Celebration Where there is a celebration, there is honor and value being given. What/who is celebrated, then, is encouraged and enabled to continue and be more productive and fruitful. Without celebration, however, there is an assumption of insignificance and danger of losing the worth that is there. Awards ceremonies are great for company and team morale, motivating and inspiring those with potential to do what it takes to be celebrated. Holidays keep alive historical events that have brought significant impact to life. Christmas, birthdays, and anniversary celebrations maintain and increase the importance of those dates that without celebration may lose their significant blessing in life. Far above the enjoyment of the moment, the balloons, and the cake is the power of a celebration in making for another reason to celebrate. We celebrate today a fifth completed year as New Life Church, a very special group of chosen and appointed members of Christ’s body. In this celebration is elevated honor and value given to the working of God in our hearts and lives throughout this time. What a treasure it has been to serve here in a kingdom service of great significance. God has been faithfully instilling His heart and purpose for each one of us joined together in Him. It is His faithfulness through many challenges and victories that have bound our hearts together in love and eternal worth. With God-directed and empowered purpose yet before us, how essential it is to recognize and celebrate just how incredible His working has already been. In this celebration is the preparation for so much more of Him, His heart, and its powerful revelation as we serve together here as His temple. Notes CONNECTED AS A TEMPLE FOR THE GLORY’S RESIDENCE The cause - people Nehemiah 1:8-11 8 Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; 9 but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ 10 Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. 11 O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." For I was the king's cupbearer. United through one heart – commitment to the cause. Nehemiah 2:18 18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work. Right in Christ – established forever in Him Nehemiah 2:20 20 So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.” In the celebration – placing of God/His blessings above the world Nehemiah 12:27 27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps. God – all about construction of a dwelling place worthy of its residents 1 Peter 2:5 5 Come and be his “living stones” who are continually being assembled into a sanctuary for God. For now you serve as holy priests, offering up spiritual sacrifices that he readily accepts through Jesus Christ. The celebration of God’s building in us – readiness for so much more. Ephesians 2:19-22 19 Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God’s very own family, citizens of God’s country, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian. 20 What a foundation you stand on now: the apostles and the prophets; and the cornerstone of the building is Jesus Christ himself! 21 We who believe are carefully joined together with Christ as parts of a beautiful, constantly growing temple for God. 22 And you also are joined with him and with each other by the Spirit and are part of this dwelling place of God. Our purpose: To know the heart of God Accepting without judgment Sees/nurtures/celebrates the good Promotes/establishes loyalty to the end Magnifies/promotes excellence over error Our Vision: Imagine NLC… As a family known for gathering and experiencing change that empowers us to reach Liberty Hill and beyond with the heart of God. Our Mission this year: To grow membership connection by 20% in each quarter. Strategies: Worship Word Service Outreach In establishing the treasure of our relationship – secured effective celebration. Nehemiah 8:9-11 9 All the people began sobbing when they heard the commands of the law. Then Ezra the priest, and I as governor, and the Levites who were assisting me said to them, “Don’t cry on such a day as this! For today is a sacred day before the Lord your God— 10 it is a time to celebrate with a hearty meal and to send presents to those in need, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. You must not be dejected and sad!” 11 And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “That’s right! Don’t weep! For this is a day of holy joy, not of sadness.”