Christ The Rock announces a 40-Day Challenge

Posted by pastor Curt Drexler

“Come Away With Me!”

Sounds like an ad for a fabulous vacation getaway, doesn’t it? God extends this invitation to us every day. But sometimes the noise in our lives keeps us from hearing Him, in fact at times we might even feel dead in the faith that is supposed to make us alive.

God has said through His word that if we “Draw near to Him; He will draw near to us.” He wants us to be in daily relationship with Him! And if we can somehow connect with Him in the way He designed us, our hearts can be transformed forever. We begin to have an eternal impact on the world around us because our perspective and motivation begins to change from “self-centeredness” to being “God and others” centered.

What would it look like to actually come away with Him?

When we’re with Him, the distractions of world begin to fade and we begin to hear His voice more clearly. The very thing we all long for, love and acceptance, happens only when we are in His presence. Our faith begins to come alive!

This month Christ The Rock is inviting everyone to turn a corner in their faith. For 40 days, we’re going on a journey together. A Challenge In The Word is much cheaper than a vacation, and the reward is priceless: a heart that wakes up, comes alive and draws closer to Him than ever before.

The Challenge is to read and journal about a key passage in the Word from February 21^st to Easter.

Ready to get started?

It’s our prayer that your journey into how you experience God will go deeper than simply a weekend experience. We want to explore together what it might be like to change our lifestyle, day by day so that we can actually hear what Christ is already saying to us. So to get started, we invite every teen and adult to purchase a specially-designed companion journal.  You can pick up a hard-copy binder that will not only capture your journey day by day, it will also be a place to keep your sermon notes for each theme over this next year.  These journals will be available for $5 in the lobby starting next weekend.

Children will be encouraged to join the Challenge for one week right before Easter. Special Bible study pages will be available for them for free.

We’ve designed this Challenge to be easy, and we don’t want anything to get in your way. So if you would prefer to get your 40-Day Challenge In The Word delivered to your email at no cost, simply SIGN UP HERE and we’ll email you all the Challenge materials you’ll need for free.

(You may have to create an online login account for our system).

Calling all Junior High Students:

ICEBLAST 2010 Feb. 5 – 7!

By Bee Vang

Jr Highers (6-8th grade) to join us for this year’s Winter Retreat!

Where

Fort Wilderness near Rhinelander, WI. From conversations in the Coffee Shop, high fives on the broomball courts, screams on the tubing run, skating on the ice, quiet times on the ski trails, or horseback rides through snow-covered forests, Fort Wilderness is a place to connect with God and people. The Fort Staff is ready and able to provide quality speakers, music, storytelling, and life stories to encourage and challenge campers of all ages!

What

This year Iceblast 2010 is going to be looking at the Heroes of our faith! With guest speaker Michael Lane, we’ll be learning about the life of King Josiah who, though he was young, was able to do great things for God. Students will be challenged to understand how God has fashioned them to use their lives to be a Hero for Him! Come and join us for the weekend of a lifetime!

What to Bring

LOTS of warm winter clothes! Outside activities abound so be sure to bring snowpants, mittens/gloves, hat, scarf, warm coat, boots & warm socks, etc. Other items to bring include sleeping bag and pillow, your Bible, notebook, pen, snacks, spending money for canteen and McDonald’s, snow equipment (if you didn’t get that already), a warm and teachable heart and mind…..maybe a friend or two!

Cost

$100 per person, which includes lodging, food, and transportation.

Scholarships applications and fundraising are available to make it affordable!  SIGN UP HERE

Help for Haiti

We are incredibly thankful that the eight CTR members who are living in Haiti are safe. Kris and Lori Schneider along with their five children and Rachel Lamb were able to send word via Facebook letting us know that there was very little impact from the quake felt in Hinche.

If you want to know how you can help send immediate aid to those suffering in the earthquake aftermath in Haiti, check out the Haiti Releif Fund information over on our Global blog.

Christ In The Workplace Business Breakfast

This Saturday morning, come to Christ The Rock with an empty tummy and a hunger for learning about how to reflect Christ in your workplace. Hosted by Crossroads Career Network, the Christ In The Workplace Business Breakfast features a lively presentation and discussion about His Kingdom where you work.

The event begins at 7:45 a.m. with a continental breakfast, and ends at about 9:30. Tickets are just $5 at the door. Visit our Web site for more information.

Ladies, get ready for Comedy Club Night!

Looks like CTR Sisterhood is getting ready to tickle your funnybone. As the women get ready to kick off their 2010 season, they’ve invited Chicago native commedienne Michelle Krajecki to start the year off with a few laughs. Invite your friends to this great night of fellowship and fun on Tuesday January 19. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are just $5. Want to skip the lines? Register online here.

“Flames of Faith”

A story by Rita Meyer, Kaukauna

February 2009

The recent arrival of winter here in Wisconsin brings back the memory of our tragic loss last winter.  As I recall the early onset of the brutal winter, the holidays had already come and gone and we had just began the month of February, 2009. The weather had continued very cold and we were burning wood in our newly-installed wood burning insert morning till night. All seemed well as we settled in to last another long cold Wisconsin winter.

Responding to a shaken world

Posted by Curt Drexler, Campus Executive Director

As I write this it’s gently snowing outside my window – it looks a like a snow globe after you’ve shaken it… It’s reminding me of the many challenges and triumphs of this past year. Through it all, I have never seen the people of Christ The Rock respond more unselfishly to a world that has been shaken than you have!

We started the year with a challenge to feed the hungry – and you responded with food. In the spring we asked you to consider serving those in need – and you responded with your time. This summer you raised your hand and turned an ordinary auction into a life saving response by responding with your wallet. You have remained faithful despite economic circumstances that have shaken the country and caused many to withdraw in fear… You understand that the hope of the Gospel is most powerful during times of trouble – you also understand that we cannot meet all the physical needs of a crying world, but we can (and must) offer the only answer that will bring real change to the human condition!

In a time such as this, you have responded to some of the deepest questions that have resounded throughout the ages from His Word:

Men’s “No Regrets” conference to be hosted by CTR

Tickets will go on sale October 30 for the No Regrets Conference, but instead of driving all the way down to Milwaukee- area’s Elmbrook Church for the event you can see it right here at Christ The Rock in February 2010.

Check out the Web site by clicking on the photo, and be sure to watch Pastor Bill’s video:

Why tell you now about a conference that doesn’t happen until February? Because men from all over the state of Wisconsin attend, and tickets typically go fast. As one of four sites (three simulcast sites and host site Elmbrook), Christ The Rock’s sanctuary is expected to be filled to capacity.

New Places to Hang Out and Visit!

Posted by Kathy Carriveau

Have you noticed some changes in the lobby? A little bit of paint, a little wood, some empty spaces? All these small changes will soon make a big difference as we bring in the finishing touches with new seating areas and wall displays in the lobby.

Thanks to several volunteers who varnished, painted and went up on the lift, the paint colors and wood accents are creating a warmer atmosphere (perfect timing for this season!). We will soon add five café-height tables and stools in a new seating area by the baptistry. Our tech crew will mount some larger monitors there as well so that you can keep up with the services or announcements while you stay and linger with your friends.

By the west entrance, our old counter is gone and you will soon see the “Faith at Home” center where families can find helpful resources.

No Bones about it: Thanksgiving is underway at CTR

Thanksgiving 2008 at Monarch Gardens

These next few weeks will be filled with the mouth-watering aroma of roasting turkeys, baked stuffing and bubbling pies as volunteer crews at CTR start preps for next month’s Thanksgiving Meal at Monarch Gardens in Appleton.

You can be a part of it by clicking here!

Here are 15 “Fun Facts” about this annual Reaching Farther tradition:

1. Number of meals served: 3,000
2. Number of those meals delivered to those who are homebound: about half.
3. Number of ministry leaders organizing the volunteers and the event: A team of eight, led by Dave Lemke.
4. Number of servings of turkey, stuffing and potatoes: 6,000. (“We double up those servings because people here in Wisconsin love this food,” Dave Lemke says.)
5. Dave’s favorite job: “I am the chief can opener for the seniors in the 55-Plus group who portion out the cranberries for the home deliveries.”