Enjoying Fall?

The Federal Pretrial and Probation Officers Association recently honored my friend Lewis Simpson Jr. as their Probation Officer of the Year in Supervision by the Great Lakes Regional District. In addition to doing a great job there, he plays bass in our praise team and together with his wife and daughter has adopted some UT international students as one of our fall ordinary outreaches. WTG!!!

Carla snapped this next pic from some fun we had at Gomez and Morticia's house [Emmett and Eniko] one recent Saturday night. We thoroughly enjoyed the mystery dinner. Even though Frankenstein [Randy] was pretty scary.

This one is taken in Joshua's room with his cousins Conner and Jessica and Maegan's friend Ena. Lydia is holding Joshua's new pet - Peaches the albino corn snake. Which is very docile and tame until Fridays when she snaps the thawed out once frozen mouse Joshua dangles from the top of its cage, constricts around it, and then swallows it whole. It's very national geographic.

Jeff archived this last photo for posterity of Joshua and his 2nd place winning Pinewood Derby car and trophy. No, he didn't get into a fight. The road rash on his face came earlier that evening from taking a face plant on the sidewalk outside the church while goofing around with some friends. He was wearing his other pair of glasses [goggles] at the time because he had broken his "nice" pair of glasses at school earlier. So now both are broken and one of his adult front teeth broke off into tiny pieces. It has since been replaced with a plastic tooth. But who knew he could again be singing, All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth...

Hope you are your families are well and enjoying the season. God is good. All the time!!!

Whose Works?

If apart from Christ, we can do nothing [John 15:5] but with Christ we can do all things [Philippians 4:13], whose works are we really talking about when the Bible writers repeatedly refer to them? [cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 2:6 etc]. Ours? No. Christ's! That's the only way the brightest minds throughout the history of Christianity have made sense of the verses about "our" works in the Bible. It's why Dietrich Bonhoeffer said:

"The law of God is still in force (Romans 3:31), and still demands fulfillment. And the only way to fulfill the law is by doing good works. But ultimately there is only one good work; the work of God in Christ Jesus...all our good works are the works of God" [The Cost of Discipleship, p.296]. That's what this video my friend Phill sent me reminded me of recently. Enjoy!!!

Connections Under Construction?

On September 25, the snacks and beverages were laid out for the last time, the praise team played our all-time favorites, and memories and testimonies brought us back through the years. Although it was Connections last service in our building, the message was loud and clear this is not the end of this ministry. Because the church is leaving the buildilng!!!

We still believe God is calling us to a shared ministry in a downtown storefront similar to the one our church first operated in 1899. And we will proceed if God raises up a core team of committed volunteers willing to contribute their time and talents. If you are interested or willing to serve in such an outreach, please contact me @ 419.882.6200 or Ron Szczechowski @ 419.866.8951. Stay tuned to Fortune Cookies for more information. And click the triangular play button below for a little trip down memory lane. Video courtesty Ryan Warner

Ordinary Outreach Galore?

Fall has provided numerous opportunities for us to show people that God loves them like crazy!!! While local musician Johnny Rodriguez was belting out live 50s and 60s tunes at the 4th annual Kidz Crazy Car Show [click car pics to see more],

I met a guy who invited me to do his wedding the following Saturday night. Which I did and now we're doing post-marital counseling. Another lady who recently relocated to Toledo was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly impressed. And I gave a young family of four looking for a church that lives nearby a tour of the daycare and church. They were thrilled to find a church so close to home they really like and have already asked me to do pre-marital classes with them and their wedding too!!!

Partnering with the University of Toledo International Student Office, six of us were introduced to twelve new friends from the University of Toledo as part of the Toledo International Hospitality Program. We carved pumpkins and played games and since then have enjoyed trips with them to church, our homes for a meal, the art museum, and the bell choir concert. Serving lunch at Cherry Street Mission is also a highlight for the students @ Toledo Junior Academy. Thank you for shouting the Gospel with your lives!!! [to read why ordinary outreach has no hooks or strings attached see Matthew 10:42 and Luke 6:35]

Photos courtesy Shawn Flack and Steve Bills

Why Did Mike Stop Blogging?

Some of you realized I haven't posted anything on Fortune Cookies since the end of August 2010. Thanks for your encouragement and kinds words. It's good to be missed!!! No, I haven't stopped blogging because everyone already knows God loves them like crazy flaws and all. No, I wasn't on vacation. And no, I'm not sick or in the hospital [although my mom has been in twice in two months...she's better now PTL!!!].

Yes, I'm still convinced based on research inside and outside the Adventist church that meaningful Bible study and worship, active ordinary outreach, and grace based churches are three of the most influential factors that help young people and the increasing number of unchurched Americans all around us develop a positive outlook about God and lasting interest in the church [click here to read more].

So why should we continue to spend ourselves for the sake of the Gospel? Because there are plenty of people from Chile to Holy Toledo and the rapidly growing mission field where you live that are far from God!!! So let's exhaust every avenue and media to show them grace and live the love that still astonishes a watching world. That's what the rescue of those 33 trapped miners reminded me of recently. [BTW, I stopped blogging because my PC died. And my temporary replacement lacked the muscle needed to upload pics and vids. But I've got a MBP now so Fortune Cookies is good to go!!! In the meantime, click the triangular play button below to hear Toledo native Crystal Bowersox belt out her hit "Holy Toledo" and see you in two weeks!!!]

Photo courtesy: Hugo Infante / Government of Chile
From the San José mine, Copiapó, Chile

Culturally Aware?

Is it important for churches to be culturally aware?

Do Dogs Love Like Crazy?

Some friends introduced me to this short tune by Wendy Francisco that millions of others have already heard. Already a book and a bazillion other things are being produced with this logo on it [click pic for more info]. As well they should be. Because these lyrics remind us that God [and often our dogs] love us like crazy!!! Here's some pics of Barkley [because I thought he would bark a lot!!! He actually doesn't] as a puppy. Click triangular play button below to enjoy!!!

Why Do Hurt People Hurt People?

Author and Dr. Sandra Wilson says hurt people hurt others because they themselves have been hurt in large or small ways. But God can help us break that cycle of hurt by offering us His healing and hope. On Wednesday, September 8 @ 6:30pm, we begin our fall Community Book Discussion and YOU are invited! The class is free but books cost $10. Bring some soup for Soup for You @ 6pm followed by discussion of this book [click pic for more info]. Get help for healing your own hurts from friends and spouses, leaders, followers, worshipers, parents, and forgivers. Everyone whether you're Christian or not believes in some kind of life after death. Come learn how to have a relationally healthy and abundant life before as well!!!

Back to School and Mission Field?

Recently in church I shared how the New Testament book of Acts teaches us that the Holy Spirit comes when we pray [Acts 1:14], when we start using our spiritual gifts [Acts 2:5], when we listen for God [Acts 8:26-29], share more about Jesus [Acts 8:35], and treat where we are as the mission field [Acts 8:36-40]. Click pic to watch / read / listen to me make those points or click the triangular play button below to laugh with J. John, a Canon in the Church of England, describing the first point about prayer. He is LOL funny!!! The audio is perfect, but the video isn't always. Enjoy anyway!!!

Prepared for Adolescence?

Our son is turning 11 years old in a few days. He "borrowed" my deodorant the other day because he said "his pits stink." I mock-thanked him for sharing [TMI!!!] and seriously-thanked him later for taking more responsibility of his life [now, if he would only take as much interest in cleaning his room before I make him on Fridays!!!]. I share this [with his permission BTW; BIG thanks and WTG to Josh for letting me blog this!!!] because he has become increasingly aware of who he is as a pre-teen recently thanks to an audio book by Dr. James Dobson entitled Preparing for Adolescence [click pic to buy your own].

We stumbled onto this resource a few months ago and have been working through its contents together ever since. With CDs just for parents in addition to CDs for you to listen to with your child, the content will prepare you for "the sex talk" in addition to bravely answering difficult questions about sexuality [such as those surrounding masturbation which Christians usually ignore or leave shrouded in guilt]. Nothing is out of bounds. And everything is answered for boys and girls thoroughly, kindly, and [I believe] Biblically.

Dobson suggests listening to this content on a long road trip over one weekend culminating in a father / son [mother / daughter] fun day s/he picks. We're still going to do that "just us" weekend, but what we're doing before then is listening to 15 minute segments of each CD at night before Josh goes to sleep. We turn all the lights out and lay on his bed and listen, pausing when necessary, to laugh, talk, or wonder about what was just said. The number of questions and honest reactions to the content I thought too complicated for him to understand has staggered me. It has not only given Josh a clearer understanding of what is happening now, it has diminished some of the fears I didn't even know he already had about the future! And it has drawn us closer together. Lydia doesn't know what adolescence is all about yet, but she's already looking forward to it [!!!] so she can go on her "mother / daughter" weekend as soon as she and Jackie finishes the CDs too!!! [PS - This material has been re-packaged and updated recently. The new pic looks like the smaller one above]

Glamorous Warehouse Volunteers?

During the early morning hours of June 6, 2010, NW Ohio was hit by the one of the most devastating tornadoes in years. Immediately, organizations and churches kicked into gear to help including ours who raised nearly $1,200 on Father's Day weekend. Since then, the tornado and its aftermath has ceased to be front page news, but the ongoing need for help remains. Which is why my pastor friend Roy Nelson and his friends at Adventist Community Services [click graphic above for more info] secured a warehousing location in Wood County to continue to help victims of the tornado.

In the video below [there's a short commercial first, click the tiny triangular play button in the lower left of the box], Roy explains how important it is to continue to reach out to the community long after the immediate need is obvious. If you have time, whether you're a member of Toledo First or not, please consider heading over to east Toledo and volunteer a couple hours to organizing the contents of the warehouse with Roy by calling 740.381.7703. It's not glamorous, but it is appreciated!!! To read the CBS 11 News story click here. Video courtesy Toledo CBS 11.

Can Christians Love Others Well?

Samir Selmanovic, pastor and author of "It's Really All About God" [click pic for more info], grew up in a culturally Muslim family in Croatia. He converted to Christianity as a soldier in the then Yugoslavian army, and went on to become an Adventist pastor at a growing young congregation called Cross Walk in southern California. But a few years ago, he left that congregation [but not Adventist Christianity] to start a "community of communities" in NYC [called Faith House, click logo for more info] to show the world that we can live together on this fragile earth as authentic believers in our own religions without becoming isolated, incoherent, or hostile toward others who do not believe the same way. We can learn to love well [like crazy]!!!

Samir will be coming to Toledo AUG 27-29, 2010. He will be signing copies of his book at the Family Christian Bookstore [4015 Secor Road] @ 7pm on August 27 and will be making presentations August 28 in the Toledo First Church at 11am and 5pm. In addition, he will also be speaking at the Washington Church [3925 West Central Avenue] on August 29 @ 9:30am. You will not want to miss this!!!

Time to Tour?

Last Tuesday I left Family Camp @ Mohaven to host the Toledo Area Ministries Summer Houses of Worship Tour. About 150 people who visited Toledo First Seventh-day Adventist Church on Tuesday left with new insights and understanding of the denomination as well as a "kindness to go" goody bag. Aside from bragging about our church and answering questions, it gave us time to sign people up for our next community book discussion Hurt People Hurt People. A reporter and photographer from the The Blade was there too and did a good job covering the event on the front page of the Religion Section in last Saturday's edition. Click either pic to read the article.

Photo courtesy The Blade / Amy E. Voight

A Delightful Picnic with Purpose?

BIG thank you and WTG to all of you able to spend some time at the park last week during our Picnic with Purpose. Aside from a fantastic meal, we enjoyed Corn Hole, Ladder Ball, and new this year: Water Tic Tac Toe. Additionally, we gave away over 160 cups of lemonade with connection cards and invitations to visit us at church. Reactions overheard include: "This is so cool!!!" "Thank you so much for doing this!!!" "Can I have another one?" "Who are you guys?" "What's this all about?"
There weren't as many canines this time [it was pretty hot], but we managed to give away quite a few doggie biscuits anyway too. Some friends from Parkwood Church joined us giving away free blood pressures. And the mostly musical Connections service in the park did in fact connect us with a guy named Vince. Who wandered up to our pavilion with his guitar and, playing by ear, started playing all the songs with us even though he'd never hear them before!!!

Afterward, he introduced us to his friends at the table nearby all of whom are music students in Toledo and unconnected to any church. Of course we invited Vince to play in the praise team next week at church too [he's really good!!!] so please pray for him and all his friends. Thank you for making last Sabbath a delightful day. And setting aside AUG 14 for our next and final 2010 Picnic with Purpose.

Who Can't God Redeem?

This video by Jonathan Reed was created for the AARP U@50 video contest and placed second. It is based on the Argentinian Political Advertisement "The Truth" by RECREAR. I'm using it in church this week to illustrate there's nothing God can't reverse, fix, or change and no one God can't redeem. What does it make you think about?

PTL Baptism?

Last week in Lake Erie near Port Clinton, I baptized my friend Mike with all his friends in the water with us and more taking pics from the shore as beach goers gawked. I met him years ago in Wooster when I was pastor there and was thrilled that he still wanted me to participate so many years later!

The week before, "Webkinz Tina" was baptized while Pastor Rachel baptized her son Eric [we met both a couple years ago giving away stuffed animals to sick kids in the hospital and they had been coming to church ever since]. But the coolest part of Tina's baptism was Tina's other kids, Crystal and Derrick and Derrick's friend Jamie also decided to be "buried and resurrected with Jesus" through the waters of baptism [cf. Romans 6:3-4]. The seven of us barely fit in the church baptistry tank, but praise the Lord we did!!! Photo courtesies Eric Larson and Jeff Batchelder.

A Welcome Home?

The "Welcome Home" website [click above pic for more vids, pics, and stories] joyfully celebrates the safe return of the courageous members of our armed forces. These kinds of reunions not only make me feel extremely grateful for the freedom we enjoy this Independence Day, it also makes me long for the day Jesus returns when receptions like these will be the norm not the exception to the rule. Take 5 minutes to see what I mean by clicking the triangular play button below. Which reunion scene was your fave? And take a listen to the Independence Day play list in the top right of the page.

S.o.S Haiti?

"We were uncomfortable for a week - they are uncomfortable every day. Life for us here will quickly return to normal, and our week in Haiti will soon be a distant memory that we will re-live through pictures and videos..."—Caryn Wooster, S.o.S Member

You have to see it with your own eyes to believe it. You have to hear it, feel it and smell it to really understand Haiti. On July 10 in the Toledo First Adventist Church, we will better understand the still desperate need of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.

All because representatives from S.o.S.—a Missions Ministry of the New Hope Adventist Church [click triangular play button below for more info] will be with us to share with us what they recently experienced in their most recent return to Haiti. So bring a friend and please bring an offering for Haiti. 100% of monies collected after both presentations will go to S.o.S. and their continuing relief efforts in Haiti. Please watch this video!!! Video courtesy Kumar Dixit.

Wanna Help Us Help the Ohio Tornado Victims?

Volunteers of all ages are pitching in to help Ohio's most recent tornado victims. Deadly tornadoes ripped through Northwest Ohio early morning on Sunday, June 6, 2010, killing five people. Hundreds more are still reeling from the effects of the tornadoes, which destroyed houses, cars, and local businesses.

ISOH/IMPACT [International Service of Hope], based out of Perrysburg, OH, responded immediately to our neighbors in Millbury, the hardest hit town. "We are stretched to our limits," ISOH/IMPACT President Linda Greene said. "With our ongoing relief efforts in Haiti, the needs of our neighbors in Ohio, and the major hurricanes that are predicted to hit, we are really praying that people will step up and join our relief efforts. We can't do it without them."

You can help the families in NW Ohio begin to rebuild their lives. This Saturday June 19 at Toledo First Church, we're going to be collecting an offering to give to this 4-star local charity where 97 cents of every dollar goes directly to the people in NW Ohio that need it most. Should you wish to contribute, you can donate online directly to ISOH by clicking the 4-star icon to the left or make your checks payable to: Toledo First Church. Thanks for helping us help the Ohio Tornado Victims today! Click the other two graphics for more info about ISOH.

A Father's World?

During the early morning hours of June 6, 2010, the most devastating tornado to hit NW Ohio in years took the life of five people including a 4-year-old boy and his mother, a 21-year-old woman trying to take cover at a police station, a woman in her 50s struck by debris while driving and a father in his 40s who left his family protected in the basement of his home. He left to hook up the generator to the sump pump ensuring the low flood plain wouldn't allow water into the basement and to retrieve one of the family's dogs. Sadly, debris from the tornado killed Ted Kranz instead. He is survived by his loving wife; Cynthia, children; Katie, Courtney, and Michael Kranz.

Ted was a member of St. Jerome Catholic Church. In his spare time Ted enjoyed boating, fishing, golfing and tennis, and he especially enjoyed attending his children's sporting events. But it was his daughter's graduation, Katelyn, which was supposed to take place later that same day, to which he was most looking forward. She was the Valedictorian of her senior class. And was preparing to study Pharmacology at the University of Michigan. Because the tornado caused $100 million in damages and ruined or severely damaged 100 houses, including Katelyn's Lake High School, her graduation took place on June 8 at Owens Community College. She didn't give a speech, but did attend and was overwhelmed with the standing ovation she received with her diploma. Her father's death reminds us that this still is a father's world. And when any of ours SO love the world that they end up dying in it, protecting those they love, people of faith and even no faith applaud. Maranatha!!!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Courtesy Lisa Flam AOL News and Witzler Shank Funeral Home and AP Photo/J.D. Pooley

The Waters Swarm?

Brian Skerry is a photojournalist who captures images that not only celebrate the mystery and beauty of the sea but also bring attention to the pressing issues which endanger our oceans. By sharing amazing, intimate shots of undersea creatures, he shows how powerful images can help make change. No wonder Genesis 1:21 says, "So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves with which the waters swarm." Enjoy!!!