40 Days of 365 Days of Kindness

It's Friday and I just got off the phone with some imaginative and exciting people who are collaborating to make this little facebook network/professional page become a movement of kindness. Our own Christmas 365 which launched in December of 2007 has now linked with a group that has over 11,000 friends. We are not only promoting 40 days of love we are looking to renew that movement that was inspired back in the early 90's by the movie "Pay It Forward." What would happen if we carry out acts of love and generosity and kindness 365 days of the year? How many others would we inspire?

This coming Thursday BLC launches the 40 Days of Love Simple Suppers and Small Groups which will be followed up by a Sunday Small Group opportunity. I hope that if you are in LaPorte you will consider joining us for this great 40 Day Love-in and Love-out. We are motivated by the message of the angels to the shepherds, "We bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all people." We need good news that creates great joy. WE also need to BE the good news by our lives and our actions. Join this movement and if you are on Facebook check out the information about the Club http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1075485771#/pages/365-Club/51660762372 (11,000 others are finding ways to share kindness 365 days a year - we are not alone).

40 Days of Love For Christmas 365

Lent is a season to give up and take on. I'm giving up a couple of things, soda and deserts - the second is harder than the first. I'm taking on an extra thirty minutes of prayer time each day. That is the plan. Beyond that I invite you to join me as I blog the journey of Lent. We are doing a program at Bethany called 40 Days of Love. It's a program developed by Saddleback Church but it is offered to help us grow in loving God, loving others, and loving ourselves. Really, life is all about love. If we don't learn that we have missed the whole point. In fact the Bible says that "God is Love." The very essence of Love is what God is.
What is your highest aim in life? Your greatest goal? Complete this sentence...My major life goal is ... How would you finish that sentence. What I suggest God's guidance would be is to love. Love God, love people, and love yourself. Jesus suggested that it wasn't just to love those who love you. As he said, "Even the pagans do that." Our aim is also to love the unloveable. Where do we begin. That is the invitation to you. Join me on the Podcast, which you can download, stop by the blog, and if you can come to be with us at Bethany we meet on Thursdays at 5:30PM for a Simple Supper, 6:00PM for a DVD presentation, and a small group time after that. If you miss Thursday join us Sunday Morning in the ARC at BLC during the 9:15AM hour for the DVD and small group time.
In addition to this we will include the study on the blog if you want to listen to the Podcast and read over the notes from our discussion. I'm excited about this Lenten study. If you live in LaPorte check out our billboard on Pine Lake Ave. as you drive south (right by Anderson Automotive and Philipps 66). We are excited about what our 365 Team will be cooking up in the near future too. Have a great day.

Christmas 365

Dear Friends of the Bethany Blogosphere,

Winter is not quite over and I fear that even with cross country skis the attempt to keep Christmas alive may fade as spring looms on the horizon. Don't let it happen. The "Spirit of Christmas" is the "Good News of great joy which will be for all people." We need good news desperately and what a great opportunity is just within sight. Forty Days of Love is coming!

Forty Days of encouraging one another to love God and each other. Forty days to focus on loving those around us for the sake of Christ. I'm looking for some folks who will step up and help shape what Christmas 365 will look like and what ideas can inspire us. Do you want to be a part of that?

It all starts February 25th with Ash Wednesday services at 4:30PM and 7:00PM. We are going to talk about what love can do. We are also working on an amazing idea that could raise $30,000 to $40,000 for Habitat for Humanity and be a phenomenal Christmas present to the community. Watch for the information on this and how you can be a part of it. I was recently a part of a national conference call discussing 365 Club. There are over 11,000 members of that group now on Facebook. We are looking for ways to inspire people towards acts of generosity and kindness all year long. Check it out and watch for information coming out on this.

Don't forget to sign up NOW for Forty Days of Love. You can sign up online right now by email at contact@bethanylaporte.org or use our contact page on the web site and indicate you want to be a part of a group. Leave your email or phone and someone will contact you.

Stay Well - Seize the Day,

Pastor Denny