November 9th, 2009
You may notice that the Riverbend youth are out and about in the local community. They have committed to a program we are calling “Making Every Monday Matter!” We will be taking one day a week, not necessary a Monday, and using that time to serve others in the name of Jesus! This past weekend and next weekend as well they are going to be collecting canned goods for the Tecumseh Soup Kitchen. After that they will help prepare and serve the food they have collected. Will you join us in making Every Monday Matter? Will you take up the challenge to serve others with no thought of thanks for yourself… Then join us! Together we can make a difference in Tecumseh!
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April 14th, 2009
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February 19th, 2009
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Hey one and all. I just wanted to let you know that there is a great show going on at the Lenawee Christian center tonight. Jared Hall is a super Illusionist; here is a web address and youtube link for him. www.Jaredhall.com , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCGPShCfi34
I know this is late notice but it sure looks like fun.
Andy
Date/Time: Thursday February 19, 2009 Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm Location: Lenawee Christian Center Adrian, MI
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November 25th, 2008
I received an e-mail this recently and as Thanksgiving is almost upon us I thought I would share it with you as you might have similar questions…
Quote, “Hi Andy I have a couple of spiritual questions for you. 1. If I have said grace before eating a meal, do I need to ask a second blessing for the leftovers? 2. Is there any advantage in eating twice blessed food?
Thanks,
“John Doe”
1. Yes! You must say grace for leftovers, but it can be a much shorter prayer, because this food has already been blessed and we do not want to waste the time of the Almighty with unnecessary busy work but he still likes his props. However if in the original prayer the phrase, “Thank You Lord for this food we are about to eat (or some variation there of)” was uttered, the only food blessed was the food you actually consumed! Therefore, a totally new prayer of substantial length must be offered. Just as an aside in my opinion if the food was indeed blessed the first time then the prayer should begin “Lord, please re-bless this food…” so as to alert the Almighty that He has already done this once and His full attention is not required, only a cursory blessing is necessary. (More ceremonial than formal if you will.)
2. The advantage of twice blessed food is still suspect in my mind. Assuming that all of the afore mentioned issues have been properly addressed you are either eating once blessed food or food that has been blessed a second time in a cursory manor. I can find no advantage in that. If there were, we could get into a never ending loop of multiple blessings for every meal…The food would get cold, and God does NOT want us eating cold pasta.
Just my opinion… Take it for what it’s worth…
Send any other important spiritual question to andy@Riverbendfriends.com
Happy Thanksgiving From your family at Riverbend Church.
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October 9th, 2008
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I am fat. A simple and true statement about myself. I have 46% body fat today and I should be at about 25%. I am also the church planter at Riverbend Church. Another simple and true statement about myself. So why do I take time to point these two things out? Because I am a big believer in the power of positive change. 2 weeks ago I challenged my Church… For every pound of weight I lose, they owe me a new person on Sunday morning. I get the benefit of better health, they get a visual reminder that change can be a good thing. My goal is to lose 100 lbs. My question is this… Will I see a corresponding increase in my congregation????
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October 6th, 2008
“I am going to take God at his word and see what happens!”
Perry Hayden, September 22, 1940
A simple statement to be sure, but how many of us have ever dared dream such a thing? That statement put a spark into a man, a church, a city , a state and a world in less than 7 years. God was honored and lives were changed. When Mr. Hayden heard Clifton Robinson speak on John 12, “unless a kernel of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it dies it brings forth much fruit.” he was moved by the spirit of God to do something wonderful. He simply asked ; If a single kernel of wheat will bring forth much fruit, “How much fruit?”
I now shoulder the responsibility of shepherding the very same church that once housed the men and women who took God at his word and rocked the world. We are a very different Church now in some ways… We are smaller, weaker and in some ways we lack the spark of that former generation. We have experienced some very tough times, indeed we have died. Like that kernel of wheat, however we hope to give life to much fruit in the future. Now like then, the question must be asked… “How much fruit?” Could we, like our forefathers, impact a life, a church, a city, a state, and a world in less than seven years? I am claiming for myself the words of Perry Hayden in response to the promises of God and today proclaim… “I am going to take God at His word and see what happens!”
In recognition of this, we are going to start anew the “Dynamic Kernels” experiment. Our goal, like that of Mr. Hayden, is to inspire people to a renewed sense of what God can do in their lives. To tithe not only their money but their entire life to God’s service. In one sense we began the experiment last July when I first arrived at Tecumseh Evangelical Friends Church. We have accepted that our church had failed and needed to be reborn. Knowing that God’s Church can never fail, we are now launching Riverbend Friends Church into it’s next 170 years of ministry.
To that end I would like to personally invite you to our ceremonial “First Planting” as we reseed the “World’s Smallest Wheat Field” on Sunday November the 23rd. Please consider joining us at 10:45, November 23rd, for I believe God is ready to do something wonderful here in Tecumseh again. I am trusting that God will start a new revival in our land and we will bring further honor and glory to His name.
I remain your faithful servant and co-laborer for Christ,
Andy
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September 16th, 2008
Why parents struggle…They don’t understand the concept of ONE…
by Andy Albertini
In my work as a pastor I am often asked to help families. In that vein I have assembled a list of seven things that any anyone can do today to help them go from consistent under achiever parent to rock star Dad and Mom, and it all revolves around the concept of just one more…
1. Just one more touch every day. One extra touch a day equals 365 touches in a year. As our kids get older it is natural for them to feel… Odd? about physical contact with Mom or Dad. But that is no reason to give up on the important Spiritual connection that an appropriate touch can provide in our families. A brush on the head as they head out the door, or a knuckle bump with your son will suffice. Touch is a powerful thing and will go a long way to helping you stay connected to your kids.
2. Spend one day per week investing in family. Attend a local play, go for a walk, take a class at the local community college together or schedule a weekly family fun night. In truth the majority of families out in the wide world do not develop their sense of belonging together, if you do… You will find your relationships getting much closer. Communication gets easier with practice.
3. Read one book every month. Just 5 books on any one subject will make you an expert in most peoples eyes. Expanding your knowledge will help you become more successful. Read books related to your kids interests. Or read a book that will give you a better idea how to communicate with your kid. You may be somebody’s parent, but your kid probably isn’t. Learn their language and understand their problems. Try to remember what it was like…
4. Ask one more question. In a tense situation, before you start barfing everything you ever heard your parents say to you on the shoes of your kid, ask her one more question. This question might give you the additional insight you need to more effectively understand her problem. So much the better if you already speak her language and understand her concerns.
5. Pause for one more moment. Allow yourself 3-4 heartbeats between sentences. It will seem like a lot to you but it allows you to control the pace of the conversation. Allow your brain and the brain of your kid process what you just said.
6. Eat one more meal. Schedule a FAMILY breakfast or lunch with your kid if his schedule or yours prevents you from having dinner together. But instead of trying to tell them something, focus on listening and offering solutions that do not include unnecessary bias ( IE my Dad would never have let my hair look like that! ) and your kid will begin to see you more as a ally rather than a obstacle.
7. Send one more card. Very few parents make the effort to write to their kids. You can stand out in your kids mind by sending handwritten notes your kids telling them you love them. You can also send a note when you see doing something right without being told (a powerful reinforcement). The power of a note sent in love is worth MY 300lb weight in gold!
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September 11th, 2008
My name is Andy. I am the pastor of a Church called Riverbend located in South East Michigan and I am the Ragamuffin Blogger. The story of Riverbend is not all that uncommon. We are a Church that died. Plain and simple, we gave up on our community and in turn our community gave up on us. In it’s prime, under a different name, and at a different time we ran almost 500 people. That was a long time ago… Now we are going to begin again. I hope to use this blog to detail our long journey for the dregs to the mountain top. I have no illusions that it is I who will lead this effort. God is and always will be the leader here. I am simply a beggar on a journey. A ragamuffin, if you will. A man who knows that he is unworthy but has been invited to sit at the King’s table anyway. You may also be on a spiritual journey, if so I invite you to come along.
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