August 25, 2019 - Pastor Barry Clair shares the message "Learning to Listen - Part 1" in the series "Conversations on Prayer"

Can I say here at the top of this message that what I had envisioned and felt to begin with was a two week, short little, tiny little series, I've just felt in my spirit that God wants me to keep going on it.  Last Sunday I said that learning to listen may just be the hardest part about prayer, and I really believe that with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength.  This discipline of learning to listen for the voice of God and to the voice of God is probably the hardest part about prayer!

August 18, 2019 - Pastor Barry Clair shares the message "Transactional or Relational? Part 2" in the series "Conversations on Prayer"

Last Sunday I begin a new series called "Conversations on Prayer."  Before I read our Bible text again from the Scripture, I want to remind you of a quote that I opened the message with last week, and I just want to read a part of that quote from the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who in the middle 1800's pastored the largest church in the world.  I've cut the quote down a little bit, just to refresh us on that.  He said, and I quote,

'...If God is near a church, it must pray.  If he is not, one of the obvious signs of His absence will be lethargy in prayer.'

I so believe that statement to the core of my spirit.  As the pastor of this church, I am constantly aware that if we fail as a church to fulfill our God-given mission of going deeper, calling you into a deeper relationship with God, and if we fail to pray, then we fail!

August 11, 2019 - Pastor Barry Clair shares the message "Transactional or Relational?", the first in the series "Conversations on Prayer"

Today I begin a new series of messages call "Conversations on Prayer."  Before I read our Bible text today, let me quote the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who in the middle 1800's pastored the largest church in the world.  And was the first true televangelist with his weekly sermons printed in newspapers around the world.  Charles Haddon Spurgeon said this about prayer, and I quote,

'Prayer is as sure evidence of the presence of God as the rising of the thermometer is evidence of an increase in temperature.  If God is near a church, it must pray.  If he is not, one of the obvious signs of His absence will be lethargy in prayer.'

This quote from one of my biggest hero's of all time convicts me to the core.

August 4, 2019 - Tammy Herzig shares the message "Stuck on Repeat"

How many of you have ever said any of these words to yourself?

• "I will never do that again!"
• "I will never procrastinate on a project ever again."
• "Never again will I buy generic toilet paper!"
• "Never will I ever again engage in a political fight on social media."
• "I will never eat at WhiteCastle again."
• And never will I ever again buy another pair of pants that don't have at least a little bit of Spandex in them."

Years ago I heard this quote, and I don't remember who said it or where I heard it, but the quote was, "Wise people learn from their mistakes.  Really wise people learn from other people's mistakes."  
I'd like to say I have always been a really wise person, but the reality is I have had to learn a lot of lessons the really hard way.  So many times in my life, I have gotten stuck on repeat...

July 28, 2019 - Pastor Barry Clair concludes the series "Don't get it Twisted" with the message "All Things Work Together For Good"

In this series, we've been examining verses from the Bible that are often abbreviated, misinterpreted, misunderstood, and then misapplied.  Sadly, the verse we are examining today is one of those whose misunderstanding has made believers into doubters, and disciples into agnostics.  Many believers use this verse as a sort of shield against bad things.  "If you're a Christian," they say, "things ought to go right.  It's normal for things to go right.  God has promised you that everything will go right."  "Come to God," they say, "and all your problems will melt away."  And then when things don't go right, bad thing do happen to them, they become disillusioned and it can shipwreck their faith.