Otterbein Church

Sunday's Service - November 2, 2008

On Sunday, I am going to wrap up the IN GOD WE TRUST sermon series with a message entitled IN GOD WE TRUST WHEN OUR PERSONAL WORLD IS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. Everyone ultimately goes through times in life when it feels like their whole personal world has been turned upside down.  Maybe it is when we or someone we love faces a serious illness.  Maybe it is when we have been betrayed by someone we thought loved us and cared about us.  Maybe it is the death of a loved one.  Whatever it is, we feel like it couldn't get much worse and we wonder where God is at in the middle of what we are facing.

On Sunday, we are going to look at 4 Biblical truths that I believe are important for us to consider during those hard times in life.  We will look at scriptures in Job as well as some other scriptures that I believe help us get a good perspective about hard times.  If you haven't ever read through the book of Job, I encourage you to do so before Sunday's service.

Sunday's service will include a powerful video that I believe you will find moving and helpful in our understanding about how God wants us to view him when times are tough.  We will introduce our new Associate Pastor (Dirk Small) and his wife Julie on Sunday.  We will also celebrate the Lord's Supper and our music ministry will lead us in a great time of worship.  The service is full, but I believe it is going to be a great service and I hope you will be able to join us.  It will also be a great Sunday to invite a friend to join you.

Please pray for God to pour out His spirit on all that we do this weekend -- especially Sunday's service.

Until Sunday, have a great weekend.  Don't forget to "fall back" your clocks on Saturday evening.

Mike

Sunday's Service - October 26, 2008

On Sunday, we are going to continue the sermon series IN GOD WE TRUST that I begain last Sunday.  This Sunday, we are going to talk about politics and the upcoming elections.  Here is whay I believe....the day after the elections, there will be a lot of people (regardless of who get's elected) that will think the wrong person got elected and they will wonder how we will ever survive as a nation.  While there may be hard days ahead for our country, the good news is that God is still God and will still be in control no matter who is elected.  On Sunday, that is one of the things we are going to dig into a little deeper -- God's role and relationship to government.

We are also going to talk about what the Bible says our role should be in government along with some of the qualitifications we should look for in a leader.  My hope is that you will find the message encouraging, practical, and helpful as we approach the upcoming election.

Dave and our music ministry team will lead us in a meaningful time of worship.  We are also going to focus on the Operation Christmas Child project we are dling as a church.  I hope you will be able to join us.  Invite a guest to attend with you -- it will be a good week for guests.

See you on Sunday.

Mike

Sunday's Service - October 5, 2008

On Sunday, October 5, we are going to wrap up the CHANGE U sermon series with a message entitled REPACKAGING YOUR LIFE.  If you have been present during the past few weeks, you know we have been talking about how God wants us to experience spiritual growth and change throughout our lives.  We have talked about some of the barriers to spiritual growth and last week we talked about the importance of having Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and others help us in our quest to experience growth and change.

This Sunday, I am going to share four additional things that are important for us to consider if we are going to experience spiritual growth and change in our lives.  We will get really practical as we talk and I believe you will be encouraged to see how everyone of us can do the things we are going to talk about on Sunday. Sunday's service will include the Lord's supper and Dave Besecker and our music ministry will lead us in a meaningful time of worship.  It will be a great week to invite a friend to join you.

Please pray for God to work in our lives in a powerful way on Sunday.  Pray that everyone who attends will have an open heart and mind to whatever God wants to say.  I also want to encourage you to pray for God's guidance and direction for all of our volunteer team as they finalize their preparations for Sunday.

Until then, have a great weekend.

Mike

Sunday's Service - September 28

On Sunday, September 28, we are going to continue the CHANGE U sermon series we started two weeks ago.  This Sunday, the message is entitled One is the Loneliest Number.

If you were with us last Sunday, you know we talked about six common barriers that often get in the way of people experiencing spiritual growth and change in their lives.  This week, we are going to begin to look at some of the things we can do and need to keep in mind if we want to overcome the barriers and experience growth and change.  Sunday's message will help us see the importance of having others help us on our spiritual journey.  I believe you will find the message helpful and very practical as we think about what we need to do to experience spiritual growth and change.

Sunday's service will also include a meaningful time of worship led by Dave Besecker and our music ministry team.  I hope you will be able to join us.  It will also be a great week to invite a friend to attend with you.

Until then, stay dry and have a great weekend!

Mike

Sunday's Service - September 21, 2008

On Sunday, I will continue the sermon series CHANGE U with a message entitled IDENTIFYING GROWTH BARRIERS.  Last week, we talked about how God wants each of us to grow spiritually and experience change throughout our lives.  Yet, the truth is that many people struggle to have consistant spiritual growth throughout their lives.  On Sunday, we will explore 6 common barriers to spiritual growth and change .  The message on Sunday will help lay the foundation for the next two sermons when we will talk practically about some of the things we can and should do to help accelerate our spiritual growth.

Sunday's service will include a meaningful time of worship led by our music ministry.  I also will be sharing some exciting news about our search for a new Associate Pastor.  It will be a great week to invite a guest to join you.

Please pray for God to do something special in our hearts this week.  Pray God will speak to you and that our worship will be pleasing to God.  Pray for the many volunteers who are finalizing their preparations for Sunday -- pray God would give them wisdom and provide everything they need as they serve on Sunday.

Until then, have a great weekend.

Mike

Sunday's Service - September 14, 2008

Sunday is a BIG day in the life of our church and I hope you will be able to join us.  It is our annual combined worship service which means instead of having three services, we will only have one worship service at 10:00 a.m.  The service will last about 90 minutes and will be followed by our all-church picnic and baptism service.

On Sunday, I am beginning a new sermon series called CHANGE U.  Sunday's message is entitled JESUS ENCOUNTER.  As you look at the Bible and talk to people who live today, one of the things that becomes clear is that a personal encounter with Jesus Christ results in a changed life.  But the change that takes place when we choose to follow Jesus is not an end unto itself.  Rather, the change that we experience when we choose to follow Christ is really just the beginning of a lifetime of spiritual change and growth.  On Sunday, we are going to talk about our personal spiritual growth and change and what God desires for each of us.  We will also talk about the role the church needs to play in our spiritual growth and change.

During Sunday's service, our adult choir and praise team will lead us in a meaningful time of worship.  We will visit with two of our missionaries - Miriam Prabhakar from India and Nancy Derrick who works with Joyel Ministries.  We will hear testimonies of God's faithfulness and changed lives.  It will be a great service and I hope you will be able to join us.

The service will be held in the Otterbein Ministry Center gym.  Children's ministry programs will be available (we encourage you to take advantage of them) for children up through grade 5.  Click here to check out the locations if you are not sure where you children need to go. Middle and High School students will join us in the gym for the worship service.

We hope you will also stay for the lunch and baptism service that will follow.  The only thing you might want to bring with you is a lawn chair if you have one.

We hope to see you on Sunday.  Please pray for God to pour out His Spirit on all that we do on Sunday.

Mike

Sunday's Service - September 7, 2008

On Sunday, we are going to wrap up the GOD CAN when MAN CAN'T sermon series.  This week, we are going to talk about one of those subjects that we don't usually like to talk about much -- Death.  If you think about it, death is really one of those GOD CAN when MAN CAN'T topics.  There is really nothing we can do to overcome death, but God can and does make it possible to overcome death through our relationship with Christ.  On Sunday, we will dig into this a little deeper and learn why we need not fear death and how Jesus helps us to have a different perspective about death.

Sunday's service will include the Lord's Supper in all three worship services.  Dave and the music ministry will also lead us in a meaningful time of worship.  It will be a good week to invite a friend.  I hope you will be able to join us.

I also want to remind you that Sunday is "move up" Sunday for our children as they enter into new grades and age levels.  Click here to get an overview of the different classes and locations on Sunday mornings.  Sunday also begins a new three-month session of Adult Bible Classes.  Click here for an overview of the class offerings and locations.

Lastly, I want to encourage you to pray for Sunday's service.  Pray God will help each of us to hear what He wants us to hear from Him as we gather to worship.  Pray God will pour out His spirit on our church.  And pray for yourself -- pray you will have an open heart and mind to hear from God and respond to Him.

Until then, enjoy the weekend.

Mike

Putting on the Cover

With the frame completed on the Middle School Sprung, today it is time to put on the covering. As of 1:30 p.m. the middle portion was just about covered. Check out the video to get an idea of how it comes together. Download sprung_covering.wmv The video will run in Windows Media Player.

Sprung Progress

Work continues on the sprung.  They should start putting on the outer shell tomorrow.  Please continue to pray for safety for the guys working on the project. 

Thanks

RIck Duesler

Sprung Construction Begins

  The new sprung building was delivered yesterday morning and construction has begun.  As you come down to look at the building and check out the progress i ask that you please be careful.  There will be a lot of activity and I don't want anyone to be injured. 

Thanks

Rick Duesler