Quick Haiti Thoughts

I’ve just landed in Fort Lauderdale and wanted to give a quick update on our Haiti trip.  Mark and I are grateful for your prayers, we had a safe and fruitful trip.  Thankfully we skirted hurricanes and just dealt with a little rain

We were able to visit 4 orphanages in Haiti and also spend time with the leadership of C3 global that’s on the ground in Haiti.  Our most significant time was spent at Palm Valley’s orphanage in Petionville, an area of Port Au Prince that was devastated by the earthquake earlier this year. The orphanage is nearly impossible to get to, with the roads being nearly non-exsistent.

Pastor Luke and his team are doing an incredible job with the 42 children.  The kids looked to be well cared for and fed.  They are marvelous children, with so many dreams and talents that are ready to be lived out.  We toured the orphanage, spent time with Luke, loved on the kids and just played some.  The kids loved their “PVC Kids” and “the Spot” shirts  They even sang a few songs for us, I broke into tears when they sang “This Is The Day The Lord Has Made”.

Palm Valley, these are our kids. We are their sole means of support. What a privilege to come alongside Pastor Luke and his team to provide for, encourage, and resource these children.  Thanks for being a giving church; it’s your faithful giving each week that allows us to help these kids know how much Jesus loves them!

Here’s a few pics before I get on the plane, only two more flights to get home…

Train A Child

During our current series on parenting, I’ve been challenging parents to have the big picture in mind, and parent from vision, not reaction. In the book of Proverbs we’re given 7 key areas to train our children in…

1) Train them to manage God’s money. (Prov. 3:9-10)

2) Train them to carefully select friends. (Prov. 13:20)

3) Train them to watch their words. (Prov. 4:24)

4) Train them to be responsible. (Prov. 6:6-8)

5) Train them to guard their minds. (Prov. 23:7)

6) Train them to be generous. (Prov. 11: 25)

7) Train them to fear God. (Prov. 1:7)

I think this provides a great reference point for parents.  I’m praying for you!

Haiti Bound

I’m getting crazy excited about heading back to Haiti next week.  After services on Sunday, August 29th, Mark Grochocki, our Pastor of Care and Missions, will be flying down to Miami and then Haiti.  Our focus will be touring orphanages in Port Au Prince with our new missions partner, C3 Global.

I’m most excited about spending some time with the orphans and leaders at our orphanage in Petionville.  We have 46 kids being housed, fed and educated, completely supported by Palm Valley Church. Our prayer is that out of this orphanage we will launch a church to impact Haiti. We will get tons of pictures and video to introduce PVC to our kids.

As we tour other orphanages we will see the impact C3 churches are having together, and we will also be scouting for our next orphanage to adopt.

So please pray for safe travel and discernment of opportunities. PVC, this is our giving at work!

Ministry Opportunity

Hey PVC’ers, now that we’ve got our own building, we’ve got even greater responsibility. One of the ways you can take ownerhship and “be the church” is by joining the landscape team to help us give the best 1st impression possible to our community…

You can come help this Saturday, August 21st at 7:00 am.  Bring leather gloves and a leaf rake (if you have one).  The team will work for 1-2 hours.  For more info email Aday@palmvalley.org

Future opportunities…

September 18 @ 7:00 AM
October 16 @ 7:00 AM
November 20 @ 7:00 AM
December 18 @ 7:00 Am

Happy Birthday To My Bride

18 years ago I met my future bride at a prayer meeting. What better place to meet your bride, right?  I knew from the moment I saw her that she was unique, not only beautiful on the outside (she is), but on the inside also. For the next few months I pursued her, and she ignored me. After a while though, she got tired of rejecting me, and we began to spend time together

In those early days I knew this was the women for me. She was stunning, loved the Lord with all her heart, and radiated kindness and love. She was everything I was looking for, and as I would discover over the years, so much more.

After a year of dating we were married, officially making me the luckiest man on the planet.  Life sped up, ministry happened, and we started adding kids to the mix. We started a church together and have experienced incredible blessings in our marriage, family, and ministry.

Today, Lori celebrates her birthday. I celebrate that she was born, and that God brought her into my life.  After 17 years of marriage, I simply enjoy her more every day. She’s more beautiful than the day I met her. She’s grown so much in the Lord and her ministry skill, she has no clue how much her spiritual maturity encourages those around her. She’s given me 4 incredible children and nurtured them in every way; she’s an awesome mom! She’s my partner in ministry and is a huge reason why Palm Valley Church is what it is today.  Her patience, strength and grace have helped me weather some huge storms in ministry; without her I doubt I would have made it.

So today I celebrate my bride, Lori. I love you honey, and pray that today and every day you will know how much you mean to me. I pray that God will bless you with everything your heart desires, because I know that your desires are wrapped in your identity and mission in Christ. I look forward to the days we have ahead and thank you for choosing to walk them with me. Happy Birthday!!

Israel 2010

I spent some time today thinking about, planning, and just plain getting excited about our trip to Israel and Rome this November/December. This will be our third trip, leading a group mostly from Palm Valley, but is open to others. I love going to the Holy Land, and it’s such a joy to help others experience it for the first time. if you’re interested in joining us, email pastorgreg@palmvalley.org and we’ll get you all the information you need.

Some personal highlights that I always look forward to…

• boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Untouched, just as Jesus saw it.
• Ceasarea Philippi, ancient pagan worship site where Jesus promised to build His church
• Caesarea Maritima, roman port city, you can stand on the exact spot where Paul preached in chains.
• Mt. Carmel, where Elijah called fire from heaven, looking over valley of Megiddo (where Armegeddon will happen)
• Dead Sea, lowest point on earth, site of Sodom
• Masada, mountain fortress where Jews hid during revolt of 72 ad.
• Qumran, caves where Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered (incredible proof of reliability of the Bible)
• Mount of Olives, love standing where Jesus ascended to heaven from and looking across at Temple mount.
• Rabbi Tunnel — going underground, standing 10 feet from the “holy of holies”, the dwelling place of God!
• Temple Institute — watching end times prophecy fulfilled is always amazing.
• Temple Mount — Abraham, David, Jesus have all stood there. Most controversial piece of real estate on the planet.
• Garden Tomb — it’s still empty , love doing communion there.

Overall, I just love the sites, the sense of history everywhere you turn, the interaction with Jews and Palestinians who can be so welcoming, it’s the trip of a lifetime!!!  If you can make it, join us in Israel this November.  If you’re a Senior Pastor and want to go, contact me, I would love to help you make this trip.

After going to Israel you will never read the Bible the same again, it will be alive like you’ve never experienced!

New Believer Book – Follow Me

Paul Lewis, Pastor to New Believers here at Palm Valley Church did a great job writing a book for new believers. You can take a look at it here: Follow Me.

Loving Life Change

Somebody asked me the other day what I enjoy most about leading Palm Valley Church. It didn’t take me long to respond, “the amount of life change I get to experience”. You see, I love ministry because on a weekly basis I get to watch people’s lives changed by God. People moving from bondage in sin to freedom in Christ. People who are headed for divorce seeing unity restored by Christ. Teens who are hurting finding hope and purpose in a relationship with Jesus. I could go on and on…

I’m thankful for a church full of people who “get it”. Thanks PVC for fighting the urge to make it about us, and keeping it “about Him”. Thanks for paving the way for others to find Christ, reaching out and inviting them, serving them, sacrificing for them; so that they might be filled with hope and life through Christ!

Over the last two months we have seen an exponential wave of life change. There’s a line after every service at the Fresh Start table of people who have just received Jesus as their Savior. Thanks for discipling them and helping them grow, for being a church where “they” can come and feel welcomed. I believe God has much greater things in store for us in the coming weeks and months, lots of life-change!

Coming This Weekend @ PVC

Looking forward to another great weekend at PVC check out what’s coming up:

When Staff Leaves (an addendum)

I failed to mention in my previous post three other possible reasons for departure. These are more valid reasons why staff might leave, and gives a bigger picture of the array of reasons...

Economic Realities — As a church we are constantly dealing with economic realities, which can provide for staff growth, but can sometimes determine that we cut back on staff.  As we entered the building program earlier this year, we looked at the finances and determined we needed to eliminate a few positions.  This was a hard process in that we were forced to let go of some great people, but it also allowed us to re-purpose funds into the building program.  On other occasions pastoral staff have received more lucrative offers with another church or non-church job.  I fully understand and support staff members who accept such an offer.

Leaving the Ministry — I feel called to serve as the Pastor of Palm Valley Church for the rest of my life.  Not everyone, rightfully so, shares that calling.  Some staff have served faithfully during their time but feel led to leave a church job and go into another line or work. Again, I understand and support a staff member who feels led to make this decision.

Change In Structure — As a growing, changing church, sometimes a staff position that was vital in the past will no longer be necessary. As we grow and learn we often change structure, communication process and even seasons of focus. We staff accordingly.  It doesn’t mean the staff member wasn’t doing a great job, or that they can’t be on staff in the future, there’s just seasons where we need certain positions and those when we don’t.  As those who will answer for the finances of the church, it’s important we continually evaluate and ensure we’re investing resources for the greatest return.