Blog Entries

God at 3:20

jeff@iamwatershed.com — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0100

During our gathering last Sunday, we discussed the pursuit of being present in the moment...being fully aware of what we're doing and where we are. Unlike those times when you've suddenly driven 6 miles and don't know how you did it...mindless driving. We're seeking to be mindful...present to the fact that God is with us in each moment. We talked about not just finding God in the "big" or hard moments, but especially in the everyday moments, like at 3:20 today.

[...]

Summer Fun at the Hipkes' Farm

jeff@iamwatershed.com — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:00:00 +0100

I hope you can join us as we celebrate summer by gathering at the Hipkes' farm (map) this Sunday, June 22. The festivities start at 10am, and go until we're done. We'll have games for the kids and lots of time to hangout and enjoy being together. Please bring meat to grill and a dish to share. Beverages, plates, etc. will be provided. Please contact me if you need a ride to Hipkes.

Sabbath

jeff@iamwatershed.com — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Here are some notes from our discussion about Sabbath on June 8. Thanks, Jeff W. !

Sabbath Notes (PDF)

Why do spiritual practices work?

jeff@iamwatershed.com — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 06:00:00 +0100

The funny thing is, I can't say for sure why thes practices work. I know they work because they have for me, but I'm still confounded by their effectiveness. Maybe it's because the ancient spiritual disciplines cause us to slow down and shut up, something at which most of us are not very good. Maybe it's that there's something mystical and mysterious about these ancient rites...like we're finding a special way to tap into the treasury of the spirit.

But, I think they work because of Jesus. [...]

Henri Nouwen on Spiritual Practices

jeff@iamwatershed.com — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Henri Nouwen said,

In the spiritual life, the word "discipline" means "the effort to create some space in which God can act." Discipline means to prevent everything in your life from being filled up. Discipline means that somewhere you're not occupied, and certainly not preoccupied. In the spiritual life, discipline means to create that space in which something can happen that you hadn't planned or counted on.

The Sacred Way

jeff@iamwatershed.com — Sat, 31 May 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Do you ever wish you could connect with God in a different way? Perhaps find more meaning and significance in your spiritual life? Move beyond empty ritual or mere obligation to a place of sacred joy?

If so, you're not alone. Many of us wrestle with how to connect with God in signficant and meaningful ways. We wonder if there isn't more that we could experience in our life as we follow Jesus. There is a long tradition of searching among the followers of Jesus - it's a quest, really [...]

Mother's Day

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:00:00 +0100

This Sunday (May 11) we're foregoing our usual lunch together in order to celebrate Mother's Day. The consensus from our time last week was that families wanted to have some extra family-time to spend with moms that day. And, if we're honest, it's mostly moms that prepare our lunch meal, and we wanted to give them the day off. Thanks, moms, for giving so generously to us!

So, no lunch together after this Sunday's gathering. We'll do it again the following Sunday.

1 John 2:29-3:10 - Living As Children of God

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Just in time for Mother's Day, we arrive at 1 John 2:29-3:10 for our teaching from Scripture this week. The natural bond between parent and child is reflected in this passage calling us "God's children." This can conjure up many pictures depending on the kind of relationship you have with your parents, but John intends for us to see God's loving desire for us.

Take a look at the passage this week (together with 1 John 5:18-21) and we'll discuss it together at our g [...]

Sunday Lunch at St. Louis Pizza

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Instead of our usual lunch at the EMS center, we’ll be eating lunch together at St. Louis Pizza after the gathering; and we’ve got you covered if cost is a factor. We eat together because it’s a great way to connect with one another and to continue our conversation about the work of God in our lives.

If you can join us, please RSVP in the comments below so we can plan for the appropriate number of people.

Does God really love and forgive me?

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Have you ever wondered if God really loves you?If you are confident that God loves you, have you ever wondered why?Do you ever struggle with doing things your own way instead of God's way (a.k.a. sin) and wish you had greater power to resist and overcome it?Have you ever longed to experience God's forgiveness and love on a more profound level?Do you desire to deepen your love for people and want to discover how to give and receive love more freely?

If you answered YES to any of these question [...]

listening

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:00:00 +0100

We're very interested in discovering more of what God is doing in and through watershed...and we want to hear from you. Watershed is people...so we're asking you to consider where God is leading you personally and how that might then contribute to who we are as watershed. One of our main goals is to help people follow Jesus and discover more of where he is leading them to join in God's work in the world. As you do that it contributes to who we are as a community of people following Jesus toget [...]

...from being alone to community

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:00:00 +0100

This Sunday (3/30), we're wrapping up our look at how Jesus leads us from ___ to ___ with the topic "from being alone to community". What has been your experience with being in community? Have you ever been hurt by community? What does the Bible teach about community? What are the pitfalls, risks, benefits of community?

Easter Sunday Brunch & Gathering

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:00:00 +0100

This Sunday we're gathering to celebrate Easter, and we'll break away from our usual schedule. We'll begin with the 2nd annual Easter egg hunt at 9:00am, followed by brunch. We'll then have a family celebration with kids and adults together at 10am-ish. We'll wrap that up by 11:15.

For the brunch we need:
egg dishescut up fruit trays or saladsrolls, coffee cake, or muffins Please let Lori know through email (lorilovell@charter.net) or phone (205.9618) if you could help pre [...]

What are you leaving behind this Easter?

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Easter is coming, and we'll gather to celebrate together. For the past several weeks we've explored how the story of God in the scriptures is one of leading people from darkness to light, from slavery to freedom. We've discovered how Jesus continues to lead each of us in the same way.

Where is Jesus leading you? What is he calling you to leave behind - and where is he taking you in it's place?

If you will be joining us for our Easter Gathering, please bring something [...]

...from greed to generosity.

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Jesus wants to lead us from greed to generosity.

This week's reading:

Luke 12:13-34Malachi 3:6-12

Easter is coming...

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Last week we saw how Jesus is the new Moses ...he came to lead us out of the land of slavery and into a new kingdom where we are free to join God in his work in the world.

I believe that God is still leading people from the Egypt of sin and into a new life in his Kingdom. Christ calls us to follow him as he leads us out. Where is he leading you? What is he asking you to leave behind so that he can take you to freedom? Is it anger, control, debt, a bad habit, selfishness?

On Ea [...]

L-team - listening, learning, living & leading together

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Watershed is people. We're not an organization with it's own agenda, but a community of people seeking to faithfully follow Christ. At watershed, we value the contribution of every person connected to our church family. We seek to embody the belief that each person is a gift that brings to the whole unique perspectives and contributions that help the church to discern and be faithful to God's work in their midst. As each person pursues their God-given dreams and abilities, we become more [...]

...from perfection to grace.

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 06:00:00 +0100

Jesus leads us out from perfection to grace.

This week's reading: Hosea 1-3

Jesus leads us out

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:00:00 +0100

The Bible tells us the story of God...a god who wants to be with people and invites them to join in his work. As followers of Christ, we are seeking to understand this story and find our place in it.

While the Old Testament (OT) of the Bible often gets a bad rap, I'm convinced that the God of the OT is the same God we can know today, and that the people we read about in the OT face the same kinds of struggles and joys that we face today. The story of God and people in the OT has much [...]

Questions: Who are we as followers of Jesus?

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 06:00:00 +0100

This week we're exploring the question, "Who are we as followers of Jesus?"

What does it mean to be members of his kingdom?How does God see us in Christ?How does that affect how we see ourselves?How does that affect how we see others?

What do we learn from the Scriptures about these questions? Some things to consider might include who we are in Christ and the "one anothers" of the New Testament...how are we to live with "one another"?