Serve Spotlight: Teresa Blouch

February 19, 2013 by at 9:00 am No Discussion

Teresa BlouchTeresa Blouch serves in our Scripts Book Store on the Manheim Campus. She enjoys the opportunity to greet our guests with a big smile and a warm welcome. She loves being able to help people find just the right resources for their needs, and making new comers feel welcome. She has been serving on our team for over three years now and is a huge asset. We appreciate her enthusiasm and willingness to jump in at a moments notice.

 

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

I provide people with resources and answer general questions about the church. My favorite part is handing out fireballs and interacting with first time visitors who are curious about LCBC, or those people who are buying the messages to get their friends and family interested in a relationship with God.

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

It was very simple to get involved and volunteer. I didn’t need any prior experience. I had an interest in books and people, so it just made sense. At first I was only serving one Sunday per month, but I enjoyed it so much that I am now serving 3 Sundays per month.

3. What one concern did you have about serving?

At first, I thought that I didn’t have the energy or time. I wanted church to be about me and what the church could give to me. What I found out was that the more I gave to others in the church, the more fulfilled and energized I felt.

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

One cool thing about volunteering at LCBC is that I have met many interesting people. One time this lady came into Scripts looking for a specific book for the young daughter of a friend whose father had just passed away. Taking the time to help her find that special book to help the little girl through the grieving process was as if I was helping her as well.

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

I have met God’s greatest people by serving. If you think LCBC is too big, pick a ministry – any ministry – and start serving, and you’ll find friends.

f 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. 

Don’t Settle For Religion

February 12, 2013 by at 9:00 am No Discussion

Old ChurchThere was more communicated through eyes than with his words. Although his  eyes were filled with tears, I saw hope. Even though his aging eyes looked tired, I saw purpose. While his eyes looked heavy because of the weeping, I saw freedom. I could see through his eyes that he now knew he was loved.

After a gathering a man in his mid 60s slowly walked up to me with tears in his eyes and said, “I have been in some type of church all of my life and that is the first time I have heard that it is about a relationship with Jesus”.

We learned this weekend, as we wrapped up our “Branded” series, that all too often we try to take the lead in figuring out our lives, when really we need to let God lead. We also recognize that the same Spirit that lived inside of Jesus can live inside of us if we trust God with our lives. We have tried so hard to figure out our lives, our kids, our marriages, our health, our finances, and to do life the right way but are constantly falling short.

Really what this man communicated to me was that for years he has been trying to be a good Christian. He has tried really hard to keep his act together and do everything the right way. What he found was that he was constantly failing. What he now knows is that he can have a relationship with God and that God will guide him with his spirit. He doesn’t have to try so hard to get it right, he just needs to follow and be in step with God’s spirit.

As David said at the close of his message, “Today, don’t settle for religion and just being a Christian. Today choose to follow Jesus. Choose to be a disciple.” You see you could just keep doing life the way you’ve been doing it, that is a choice you can make, but why would you?  God is calling you to something so much higher, to a life that is so much better. Why not choose to let him lead you?

For further study Read Romans 8.

To read more about what love requires of us check out “Love Does” by Bob Goff

(Photo Rights)

Love Demands Something

February 5, 2013 by at 12:16 pm No Discussion

LoveOver the past five weeks we’ve been really diving into what the Bible says about being a “Christian”…or maybe better put, what it looks like to be a disciple of Jesus. We’ve been learning that the term Christian has been branded in a negative light, and has always been that way. On top of that, we’ve heard that Jesus didn’t call us to be Christians, but he called us to be disciples. People who follow and live the way that he (Jesus) did.

What we’ve been hearing the past couple weeks is that a defining sign of a disciple is the way they love those around them. (John 13:35) This past weekend Jason shared with us three practical ways for us to answer the question “what does love require of me?” I want to take a moment to revisit those three statements and hope they are a great reminder & encouragement for you this week.

  • Love requires that we close the gap. This week, is there someone in your life where there is a relational gap? At work? At home? A destructive conversation you had online? Where are there relational gaps that you need to work on closing this week?
  • Love requires a show. This is a tough one for me. It’s easy to say that I love my family, but what am I doing to show that love? It’s easy to say we love our neighbors, but where are we when their problems arise? Love requires that our actions line up with what we say. How aligned are your actions and words?
  • Love requires a filter. Jason said this best. We don’t get to pick and choose who is deserving or worthy of our love. If we are supposed to love everyone in “the room”, then we need to ask is our room big enough to let those that annoy us in? Who do you need to give yourself the opportunity to love this week?

Three very clear and potent things that love demands of us. So, this week, if you were to take just one of those three to work on, what would it be?

(Photo Credit)

Empty Nests & Your Legacy

January 3, 2013 by at 9:00 am No Discussion

Thrive40 SquareAnother THRIVE is on the horizon! After the success of the THRIVE Connection Experience for Marrieds, the Community LIFE Team is going to launch another THRIVE for those that are 40+. There are a lot of things we deal with that are unique to those of us in our forties and beyond, like becoming an “empty nester” and figuring out how to rekindle our marriage after we put so much time and energy into raising our children. We also have to think about our aging process and how to take care of our aging parents. Some are even experiencing the “boomerang syndrome” as our adult children are returning home! Considering retirement or making a contribution during retirement is also important. So, as we ask the question, “What kind of legacy am I going to leave behind?” consider joining this THRIVE experience, being held at LCBC Manheim, beginning February 10th and running thru March 17th. We will be meeting in the WWA on Sunday mornings from 10:30 til noon. Together we will stretch ourselves as we learn to maximize the second half of our life. Whether you are spinning your wheels in the workforce or questioning “Is this is all there is to life?”, this experience will help us to be sure to turn our successes, or even our failures, into significance! Attending THRIVE for 6 weeks is also a great way to meet new people and a great opportunity to form a LIFE Group or get connected into one that already exists. Be sure to look for the web promo mid January and then go online, www.LCBCchurch.com and register, because space is limited. Hope to see you there!

LCBC BranchCreek: What To Expect

December 28, 2012 by at 9:00 am 7 Discussion

BC AuditoriumWell here we are. A little over a week away from the launch of our 6th campus at LCBC. And this one is unlike any we have launched so far for a couple of reasons. First, it is our first campus that is outside of Central PA. Our BranchCreek campus is located in Harleysville, in the greater Philadelphia region. Secondly, this campus is the result of a merger of two existing churches. BranchCreek has been a church all to their own for the last 37 years and will now join the LCBC family for the next chapter in their spirit filled history.

My heart and mind are filled with so much as I personally think about what will happen through our BranchCreek Campus. I have absolutely no doubt that this is a game changer for us at LCBC. There is a statement that I have been repeating over the last couple of months to anyone that would listen. Here’s the statement – “I’m convinced we haven’t even scratched the surface yet as far as what God wants to do through our church.” Launching LCBC BranchCreek on January 6th opens up whole new pathways to reach thousands upon thousands of people in the Philly region and beyond. Thousands more marriages that will be healed. Thousands more addictions broken through the power of Jesus. Thousands more friendships reconciled. Thousands more rescued from boring, self-centered lives. Thousands of more men and women pursuing purity. Thousands more having their lives absolutely changed by Jesus Christ.

Nope, we haven’t scratched the surface yet.

People have been asking me over the last couple of weeks what they should expect when we launch LCBC BranchCreek on January 6th. First, don’t expect the building at BranchCreek to look much different than it does today. But the church never has been and never will be a building. In fact, the very name of our church, “Lives Changed By Christ”, has no tie to a geographical location or place. Rather, church is a collected group of people who are having their lives changed by Christ. And as we gather as a group of people having our lives changed, there are a few things you’ll experience.

You’ll experience worship that is full of energy, life, and honest expression of gratitude to the God who has shown his love through Jesus.

You’ll experience acceptance and warmth wherever you turn. We will roll out the red carpet for all the guests we have on the campus.

You’ll experience being challenged. We don’t back down from talking about the life that God calls us into. Sometimes that message has sharp edges and can sting a bit. But we believe that while Jesus might confront us on where true life is found, there is a deep reward for anyone willing to trust.

Bottom line is that come January 6th you can expect a church that is passionate about inviting everyone to becoming more fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. You can expect a church that will always think about people who are outside of faith and unfamiliar with church. You can expect a church you will LOVE inviting all your un-churched friends to. And you can expect a church that will push you to trust God and follow Jesus more closely than you ever have.

My heart has been so full the last couple of months as I have gotten to know the people at BranchCreek who believe along with me that we haven’t scratched the surface of our potential yet. There are hundreds and hundreds of people at BranchCreek who have stepped up to write this new chapter in our story together. And now the only thing left to do is go for it!

Our best days are truly in front of us.

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