A Next Chapter at Northview - Part 2

So, just yesterday I posted a blog with concerns about how welcoming the new auditorium would be at Northview.....after services this weekend, I think I'm past that!  It was an amazing opening weekend filled with great music, great worship, and a great message.  Facebook has been buzzing with pictures and videos and I've certainly contributed a few of my own.   

From a technology perspective, I don't know that I have ever been in a place of worship that is as impressive as this new building.  With the creative staff Northview has, I can't wait to see how they use these technical tools to create some special worshiping experiences.  Pastor Poe has repeatedly called this building a new tool for the church to use or perhaps it is the tool box and we within the church are the tools. Either way I am excited to see and be a part of what God has in store for Northview Church.  This weekend has been an amazing first step in our next chapter.

I'll repeat what I said yesterday, if you're looking for a church home in Central Indiana, Northview is definitely worth considering! http://www.northviewchurch.us

A Next Chapter at Northview

This past week's sermon at church was the last service in the current auditorium.  This weekend we move into our new building.  I've been fortunate to see the new auditorium and it is REALLY amazing, so I am excited for the next chapter for our church.

As Pastor Poe acknowledged in his message last week, change is often difficult for many people and I expect this new space will be an adjustment for many.  Our family is excited for the change, but I wonder if we would be attending Northview and have made all the wonderful connections and friendships we enjoy and value if Northview had this new auditorium three years ago.

In deciding to move to Indiana, we wanted to make sure we found a church home that we could continue to develop and grow in our Christian walk, but also a place where we felt it wasn't so big it would become difficult to meet people and quickly get connected.  We visited a few churches, but we knew in our first visit to Northview that it would be our future home.  The church had all the resources for our family we wanted in a church, but the auditorium wasn't so large and spacious that it felt impersonal or intimidating.  We had visited other churches with similar resources and size, but the auditorium was so big, it just didn't feel like a place we could connect with.  We didn't make any connections with other people during our first visit to Northview, but the space wasn't an issue because the auditorium didn't feel overwhelming and intimidating.

The design of the new auditorium is very well done and I think it is probably the most intimate 2000 seat auditorium I have ever been in, but it is still significantly larger than the previous space and feels like it. So as we move to the larger setting, I think it puts a greater emphasis on the fact that the church is not the building, but the people.  Welcoming visitors and establishing connections will play an even greater role in the future, but what an exciting future!  God is doing some amazing things at Northview!  If you're looking for a church home in central Indiana, it's definitely worth considering.

I'm ready to get LOST!

I've been looking forward to tonight for months! In fact, I may be more excited about tonight than I am Sunday's Superbowl game.  I am a huge fan of the show LOST.  In my opinion, it's on its way to becoming the best drama series of all-time. It certainly won't be the longest running, but it will have its chance to be a complete story without leaving audiences hanging due to an early cancellation and it will wrap-up while still at its peak of popularity.  


So, with only 17 minutes until the Season Premiere begins, let me get a couple things down regarding my own theories about the show. These are just some a few theme that I think will come out this season.  I really have no basis for these ideas other than my own imagination and the conversations I've had with friends and co-workers.  I may be totally off, but part of what makes this series so much fun is trying to figure out what the heck is going on!  So here's a few guesses:

1. The survivors of of Oceanic 815 are caught up in a game and/or duel between higher beings or Gods of some kind.  The statue revealed in last seasons finale was most likely the Egyptian God Sobek who is often credited with being the God of Fertility...we've seen that topic come up a few times in this series. So there is clearly some sort of religion angle.
2. The survivors never make it back "home." That is, they never make it back to their own time and civilization.
3. It's all Daniel Faraday's fault.

I could list a few more and would love to discuss the theories I've heard about the connections to Jacob and Esau from the Bible, but I've run out of time....  I have a feeling this show may be the topic of a few more entries over the coming weeks.

Secrets to Success (not mine, but I like them)

Lately, I have been contemplating the word SUCCESS and what it actually means.  In my professional life, in my personal life, in my personal walk as a Christian.  How do I measure success?  What are the steps I need to follow?  It's not that I don't feel like I am succeeding, but I want to challenge myself more and have been investigating what are some other ways I can measure my progress in all areas of my life. 

I came across this video on Ted.com, a 3 minute presentation by Richard St. John.  I haven't read his book yet, but these three minutes have peaked my curiousity to the point that I just may have to.  It doesn't seem real deep, by first impression, but sometimes it's the simple concepts that make the most sense.  Anyways, I thought it was worth sharing.