VOX.OHIO.BLOG

This blog has a new home...

2006-10-17T14:04:00.000-04:00

Check out the new VOX blog HERE. We'll see you over there...

Here's your ticket...

2006-08-14T15:39:00.000-04:00

Let the creative juices flow...

2006-07-19T09:33:00.000-04:00

The church used to be the patron of the arts. Somewhere along the way, we decided that art and beauty no longer held and important place in our church. That's a tragedy...

VOX is committed to beauty, to artistic expressions of creativity. Join us tomorrow night (Thursday, July 20) for a celebration of beauty and creativity. There will be a small exhibit of VOX artists' work, plust a bunch of stations for everyone to create.

7pm, The Wherehouse in Archbold. See you there!

Help a pastor out...

2006-06-21T14:10:00.000-04:00

Drew and Bekah Moser are organizing a garage sale to help them raise money for their adoption. They are adopting a little girl from Guatemala, and the cost, when all is said and done, is $30,000.

Here's how you can help:
1. Go through your closets, junk drawers, storage bins, etc., and pull out all the stuff you don't use, you don't need, you don't want.
2. Bring it to Drew and Bekah's house (602 Brussel St., Archbold) or Drew's Office (Evangelical Mennonite Church, 300 Park St. Archbold).
3. Tell others to do the same.

The garage sale will probably be sometime in August or early September to take advantage of the good weather.

Thanks for being a part of the miracle of adoption.

By the way, if you want to read more about Drew and Bekah's adoption journey, check out their adoption blog here.

The Prayer Room...

2006-06-19T10:05:00.000-04:00

The Prayer Room will be closed tonight, Monday, June 19, due to some work being done on the Wherehouse.

Peace,

Drew

Some 'good news' politics from VOX...

2006-06-14T16:15:00.000-04:00

Message from Shawn Rupp

2006-06-11T09:09:00.000-04:00

Shawn Rupp is spending his summer ministering to kids at Miracle Camp in MI. He sends this report for all to read:

Hey Everyone , its Shawn here , i just thought i would write everyone and let you know how we are doing up here. Yesturday was our last day of staff training and today is or first day off and its 61 and cold , we were planning on going to lake michigan for the day but now were stuck here at camp for the day . but the past week and half has seemed like it was 3 weeks , but its been a grand time with the whole staff . I feel like i know everyone so well and its just been a great time spending all day with each other , camps looking really good this year , we got some upgrades , just little things that make camp alot better but Gods bringin it all together so well. Please keep us in your prayers we are getting are first week of campers tomorow and its kinda nerve racking but its also really exciting. Just pray that everthing goes well this week and that God opens up the eyes and the hearts of the kids and also the staff. also that we have full strength and just trust God will take care of everything . This summer has already been a trying summer with putting so much trust and Faith in God . But its sounds like thats going to be a great summer and a very full busy summer. I hope everyone at home is doing really well back at home , keep us updated on how everyone is doing there and we will keep you in our prayers . God bless yall

Shawn
p.s. Packages are ALWAYS welcomed with lots of food and goodies :)

Gathering and Links (golf, not sausage)

2006-05-30T13:17:00.000-04:00

Join us, this thursday, 7pm, at The Wherehouse in Archbold. Music by Resonate, a discussion on money...and another rowdy version of 'would you rather?'.

After the Gathering, bring your cash, your 'A' game, and your lead foot, because VOX/Campus is going putt-putting. We'll head to Defiance, and challenge one another to some friendly rounds of mini-golf and go-karting.

VOX gets 'civilized'

2006-05-22T14:58:00.000-04:00

VOXers, you now have yet another reason to be very, very excited. The VOX Community has just purchased the best board game ever, the Settlers of Catan. This game of civilization domination is sweeping the globe. It takes the best of monopoly, risk, sim city, and just about every other game and rolls it into one exciting package. As soon as it comes in , we'll get a round robin tourney going. In the meantime, you can strategize here.

This week at VOX...

2006-05-15T11:18:00.000-04:00

Thursday night we kick off our C&C Series (Christ and Culture). Worship by Resonate, a rowdy edition of 'Would you rather...?', and a dubbed over video that you won't wann miss. 7pm, The Wherehouse in Archbold.

Friday night is the opening night for the Da Vinci Code Movie, and VOX is going. We'll be leaving the AEMC Parking lot (300 park st, archbold) by 9:15 pm SHARP. If you didn't get a ticket through Drew, head to Skye Cinema ASAP and purchase a ticket for the Friday 9:55 pm show.

Da Vinci Code Movie Night

2006-05-08T23:07:00.000-04:00

VOX is headed to Skye Cinema in Wauseon to watch the Da Vinci Code. We'll hit the 9:55 pm show on opening night, Friday, May 19th. Tickets are $7.50. I'll be going ahead of time to purchase, so if you want to ensure yourself a seat for the biggest movie of the year (we'll see if it's the best), contact Drew. We'll meet at the AEMC parking lot and depart in the church van at 9:30. This one should be interesting...I suggest you read the book first, so you have a basic understanding of the story. We'll discuss the validity (it's minimal) of the storty after the film.

The pins will fall...

2006-05-04T13:36:00.000-04:00

The pins will fall this Saturday night, 9 pm, Archbold Fun Center. Bring money for shoes and game fees...and bring your A game.
--The VBA (VOX bowling association)--

Seth is coming to a computer near you!

2006-05-04T11:24:00.000-04:00

Our very own Seth Bible is 'in studio' working on a demo album.
He has a few rough cuts
(recorded, but not yet produced)
on his mySpace account.
Check them out here.
They are gooooood...enjoy!

VOX Summer Poster Alert!

2006-05-03T10:24:00.000-04:00

New article!

2006-04-20T10:36:00.000-04:00

Drew Moser, VOX Pastor, has published an article with Relevant Online.
You can check it out here. Enjoy!

Labyrinth Pics!

2006-04-18T15:08:00.000-04:00

Check out our brand new flickr set to see some pics of our recent Labyrinth: Journey to the Cross. More pics to come, and we plan on adding the image files of all of the signs, scripture readings, and station instructions. For now, look at what we've got here.

You're invited...

2006-04-04T16:57:00.000-04:00

VOX Bracketology Results...

2006-04-04T14:27:00.000-04:00

What a tournament! Who would've thought that Florida and UCLA would duke it out (without DUKE) in the championship!

The results are in: We'll go from the bottom up.

Toilet Bowl Champion: Jay Burkholder

Jay's reward for such a poor performance is the following.

and...

If he can't win at bracketology, I figure he at least deserves a chance to win the game of love!

Congrats Jay! You're the worstest tournament picker of 'em all!

3rd Place: Tara Wyse

Tara's strong performance deserves the following:

The recent issue of Relevant Magazine....

A Copy of Friendlationships, by Jeff Taylor

A Copy of Telecast's Newest CD, Eternity Now

Congrats Tara!

2nd Place: Lisa Lugbill

Lisa's rewards include:

The recent issue of Relevant Magazine

A copy of Faith and the City, by Jennifer Ruisch

A copy of The Daily Bible, NIV

The new Kendall Payne CD, Grown

Congrats Lisa!

1st Place...Grand Prize goes to: Joel Wyse!

Joel's War Chest Now Includes:

The recent edition of Relevant Magazine

A Copy of the Book Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2

The TNIV Audio Bible New Testament, mp3 Edition

Jeff Deyo's CD, Surrender

Big Daddy Weave's CD, What I Was Made For

Congrats Joel!

To those of you who didn't play...let this be a lesson. "Good things come to those who play!" (er...or something like that)

More Pics!!!

2006-03-09T09:21:00.000-05:00

Create a Caption Contest 4

2006-02-23T11:11:00.000-05:00

Ok, here's the next picture. Post your caption via the 'comments' link below. Lights, camera, caption!

VOX Ballers Game 10 Newsletter

2006-02-22T09:21:00.000-05:00

Boyz—I wish I had more to work from, but when one (me) only witnesses about 10 minutes of the game, there’s not a lot to say. So here goes…

The vitals:

Lockport: too much--VOX: not enough
Our record 4-6

Highlights:

Coming to the game late and seeing the score so close. I must admit, I had this dread that with Watty gone we’d be in trouble.
Justin Ridley’s clutch 3 to keep us in the game. We absolutely needed a tre, and you provided
Paul’s HUUUGE steal and layup directly preceding J-rid’s three
Jackson Burkholder taunting every Lockport foul shooter with his ‘wooo…wooo’
Me getting an open look at a 3 on my first trip down the floor and NOT airballing. I came to the game late after sitting on my duff in a meeting for an hour, and on my first trip down the floor, I decided to launch a 3. In my mind, I was praying, “God, please let this hit the rim…”

Lowlights:

Who calls a carry on a guy in a church league game? That was lame…and downright oppressive to Justin.
Losing (it sucks)
Luke Stuckey missed his second game in a row…Have you retired? Come out of retirement for the tourney… It will strike fear in the hearts of all the other teams. It’s time to choose: wrestling or church league basketball? You have to admit, the pay is about the same.
We need a bit more bible on our team…The Bible twins have disappeared. A little scripture never hurt anyone, and we could use it for the tournament.

This week’s most memorable quote:

“Drew, we need you in there,” Dexter Krueger to Drew as soon as Drew entered the building. Very flattering Dexter, but also very troubling. If you NEED an average player like me, we’re in trouble.

This week’s game ball goes to:

I really have no idea who to give the game ball to, since I saw so little of the action. So I’m throwing the names in the hat and I’ll pick one out, and that person will get the game ball…ok…here goes…and the game ball drawing goes to…….Shawn Rupp. Congratulations Shawn. This game ball’s for you..you may pimp it out as you like.

Next week’s victim:

To be determined…I’ll let you know as soon as I know, but be ready to take on the role of church league tourney cinderella. We are the Gonzaga of church league basketball. All we need is our very own Adam Morrison, with his long shaggy hair and mustache. (Any takers?).

The bracketology begins,

Drew

John Piper's Thoughts on the Controversy Surrounding the Danish Cartoons

2006-02-21T09:40:00.000-05:00

Many of you have heard about the Danish cartoons depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammed. Here is an article (reproduced with permission) by John Piper, describing his take on the issue. It's interesting food for thought:

Being Mocked: The Essence of Christ’s Work, Not Muhammad’s

February 8, 2006

by John Piper (www.desiringgod.com)

What we saw this past week in the Islamic demonstrations over the Danish cartoons of Muhammad was another vivid depiction of the difference between Muhammad and Christ, and what it means to follow each. Not all Muslims approve the violence. But a deep lesson remains: The work of Muhammad is based on being honored and the work of Christ is based on being insulted. This produces two very different reactions to mockery.

If Christ had not been insulted, there would be no salvation. This was his saving work: to be insulted and die to rescue sinners from the wrath of God. Already in the Psalms the path of mockery was promised: “All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads” (Psalm 22:7). “He was despised and rejected by men . . . as one from whom men hide their faces . . . and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3).

When it actually happened it was worse than expected. “They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head. . . . And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they spit on him” (Matthew 27:28-30). His response to all this was patient endurance. This was the work he came to do. “Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

This was not true of Muhammad. And Muslims do not believe it is true of Jesus. Most Muslims have been taught that Jesus was not crucified. One Sunni Muslim writes, “Muslims believe that Allah saved the Messiah from the ignominy of crucifixion.”¹ Another adds, “We honor [Jesus] more than you [Christians] do. . . . We refuse to believe that God would permit him to suffer death on the cross.”² An essential Muslim impulse is to avoid the “ignominy” of the cross.

That’s the most basic difference between Christ and Muhammad and between a Muslim and a follower of Christ. For Christ, enduring the mockery of the cross was the essence of his mission. And for a true follower of Christ enduring suffering patiently for the glory of Christ is the essence of obedience. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Matthew 5:11). During his life on earth Jesus was called a bastard (John 8:41), a drunkard (Matthew 11:19), a blasphemer (Matthew 26:65), a devil (Matthew 10:25); and he promised his followers the same: “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household” (Matthew 10:25).

The caricature and mockery of Christ has continued to this day. Martin Scorsese portrayed Jesus in The Last Temptation of Christ as wracked with doubt and beset with sexual lust. Andres Serrano was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts to portray Jesus on a cross sunk in a bottle of urine. The Da Vinci Code portrays Jesus as a mere mortal who married and fathered children.

How should his followers respond? On the one hand, we are grieved and angered. On the other hand, we identify with Christ, and embrace his suffering, and rejoice in our afflictions, and say with the apostle Paul that vengeance belongs to the Lord, let us love our enemies and win them with the gospel. If Christ did his work by being insulted, we must do ours likewise.

When Muhammad was portrayed in twelve cartoons in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, the uproar across the Muslim world was intense and sometimes violent. Flags were burned, embassies were torched, and at least one Christian church was stoned. The cartoonists went into hiding in fear for their lives, like Salman Rushdie before them. What does this mean?

It means that a religion with no insulted Savior will not endure insults to win the scoffers. It means that this religion is destined to bear the impossible load of upholding the honor of one who did not die and rise again to make that possible. It means that Jesus Christ is still the only hope of peace with God and peace with man. And it means that his followers must be willing to “share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).

Footnotes

¹ Badru D. Kateregga and David W. Shenk, Islam and Christianity: A Muslim and a Christian in Dialogue (Nairobi: Usima Press, 1980), p. 141.

² Quoted from The Muslim World in J. Dudley Woodberry, editor, Muslims and Christians on the Emmaus Road (Monrovia, CA: MARC, 1989), p. 164.

©Desiring God

Create a Caption Contest III

2006-02-08T09:30:00.000-05:00

Here you go...post your funny captions in the 'comments' section below.

VOX Ballers Game 9 Newsletter

2006-02-08T08:57:00.000-05:00

Ballers—Outstanding game last night. Other than the last 5 minutes of the first half, we smoked ‘em! We are avenging all of our previous losses, and instilling fear within the hearts of our opponents.

The Vitals

VOX 59-Zion 40 (yeah, a 19 point whoopin)
Our record: 4-5
VOX Ballers absent: 6 (shame on you absentees)
VOX Ballers present: 7
Valentine’s Bags filled: 280 (thanks ladies)

The Highlights

Fouls—The tables were turned, and it was our turn to benefit from an incredible amount of team fouls. We hit some key free throws
Jay ‘And One’ Burkholder—I think you had 3 made buckets while being fouled (at least). Way to finish Jay…
Pete Andres’ Lay-Up—Was this church league b-ball or a game of H-O-R-S-E? Didn’t matter, because your blind, backwards layup went in…10 extra style points for Pete
Dexter’s hot hand—You were on fire in the second half, draining jumpers, putting down key lay-ups. Nice work government employee. You make Uncle Sam proud.

The Lowlights

Luke Stuckey—Is your absence a sign of your retirement from church league? I hope not. We miss the missiles! You’re a key part of this newsletter, so you have to show up so we can all have a good laugh!
My last free-throw—Josh the Ref called it an airball. IT GRAZED THE RIM, I SWEAR I HEARD IT. IT WAS NOT AN AIRBALL!!!! (just kiddin’ Josh)

The Weekly Paul Kruse Injury Update

Paul was battling Montezuma’s Revenge last night (although he wasn’t in Mexico). Before tip off, all things gastro-intestinal just weren’t cooperating. He visited the trainer, who prescribed a bottle of Pepto Bismol. The runs didn’t prevent him from running up and down the court, and he played despite the upset stomach….and the result was an upset Zion Mennonite

This week’s quotes (how could I pick just one?):

“straight up trash”—Jodi Wyse, referring to her cousin, Megan Burkholder. Revenge is pending…
“my index finger is numb”—Megan Holbrook, referring to her part in making 280 Valentine’s bags. (We appreciate your sacrifice)
“it’s ok jay”—Tara Wyse, referring to one of Jay’s missed free throws. It’s nice to have such support from the in-laws Jay.

This week’s game ball goes to…

I have to split this one in half again, because it was too hard to decide.

One half goes to Jay Burkholder, who was the leading scorer with 14 points. He took a pounding down low, but pounded the scorebored in retaliation. Jay, this ½ game ball goes to you.
The other half goes to the true brains behind our team: Dexter Krueger. You were on fire from all over the court, and you scored some key buckets down low. Dexter Krueger? No…how bout Dexter ‘Clutch’?

Our Next Victim…

Next week our victim is Valentine’s Day…that’s right, we have a bye week so we can all have extra time to celebrate the dumbest holiday ever conceived. Enjoy!
Our next game is 2/21/2006, 7:30 vs. Lockport. Time to avenge another early season loss. This is our last game before the tourney…let’s end the regulars season with a .500 record.

Rest well, church league conquerers. Jay and I will be resting in the sunshine of Florida. We’ll practice at the resorts outdoor court…

Monday

2006-02-07T09:22:00.000-05:00

Ok, so it's Tuesday morning (give me a break, ok?), but better late than never. We had our 4th ever VOX Gathering at the Wherehouse Sat. Night. Great stuff...we worshipped God, explored our own tendencies to resist sharing Christ with others, and arm wrestled! How many churches have arm wrestling? How many?

It was the first in our new series, entitled VOX Values. VOXers value Outreach, plain and simple. Outreach is bringing the light of Christ into the darkness of the world, wherever darkness exists. No longer can the church simply expect the people who don't follow Christ to just show up on Sunday mornings. The church must leave the building and go where the people are. If you think about it, this is what Christ did. He had no home; he wasn't a senior pastor with a nice office in a beautiful church building. He wandered from town to town, and spent his time with the crippled, the disease, the prostitutes, the beggars, the drunks, and spent the rest of his time ranting at the religious establishment. That's the kind of outreach it's gonna take in NW Ohio for young adults to know Christ....the church must leave the building.

Kent was a great example of this. He spent his weekend in bars at the arm wrestling tournaments, bring light into the darkness. May we all find a way to share the Gospel...the Good News...like Kent!
--Drew--

Create a Caption Contest Pt. 2

2006-02-02T13:22:00.000-05:00

The create a caption contest is back...Last week's winner was Jodi Wyse. Her prize: The Message Psalms CD. What will this week's prize be? It's a suprise, but it's worth the 30 seconds it takes to leave a caption in the comments section. So put on your thinking caps and come up with some clever captions....ready....set....go!

The VOX Ballers Game 8 Newsletter

2006-02-01T09:29:00.000-05:00

VOX Ballers—

In the words of our very own Dexter Krueger, “We’re peaking at the right time.” We’re playing well, and are no longer considered an easy ‘W’ by the rest of the league. I predict that we’ll be a force to be reckoned with come tourney time. A cinderella, a Gonzaga of the church league…look out for the VOX Ballers.

Last night was painful and wonderful at the same time. It was a painful game to watch/play. The whistle blew every time we came down the court. But the wonderful: a ‘W’. You gotta love a W any way you can get it.

The vitals:

VOX 49-St. John’s 45
22 team fouls
2 players fouled out
A boatload of charge calls
Our record: 3-5

The highlights:

Justin Ridley’s Sharpshooting—Your clutch threes kept us in the game, and secured the victory
Eric Watson’s free throws—We needed those at the end of the game. You put the game on ice, Watty…nice work.
Team Fouls—22. That has to be a church league record. I’m still hearing whistles in my head.
Jay and Shawn….foulin’ out! Having 2 guys foul out from the same team in the same game also has to be some sort of church league record.

The lowlights:

Jackson Burkholder’s prison—All the boy wanted to do was come and cheer on the team, Jay. And in your passion for the game, you mistakenly locked him in your car. He’s a trooper, though, and it didn’t phase him or his love for the game. (A special thanks to Chris and Janessa Rupp for their assistance) He was released from his temporary prison in time to watch the VOX balers soar to victory.
Luke Stuckey’s 3 point streak comes to an end—As they say, “All good things must sometime come to an end.” Let’s start a new streak next week.

The quote:

"At that point, I didn't care...I knew that they'd call a foul on me sooner or later..." --Shawn Rupp, reflecting upon his 5^th foul in the game

The weekly Paul Kruse' injury report:

At tip-off, Paul was reported to have slight discomfort in his knee, though not enough to sideline him. He played through the pain without sustaining any further injuries, and aided the VOX Ballers to a well-deserved victory.

The game ball goes to:

Justin Ridley—You were ‘lights out’ hot with the ball last night. Without those clutch buckets, we wouldn’t have come away with a ‘W’. Justin, this game ball’s for you

Our next victim:

Tuesday, Feb. 7, 8:30 vs. Zion

Letter from Blake Patterson

2006-01-31T10:22:00.000-05:00

The following is a letter from Blake Patterson, one of our VOXers who is in Marine Boot Camp in S. Carolina:

"Drew,

Hey, thanks for the inspiration and letter. So far boot camp has been physically demanding. But all in all, it's well worth the goal of being one of the few Marines that the U.S. has. Mentally, it really isn't that bad. I just ignore it. I really appreciate the prayer and thought for me and my struggle in boot camp. Tell everyone that I said hello and tell Pete that the military could do him some good! Just kidding, I miss all of you and cannot wait to see you again.

Take care,
Rct B.A. Patterson"

Here's his address:
RCT Patterson Blake A 8296
2nd BN Golf Co Plt 2020
Parris Island, SC 29905-5230

If you have a spare minute, write a letter to him. Don't do anything fancy. The Marines frown upon cards or flashy stationary. Just write a note of encouragement to him on a plain piece of paper and stick it in a white envelope. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you all.

Drew's Articles

2006-01-30T13:54:00.000-05:00

A number of you have requested links to the articles I've written. I thought the easiest way to do this would be to just post the links here. Enjoy!

Faith Like a 4 Month Old (RelevantMagazine Online)
The Untamed Voice (Relevant Network E-Newsletter)
The Ministry of Conversation (Relevant Network E-Newsletter)

Creat a caption contest!

2006-01-24T09:37:00.000-05:00

I couldn't resist getting this pic on the blog. So here's what we're going to do. Announcing a new feature to the VOX blog: the first ever create a caption contest! Use the 'comment' option below and leave a caption to explain this pic. The winner, chosen by Drew, will receive a prize...an undisclosed yet very cool prize.

Thoughts from Jay...

2006-01-23T08:53:00.000-05:00

....the last meeting time i thought was great. we started off with a time of talking and fellowship, which led into worship (fellowship with the Lord). I like how you could hear the Words. I liked how Drew sat with us and it felt like drew was relating with us, not above us or below us, but right there with us. afterwards was great, breaking a sweat playing volley pong and just watching everyone laugh while we hung out and enjoyed each other.

VOX Ballers Game 7 Newsletter...

2006-01-18T14:18:00.000-05:00

“Don’t call it a comeback!” Nice work fellas. A win feels good, oh so good. A good way into the first half, I was wondering if we’d reach double digits by halftime. But we regrouped, refocused, and mounted an epic comeback. West Unity C of C is still trying to figure out where the VOX buzzsaw came from

The vitals:
--VOX 49-West Unity 39…nice
--Our record 2-5, currently

Highlights
--Jay’s theory worked…the forced free throw miss for the sake of an offensive rebound worked! Nice work Jay!
Paul’s acrobatic layup…incredible
--Luke Stuckey’s three point bank shot…I don’t remember hearing you call bank, though. That’s ok, your streak of a game with a tre is now up to 2 games. Keep it up!
--Luke Stuckey’s new hair-doo…You were more aerodynamic last night…it was evident that the haircut aided your speed and agility (thank you Janessa)
--The VOX team rebounding effort…We killed them on the boards, and it made all the difference

This week’s most memorable quote (a new feature to the newsletter):
“I just got so excited”—Luke Stuckey, during halftime reflection upon his missile off the backboard in the 1st half…I don’t think the backboard was very excited.

The weekly Paul Kruse injury update:
(Editor’s note: Paul lays his body on the line…or on the floor…on a weekly basis. Thus, in honor of Paul’s sacrifice, I’m going to include a weekly injury update devoted to solely Paul’s body)

While still nursing a cut upper lip from last week’s battle, Paul tweaked his left knee during a skirmish on the floor for a loose ball during the second half. Paul sat out the rest of the game and cheered on the VOX balers from the sidelines. Though initially writhing in pain, Paul was able to walk under his own strength and is listed as ‘probable’ for the VOX ballers next game.

This week’s game ball goes to:
Eric Watson’s gotee. Who would’ve thought that a collection of facial hairs would produce 22 points, nearly half of the VOX baller offense? Like Samson and his flowing hair, you provided a newfound strength to Watty’s game. Gotee, this game ball is for you. May a razor never threaten your presence on Eric’s face…

Our next victim…
We have a bye week next week, so we’re not on till Jan 31, 7:30 vs St. John’s UCC.

Thoughts from Se-eth Bible...

2006-01-17T08:57:00.000-05:00

(Editor's note: periodically, we'll have written thoughts from those in the VOX community on recent VOX events. The following is from Seth Bible on last weekend's VOX Gathering. Enjoy!)

Well one thing that was really cool for me personally was the worship....i dont really know how it went or how people responded to it, ya know, if they worshiped or not, because i had my eyes closed pretty much the whole time.
The cool thing was is that there were times during the worship that i remember totally forgetting that i was even playing the guitar.
Then Drew’s message was great! Made me really try and focus more often on doing some real actual quiet time during my devos. Just sitting there and be as quiet as i possibly can, totally calming the thoughts in my head, trying to hear that still small voice. And then the awesome hangout time downstairs was the best thing since plastic army men! It was really a blast. 2 games of volley-pong!
Then a game of finger darts! The night all together, for me, was pretty cool. It’s too bad jane meck couldn’t have been there.

Monday Quarterback (a recap/reflection of last week's VOX Gathering)

2006-01-16T14:59:00.000-05:00

Drew here…We just had our 3rd ever VOX Gathering at the Wherehouse. We had a slightly smaller crowd, but a lot of new faces. I love new faces…I hope to see even more at the next one. Here are some observations from moi:

--We retooled the format, and it was glorious…We shortened everything, and the ‘less is more’ axiom was true.

--Worship was incredible…the acoustic set, led by Seth, Sarah, Janessa, Tyler, and Chad was unbelievable.

--The ‘after-gathering’ was a blast. There was gaming, dart throwing, finger rocket slinging, volley ponging, and lots of food and drink. I had to kick everyone out at 11. I love the fact that I had to tell people to leave. . . that’s a good indication that fellowship is happening!

--‘Shut up and listen!’ This pretty sums up the theme of the night….finding the solitude our souls need. . . hopefully God touched some hearts to seek the silence and solitude we all desperately need.

Read This Book!

2006-01-16T14:48:00.000-05:00

“I wonder how many of us have lost our barbarian way and have become embittered with God, confused in our faith because God doesn’t come through the way we think he should. Is it possible that the transforming power of the church has been lost because we keep inviting people to step into the comfort, safety, and security of Jesus Christ?....The original call of Jesus was so simple, so clean, so clear: ‘Follow Me.’ He wants us to surrender our lives to Him and follow Him into the unknown…”
--Erwin McManus

I'm almost done with this book. You all need to read this. It's a simple, clear, call to believers to 'unleash the untamed faith within', unrestriced by all the unnecessary stuff Church puts in the way of an authentic relationship with Christ. It's easy to read, short (only 148 small pages), and stunning. I hope and pray that the VOX community would be about the 'barbarian way of following Christ'...nothing more...and certainly nothing less.

Solitude Resources

2006-01-14T16:33:00.000-05:00

Nonfiction
The Way of the Heart: Desert Spirituality and Contemporary Ministry—Henri Nouwen
A great little book studying the solitude, silence, and prayer of the fourth and fifth century Egyptian Desert Fathers and Mothers..

Celebration of Discipline—Richard Foster
This book should be required for every follower of Christ. In this book, Richard Foster does the miraculous: turning ‘discipline’ into an appealing word.

Out of Solitude—Henri Nouwen
A helpful book on living in the tension of the need for solitude and the demands of living in today’s world.

The Freedom of Simplicity—Richard Foster
Though not directly focused on solitude, Foster’s views on simplicity in life are invaluable in developing a way of life that values solitude.

The Practice of the Presence of God—Brother Lawrence
A small, but might book about a humble cook in a monastery who learned to ‘practice the presence of God’ in his daily routine.

Life Together—Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Ch. 3—“The Day Alone” focuses on solitude and the role it plays in fostering healthy Christian community

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life—Donald S. Whitney
Chapter 10 is on Silence and Solitude. This book isn’t nearly as
good as Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, but is worth a look.

Fiction
Franny and Zoey—J.D. Salinger
WARNING: This book is not a ‘Christian’ book. In this book is foul language and content. J.D. Salinger is no saint by any stretch, but as an outsider, has a profound perspective into Jesus. In this novel, a brother and sister explore the search for faith and meaning in an often hopeless and painful existence. The ‘Jesus prayer’ plays a central role in this book.

Online

Prayer Labyrinth:
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/paradigm/
This is a fascinating, online prayer labyrinth by a church in the UK. Make sure to give yourself 45 minutes or so to complete it. Trust me, it will be time well spent.

Bitter Journey: www.beliefnet.com/religion/christianity/holyweek/easter/cross_lite2.html
This is a guided, online audio/visual meditation
through the stations of the cross. Packed with
powerful images and scripture, this is a great
way to journey with Jesus on his painful
road to the cross.

VOX Ballers Game 6 Newletter

2006-01-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a game! When they doubled up on us early on in the first half, I thought it would be a long night. But we fought back and made it a game. I think we surprised PMC, and showed them we can play. To lose by a point is tough....but losing by 50 is tougher. At least we left with our dignity last night.--

Highlights--
1. The Prophecy--I called it...any witnesses? I predicted during our pregame shootaround that Luke 'Sharpshooter' Stuckey would drain a three during the game. The prophecy was fulfilled in the first half with a beautiful, 'nothing-but-net' tre. Nice work, wrestling coach. Because of you, I know plan to start my own psychic network (1-900-Psy-Drew)...only $1.99 a minute...

2. Scarface--Paul's lip may not think of this as a highlight, but nothing is more menacing and intimidating than a face dripping blood all over the floor. Tough look, Paul...way to mutilate your body for the sake of the team…Also, you had some key steals at the end of the game last night…nice work.

3. Clutch--Jay's Free Throws--Jay, you drained those two with 11 seconds left as if it were a meaningless game...oh wait, it was meaningless...now it wasn't! Church League is life!....Seriously Jay, those were some clutch free throws, and you didn’t have to resort to the ol’ throw it off the rim on purpose to try to get the rebound trick. You were no Shaq at the line last night…and that’s a good thing.

4. Shawn Rupp, a.k.a. force to be reckoned with down low--Shawn, after last night, no one will dare to leave you UNBELIEVABLY WIDE OPEN MULTIPLE TIMES IN A ROW...seriously, did they think you would just panick and hand the ball to a yellow t-shirt? You certainly didn't, and your lay up drill kept us in the game. Cool as a the other side of the pillow shawn…

--Lowlight--

1. Joel Ruffer--That guy's arms must be 10 feet long...Seriously. If he hadn't tipped my lame pass at the end of the game, who knows what the outcome may have been? If only I were 6'5"...

--This week's game ball goes to...

Jay Burkholder! Jay, you skipped a non-profit board meeting to play ball with us. You've earned this game ball due to your dedication to the team. Jay, we salute you and your priorities....and I'm sure that we wouldn't have even been in the game if you had decided to go to your meeting.-

-Next week's victim…
West Unity Church of Christ, Tuesday, 1/17, 9:30…I have a good feeling that the new year will bring new victories for the VOX Ballers.See you next week, if not before,

Drew

2006-01-05T10:37:00.000-05:00

Check out our next VOX Gathering poster!
Nice, isn't it? (thanks Jodi)
Join us, Sat. 1/14, 7pm, at the Wherehouse
Bring your friends...and your ping pong A-game!

VOX X-MAS

2005-12-29T10:03:00.000-05:00

I'm typing this posting with sore forefingers....for those of you who missed the first ever VOX X-MAS bash, you seriously missed out. Why are my fingers sore? Because a war was waged at the party, not with bombs, grenades, or bullets. It was a mighty war of finger darts...don't let the name fool you. Finger dart wars are intense....and at times...painful. They might be the coolest invention ever. Whoever dreamt up these foam missiles deserves a medal or something. They are a blast.

There was also a wonderful white elephant/dirty santa gift exchange, with some coveted treasures passing into one another's hands. A beautiful portrait of AEMC, a multi-colored psychadelic robe, some speakers, a t-shirt with pigs procreating, and an old computer were just a few of the cornicopea of gifts that were given so generously....we were a blessed group indeed.

The black jack table was hot, and the volley ponging was fierce...it was a good time by all, with some good food too. We'll throw a few more surprises in the event next year, so be excited. If anyone has any digital pics of the event, email them to me and I'll post them here.

FUEL: VOX Prayer Room

2005-12-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

Last night was our first FUEL Night...8 of us committed to devoting at least 30 minutes in prayer...and there was at least someone praying in the prayer room for a total of 3.5 hours of prayer! Nearly everyone who signed up stayed longer than their 30 minute time slot. 30 minutes goes much faster than you think!

The presence of the Holy Spirit was evident in our quaint little prayer room and at our 7 prayer stations...

People left their distractions at the door (Silence)
God was exalted and praised (Awe)
Requests and Praises were written down for others to lift up (Request/Praise)
The young adults in the area were prayed for by name (Community)
The nations were lifted up (World)
Words from the Spirit were journaled (Journal)
The sacrifice of Christ; his broken body, his shed blood, was reflected (Communion)

Here are some words written down in our FUEL Journal:

"Lord, I want to consume myself in you...that my thoughts and words from my mouth are pleasing to you."

"God, I just want to stay in Your presence...transform me by your power...make me, like you...I want everything You have for me!"

"...worship if more than just singing-it's a lifestyle. We were created to worship our awesome Savior."

"Lord I don't deserve this infinite love You give me everyday, all day. You amaze me because You don't need me one bit, but for some reason, you want me and you loved me enough to give Your only Son away to die for me and save me from myself...Have you way in me..."

"i want to drink from the fire-hydrant of your love and grace"

"Jesus says there are 2 paths: narrow and wide,
The world tells me the paths are infinte
Spirit, help me discern
to lay aside concern
And think of nothing but your revolution.
Am I courageous enough to accept this invitation?"

'As I take communion, I reflect and think about the blood that He shed and the life he gave up so that we may be forgiven. What an awesome sacrifice!'

The VOX Prayer room will be open again (The Upper Room of The Wherehouse) from 6:30-10 pm on Monday...if you want to cover a time slot, email me. . . If you want to just pop in and pray, please feel free to do so..

'pray continually',

Drew

Monday Morning Quarterback...

2005-12-12T12:44:00.000-05:00

Have you ever heard the term 'monday morning quarterback' before? It refers to all the guys who sit on their couches all day Sunday to watch football...and then proceed to spend all of Monday morning talking to their coworkers about how their favorite team should've done this or should've done that...

It's an easy temptation...'hindsight is 20/20, as they say'.

Our last VOX worship gathering was Saturday night. We had a nice turnout, the music was good, everyting was 'good'...there just seemed to be something missing.

What was it? I'm not sure exactly...but I think we're trying to do too much. I'm thinking we need to simplify, shorten, and let God take care of our worship gatherings. Planning too much can get in the way of what HE wants to do.

Like I said at our very first worship gathering...this is a gigantic experiment. Experiments are full of change. We're going to shake things up a bit for our next gathering. We'll try some different stuff, go shorter on the 'program' and longer on the 'relationships'. Isn't it all about relationships anyway?

Our next gathering will be Jan. 14th...look for a completely revised VOX then. You can tell I never want to get stuck in a rut. Shoot, we've only been at this 3 months and we're already tweaking....

Peace Out...Drew

2005-12-04T07:54:00.000-05:00

Our next VOX worship Gathering: Saturday, Dec. 10, 7pm, at the Wherehouse...be there!

2005-12-03T22:16:00.000-05:00

check out our sweet logo

2005-12-03T21:14:00.000-05:00

John the Baptist...pool shark!

2005-12-03T21:13:00.000-05:00

'his diet consisted of locusts and honey'

2005-12-03T21:11:00.000-05:00

John the Baptist...'preparing the way' for Christmas...

2005-12-03T21:10:00.001-05:00

We at VOX have our very own JtB...preach it Seth!

2005-12-03T21:10:00.000-05:00

Our theme for our Dec. 10 VOX worship gathering: The Untamed Voice. We're gonna look at John the Baptist. So feast your eyes on this beaut...JtB...hollywood style! Look at the passion!