had followed him, those who had left all they had just to join in his mission, those who had shared in his life. He had to of known that in a few short hours those who were close to him would soon be scattered, the way things were was about to change, things were going to be different.

And so he begins to let his close friends know that he will be leaving them soon. He won’t be with them physically much longer. But he wants them to remember their time together, their time around the table. And so he passes out bread and wine and encourages them to remember him when they sit together, when they spend time together, when they share bread and wine.

I’m sure as they were there eating they had no clue how crazy things were about to get. For soon, just as Jesus had said, he was taken from them, he was killed, and he was gone…soon to rise again.

And I can’t help but wonder what it was like the next time they ate together…the next time they sat around the table. I’m sure they must have remembered that last meal with Jesus…and then that he died just as he said he would for them, for their sins.

And I bet they gave thanks.

This weekend at LCBC we’ll be sharing communion together and reflecting back on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus…and we’ll give thanks. You won’t want to miss it! So make plans to join us in Harrisburg, Lancaster City, York, Ephrata, or Manheim.

And I hope next week as you sit down to a table with great food and amazing people that you’ll be quick to offer thanks.

(Photo Rights)

Save The Date!

November 1, 2012 by at 9:44 am No Discussion

Next Friday and Saturday (November 9 & 10), we’ll cover a 2-day, 2-session class called Save the Date. If you are currently engaged or feel like engagement is coming soon and you want to prepare well for marriage, then I hope you’ll do whatever it takes to join us. We’ll talk about what the Bible says about marriage, how God views marriage, outline our responsibilities in marriage, provide some practical advice for how to prepare well, and even take a look at LCBC’s wedding process.

Over the past 2 years, we’ve had scores of couples join us for Save the Date. One couple, Kelly and Eric, attended last year, were challenged, worked hard to prepare well, and it was a privilege to officiate their wedding this past August. I asked them to share some of their thoughts about Save the Date.

1) Why did you choose to attend Save the Date?

Kelly – I wanted to attend Save the Date because I thought it would be good insight to learn more in depth how God views marriage and how to plan well for and during our marriage. We also don’t think divorce is an option so the more knowledge we have to make it a better marriage from the start is a plus!

Eric – My wife (fiancé at the time) and I had already been engaged for several months, but we wanted to attend Save the Date in order to get a better understanding of not only how our church worked with marriage, but what more we could learn about marriage. The promotions for Save the Date really “sold” that the two sessions would be very informative in these regards, and the event did not disappoint.

2) What challenged or encouraged you most from Save the Date?

Kelly - I think the one thing that challenged me the most from Save the Date was that we realized some of the things we were practicing is not how God planned it and so we had to break some of our ‘habits” to prepare for marriage like God intended it. The one thing that encouraged me the most from Save the Date is I learned, on a different level, how special marriage is and what God created it for.  I always knew that marriage was special but left the class with a whole new appreciation for it!

Eric - I personally was challenged by how some of what I thought I knew or understood about marriage was inaccurate or misguided.  We were newer to LCBC and were attempting to re-integrate into a church we were comfortable with. After feeling as if we had made progress in this area and by getting engaged, Save the Date showed us that we still had much to change and adjust for our marriage both to reflect our faith and to earn our church’s support and endorsement. Luckily, however, I was also very encouraged by how much our church was willing to help us achieve this goal.

3) How did Save the date help your preparation for marriage?

Kelly – Save the Date helped me to prepare for marriage by giving me a new appreciation of the definition of marriage and helped us to communicate our wants/needs for the future.

Eric - Save the Date did more than prepare us for marriage. It gave the audience what is typically discussed in terms of “pre-marital counseling” and added more for consideration, complete with testimonials from couples who had been married for many years with tales of success and struggle. It made marriage realistic, something not held on a pedestal of perfection, but presented as a vehicle for how to make marriage work well with all the trials that come with it. It was a refreshing reality check that helped us frame what marriage really was and what to expect in the process.

4) What would you say to someone who is considering attending Save the Date?

Kelly - I would 150% recommend attending Save the Date to anyone considering marriage. It will open your eyes to a whole new level and show you how truly special God made marriage because he loves us!

Eric – To those considering attending Save the Date: What do you have to lose by attending an event that will only help to educate and facilitate your exploration of what marriage is, and perhaps more importantly, what it isn’t? It is a safe, comfortable, open forum where marriage is covered in full and questions are openly encouraged about any marriage topic. From communication and faith to finances and even your sex life, no marital subject is off-limits. If you’ve invested time into considering if marriage is in your relationship’s future, you owe it to yourselves to let Save the Date show you what that could look like through LCBC.

So if you’re thinking about joining us, go ahead and take the next step…register HERE. If you have any questions, please let us know by emailing paulatkinson@lcbcmail.com.

Who Is In Control?

October 16, 2012 by at 9:00 am 1 Discussion

My wife and I have two little girls. My oldest, Charleigh, is 2.5 years old and our youngest, Waverly, is 3 months old today. I love spending time with my daughters. I love reading books, playing with blocks or going for walks together. It is truly a joy and privilege to be a father and I can’t imagine my life now without them. But one of the most crazy lessons I’ve learned since becoming a father is that I really can’t control anything.

Sometimes that truth is hard for me to grapple with because I want to control things so badly. I want to be able to provide for them, I want to them to progress in life in a healthy way, I want them to make good choices and I even want them to love me. I want to control those things because, if I’m honest, I’m afraid of what the outcome might be if I’m not able to make those things happen. But, I am constantly aware that I really can’t control anything. I can hope to influence them, spend my energies caring for them and sacrifice everything possible for them, but at the end of the day I can’t control their response. I can’t make them choose to think certain ways. I can’t even make them love me.

It’s a humble reminder that though, as a parent, I might long for control, I’m really not in control at all.

This past weekend at LCBC, we took a look at Mark 4:35-41 where Jesus and his disciples find themselves in the midst of a raging storm and we were reminded of the dependency we must have on God.

This weekend, some of the points that really challenged me were…

  • When afraid we either try to take control or we curl up and hide.
  • Jesus says, “As long as you think you are in control you will be afraid.”
  • I must learn to transfer confidence in my ability to control things to God’s ability to control things.

As I think of us as individuals, parents or especially for our church and where we are headed over the next few months, I’m reminded that it really is God at work. Our greatest opportunity is to recognize that HE is at work and HE can be trusted. He’s in control. I am not. And that’s okay.

You Can’t Get Better…Or Can You?

June 5, 2012 by at 9:00 am 1 Discussion

Last year, I sat at The Global Leadership Summit and heard Bill Hybels say these words, “Every leader can get better…if they want to.”

That one statement encouraged me. It offered hope. It let me know that things don’t necessarily have to be like they’ve been or even stay the same. Things, especially my leadership, can grow and improve.

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “I’m not a leader. I don’t lead anything.” I’d say, nothing could be further than the truth. You, me, everyone leads something. We have the opportunity to lead ourselves, to lead our family, to lead our staff, to lead in our community, to lead in our church. Understanding that is crucial to your success in whatever way you may lead.

So, I offer this invitation to you: Join us at LCBC for The Global Leadership Summit that’s coming up in August. It’s a two-day simulcasted event that literally spans the globe. You’ll have the opportunity to hear from some incredible leaders from the community, from the workplace, from the church – all of which is to encourage you, to challenge you and inspire you to grow as a leader. LCBC has two host sites for the simulcast – at our Manheim Campus or at our Harrisburg Campus.

I hope you’ll join us, and I’m pretty confident that the people who you lead are hoping you’ll join us too. Because when you invest in your leadership, everyone wins!

For more information or to register visit HERE - use the password 2012Satellite.

To see the list of speakers for this year’s Summit, click HERE.

Click below to check out notes from last year’s speakers:
2011 The Global Leadership Summit Notes – Day 1
2011 The Global Leadership Summit Notes – Day 2

Promises, Promises

May 8, 2012 by at 9:41 am 1 Discussion

This weekend as we continued our Mordinary series, we returned to the figure of Joshua and this amazing request he made of God in Joshua 10: asking for the “sun to stand still.” It was a crazy prayer, it was an audacious prayer, and it was a prayer that God honored. The sun actually stood still.

As David was teaching he highlighted the thought that Joshua was able to respond with such faith and make such an incredible request because he actually knew the promises that God had made to him (found in Joshua 1:3-6). And for us today, the same is true. To claim God’s promises, we have to know them. We can’t claim God’s promises if we don’t know God’s promises.

And it’s probably worth saying that it’s hard for us to claim promises that we don’t take the time to understand. Think about it…have you ever heard someone claim a “promise from God” and think to yourself, “There’s no way that’s what’s promised, right?” At times, we don’t see promises of God fulfilled because we haven’t taken time to understand what’s really happening in the passage from the Bible.

One such passage that get’s “claimed” a lot comes from Matthew 18:19-20 which says:

I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.

Ever heard this promise claimed?…in order to get that new job? Or that new relationship? Or even for physical healing? Only to have nothing happen? It can be disappointing, right? But if we take time to look back at Matthew chapter 17 and 18 we learn that this verse isn’t about how to ask for something and get what you want. Instead, it’s a passage that deals with how to bring about reconciliation amongst people when there is division. Understanding what is actually being promised is important to seeing our prayers answered.

If perhaps you’re asking, “How can I be sure I understand what God’s promises are or what the Bible is really saying?” then LCBC’s Bible Discovery Class is a great place to start! It’s one class that helps each of us to be able to read and understand the Bible better. The Bible Discovery Class is offered at each of our campuses and you can check the schedule to see when it’s offered HERE.

An Invitation

March 15, 2012 by at 9:00 am No Discussion

Three more days. That’s it…then the doors at LCBC York’s Campus will be open. Today, I wanted to simply offer an invitation: an invitation to come, an invitation to belong, an invitation to join in on what God is doing as He is changing lives.

So…

If you’ve ever felt like you just don’t fit in, come.

If you’re searching and wondering about God, come.

If you’ve made mistakes and feel like you can’t recover, come.

If you’re just curious, come.

If you’re in need of encouragement, come.

If you’re in a desperate place, come.

If everyone else has turned their back on you, come.

If you need a place to call home, come.

If you’re excited and longing to grow, come.

If you’re in need of a reason to keep going, come.

Just come…and we’ll be so excited that you did.

We look forward to seeing you this weekend and we hope you’ll share this invitation online or in person with those you hope will come too.

Gatherings will be on Sundays at 9 & 11am at 951 N. Hills Road, York, PA 17402.

3 Things To Remember As We Launch A Campus

February 23, 2012 by at 9:00 am No Discussion

If all goes well, in just 24 days, LCBC’s York Campus will officially open. Over the past few weeks, it’s been amazing to experience our church’s enthusiasm, support and encouragement as we look forward to the campus opening. We’re so excited about joining the York community as lives will be changed by Christ.

As our opening day grows closer, I think there are 3 important things for each of us to remember:

This Is For Others
The reason we’re joining the York community isn’t so it’s easier for us from LCBC to get to church. We’re already coming. But it’s for our friends, our family members, our neighbors and our coworkers who haven’t yet come. It’s for those who may be far from God. All of this is for others who have yet to have their life changed by Christ. Make sure you’re inviting those who have yet had the opportunity to come to join us on Sunday, March 18th at 9 or 11am!

This Takes Everyone
For a campus to get kicked off well it takes all of us believing, all of us praying, all of us participating in some way. Many from each of our campuses have given their resources. Many have sacrificed their time. Even some are moving to the area. But it takes each of us at LCBC being involved some way.

For those in the York area, it takes us being personally invested through serving. Traffic Control, Medical Volunteer Teams, Tech, Band, Greeters, Ushers, kidMinistry, Student Ministry, Cafe, Cleaning Team – these are all areas that provide opportunities for you to be involved, for you to serve. If any of these areas interest you, please email Sheri at sherifields@lcbcmail.com and she’ll provide some next steps for being involved.

This Isn’t Ours
If we’re not careful, we think of this church as ours. And really, it’s God’s. It’s His church. And yet He’s given us a unique opportunity to join Him in the process of seeing more and more lives changed. God’s been working in the lives of many folks for a while…it’s part of the life change process. And so we look to Him for guidance, wisdom and direction as we move into York.

As we prepare for opening day, let’s keep these things in mind. Let’s pray together. Let’s serve together. And let’s have fun as our lives and the lives of others are changed by Christ.

York Launch: T-Minus 3 Days!

January 26, 2012 by at 9:00 am 7 Discussion

That’s right…this Sunday kicks things off for our York Campus and we are extremely excited. We’ll launch this weekend at Manehim in the West Wing Auditorium at 11am. As we’ve been approaching our West Wing launch, I’ve been asked a number of questions: Where is the West Wing Auditorium? How many gatherings will we have? Will you be speaking? Will there be a band? Why are we meeting there?

So today, I wanted to answer a few of those questions so you can know what to expect:

Why Are We Meeting in the West Wing Auditorium?
From January 29 through March 11, this will provide an incredible opportunity for several things to happen: We’ll be able to identify and get to know others who travel from the York and surrounding areas, it will allow us to connect and develop synergy as a community, it will allow us the opportunity to share what the volunteer opportunities will be, it will provide a training ground for some of our volunteer areas and it will just be a whole lot of fun to gather with people like yourself who have been anticipating LCBC moving into the York area!

What Will the Gathering Look Like?
We’ll have the same experience that others will be having in Manheim, Lancaster City and Harrisburg. We’ll have one gathering at 11am that will have a live band that will lead us as we talk to God through singing. We’ll have food to eat!…and the message will be video-fed just as it would be at one of our other campuses with our message coming from the Manheim Campus. Offering, announcements, connecting with others…all will happen!

Anything Else I Should Expect?
Yes! Come expecting God to do great things. As I’ve been praying towards the campus launch, I’ve been asking God to do great things…to continue to change more and more lives. Come expecting us to ask you to be involved! This will be a group initiative and it will take all of us willing to be involved, serve and give of our time to make this thing happen. It will take each of us working together to see more and more lives changed. And please come expecting that lives will be changed. Your life will be changed, my life will be changed and the lives of others will be changed as God continues to do great things in Central PA.