“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalms 51:12).”

Sometimes, if we take a pause from our busy schedule and we are still and listen intently.  If we search our hearts and our minds, we find that something is missing.  Missing is an intended pureness that is now tainted.  Our hearts and minds struggle with doubts, with fears, and with an emptiness that echoes off the walls of our hearts.  Our hearts know there’s something better, something purer, something that fills the void and that calms the heart with peace and intrinsic joy. 

Somewhere in our past, somewhere in the days, months, or years past we heard some very Good News.  The news was so good, the promise of freedom so grand, and the promises so extraordinary, that we squinted and backed away from its glory.  We backed away, turned and walked away confused and in disbelief.

We filled our lives with all that was available to us.  We did that which felt right, felt good, and brought pleasure.  We lived life to the fullest, but we still, deep down inside felt empty, and utterly alone, so very alone. 

But we kept up appearances for appearance sake and after a while we lost ourselves in our own deception. The crowd we associated with were much like us and when those relationships were stressed, we hurt each other with words and actions.  Over time the relational scars and guilt criss-crossed the surface of our heart making it cold, callused, and hard.

Then, unexpectedly the brilliance of that Good News shines upon us once again.  Our knees are weak as we want to turn and run but something burns within us, something deep within our heart calls for, longs for, the saving love of Jesus Christ.  We think ’could this be true?’  ‘Could this be what my heart so desires?’  So, with hope, with faith we call on Jesus and ask for his forgiveness and turn our hearts over to him.

We find that our hearts melt in the presence of his love.  Our hearts glow in peace and in joy that we’ve never tasted.  We worship for it’s right; we worship for it’s true, we worship from a heart bursting-full and free. 

Is your heart free?  Can you remember your first love? (Rev. 2:4)  Can you remember the peace, the joy, the unrehearsed worship, and the unburdened heart?  Remember that first love, savor those moments, cherish your first taste of joy.  Turn from the practices of do’s and don’ts religiosity and return to him... return to love.  The love of Christ.

Sandra S. Walraven
January 25, 1944-June 24, 2009

On Monday, June 29, 2009, we sat alone in a crowded sanctuary as we wept our final goodbyes to our mother, our sister, and friend: Sandra S. Walraven. The memories of her life and legacy will forever live on in our hearts and minds as we struggle to make it through the coming months and years without the grace of her presence. On June 29, 2009, we wrestled with our emotions and frustrations and in a small way tried to accept the fact that we were there not only to say we love you, but we will forever miss you. On June 29, 2009 we sit not only in a sanctuary full of friends and the family who Sandra was able to reach out and touch in a most profound way. We sat and caught a small glimpse of Sandra’s room were her crutches that in some way, big or small, carried her through her best of times and worst of times; the family and friends that carried here through her childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. A small piece of each pile for each year of her life, and though we tried to be a crutch to Sandra through her hardest days, it is without a doubt that she too was our crutch in so many ways. Her courage showed us how to stand and face life with each new day and live it as though it is in fact our last. Her drive and determination showed us that no matter how hard life can get there is still hope at the end of the day, and in her faith, showed us what it takes to believe in something we may not always see or someone we may not always hear. On June 29, 2009, she showed us not only her room, but a little of her heart.

I leave you with a quote. “Born unto this world we are left crying while everyone around us is smiling. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, you are the one smiling and everyone around you is left crying.” It can be with only great wonderment that with the tears that have fallen to this day and the tears that will continue to fall in the weeks, months, and years to come. Sandra is now, and will forever be ,smiling down on us from heaven above.

Excerpt from “The Crutch” by, Jacob Trevino

 
Gone From My Sight

I am standing upon the seashore.

A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.

I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone”

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all.

She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she let my side

And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.

And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”

And that is dying...

  -Henry Van Dyke

A spaghetti dinner with a carnival and dance will be held for the Kltizke family to help defray medical expenses incurred when Mr. Kimm Klitzke suffered a stroke; the family has no medical insurance. The event will be held at First Christian Church, 219 West 27th Street.  The evening will include dinner, dance, raffles, drawings, and auctions.

The evening will start at 5 p.m. with the dinner being served until 7 p.m. The kids’ carnival will begin at 7 p.m. and will end at 9 p.m. The dance begins at 9 p.m. and ends at 11 p.m. The cost for the DINNER is $10 a person 13 and older and $6 for children 6 to 12. If you would like to attend only the dance the cost is $2.00. For more information contact, Pam 637-4591, Mikie 631-5939, or Cathy 634-7776.

DONATIONS NEEDED:
· Bicycles/bike parts/bike racks/bike locks
· Cash for day-to-day operating costs
· Cash for day care remodel
· Clothing racks for both clothing closets
· Flag - large outdoor, all weather flag for flag pole at 4700 Ocean Loop
· Lumber and other construction materials
· Paint - both indoor and outdoor
· Patio heater
· Plants, flowers for garden
· Security Cameras
· Storage sheds
· Trees

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED to work a shift on Saturdays in the Welcome Mat. Also volunteers are need to teach a variety of classes for those coming in to the Welcome Mat Day Center.

For the summer the Look Your Best Clothing Closet will be open, at 4700 Ocean Loop, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., Monday Through Friday.  This closet has clothing suitable for professional jobs -- both men and women.   Each person using the closet must sign in, but other than that there are no restrictions or requirements.

For more information contact Virginia at (307) 634-8499.

Stephanie Jones* has a place to call home and to raise her children. “I’m still not use to it, I feel proud,” Jones said. “Sometimes it is scary, scary to have a large responsibility, but something we were ready for.”

Jones was able to purchase her first home with the help of the Wyoming Family Home Ownership Program (WYFHOP), established in October of 2007, by Terry Williams. Williams serves as the volunteer Program Manager as his encore career. “This program truly builds community, one family at a time,” said Williams.

Williams created WYFHOP because of his experience of working with the State of Wyoming. “I was challenged with trying to identify a strategy to help families become self sufficient. At the same time I was studying social justice through a program called Just Faith,” said Williams.

The program is targeted toward low to moderate income families who have jobs and are working toward self sufficiency. WYFHOP is a two year commitment and operates through three major components: an award winning education strategy, mentoring with families, along with a disciplined savings plan for the homeownership families.

The homeownership families receive support from community partners providing a hand up with assisting them to achieve homeownership success. “I’m especially proud of the fact that eight local churches are supporting 14 families; they are taking their faith values and practicing social justice,” reflected Williams.

When the two year commitment is over, each family will have around $18-20,000 to put toward a down payment on a home. “I want these families and the children to be my neighbors so we are all one community. So when I play street ball, we are enjoying and strengthening each other and becoming productive citizens while becoming a more caring community,” said Williams.

In Cheyenne, the program has eight families who were a part of the founding class. Of the original eight, Jones was the first family to achieve homeownership through the program. “We are so excited to be in our OWN home, relying on ourselves and making it on our own; we are proud of our self and love it,” said Jones. She has enjoyed moving in and having a place to call her own.

Jones and her family are currently working on decorating and getting started on projects around the house. “We have learned a lot through the classes and meeting the other families,” said Jones.

The program operates fully on volunteer strategy. “100 percent of the support from the faith and business partners goes directly to the account of the homeowner families; there is no administrative charge for program operation,” said Williams.

WYFHOP started a second class in Cheyenne this past April and there are six families who are beginning the process. They are scheduled to move into their homes on April 2011, with some families completing the process earlier.

Soon people will be able to enjoy the benefits of WYFHOP outside of Cheyenne. “In expanding to Laramie we are testing out the integrity of our basic model,” said Williams. Currently they have four faith communities and two business partners who have committed. They are working toward securing the financial support and will begin selecting and training the new homeownership families in July.
“Laramie represents different challenges, because it is not our home base and the cost of housing is 20 percent higher in Laramie and incomes in Laramie are 20 percent less, so we have to take these factors into consideration by adjusting our program so that ten Laramie families will be equally successful,” said Williams.

Williams vision for the program does not stop in Cheyenne and Laramie. He would like to take the program statewide, along with a core staff and community volunteers.

“I’m proud of us being risk takers in trying to develop a home-grown Wyoming product that is beginning to respond to young families,” said Williams. “If Wyoming is to grow and prosper it will be to the success of our young families. WYFHOP is one of the keys to assist them in achieving that success.”

Stephanie Jones’s favorite part of her new home is the backyard. “It is a mess, but I have all of these plans for it; I’m going to fix it up and it is going to be neat,” said Jones. She is proud to have a place to call home and has some advice for the next set of families: “Save your money, work hard, learn from the experienced mothers and keep your goal in mind.”

For more information on WYFHOP please consult their website: www.wyfhop.org.

*Name changed for privacy protection

October 23, 2009, the Cheyenne Civic Center will be alive with Christian Music. Face the Faith 2009 - A Contemporary Christian Music Event celebrates the unity of Christians from all different walks of life. Featuring Daniel James, Timothy Goodman, Brian Bailey, Paden Smith, and These Fallen Walls, Face the Faith 2009 will be a night the whole family can enjoy. Uplifting messages and inspiring music make this a perfect opportunity for Christians of all denominations to come together for a night of praise and soul-satisfying music. Christians young and old will hear the power and testimony of Face the Faith 2009!

Tickets are on sale now at the Cheyenne Civic Center for the 7pm show, ranging in cost from ten to twenty dollars depending on seat reservations.  For more information or to purchase tickets visit the Cheyenne Civic online at www.cheyenneciviccenter.org or call (307) 637-6363.

“Refining Hearts, Uniting People” is the motto of Prairie Fire Concerts, Inc., a local non-profit located right here in Cheyenne.  Prairie Fire Concerts began as a dream many years ago, but turned into a reality in April of 2004 when two men who knew each other as only co-workers soon discovered that not only did they share the same interests in music, but they shared the desire to bring that music to Cheyenne.  Aaron Casey and Randy Kirk both share a passion for the Christian music industry and have worked together the last five years (with the help of many others)  to help make all genres of Christian music a vital source of family-friendly entertainment for Cheyenne and the surrounding areas.  

Where did the name Prairie Fire Concerts come from?  Prairie is a reference to the land which we live on, and the word “fire” comes from the desire that people will be touched by the music they hear and that the love of God will catch fire in their hearts and spread throughout our community. 

Cheyenne is a perfect place for concert tours, since two major interstates converge right here, but that isn’t to say that Aaron and Randy haven’t been met with several obstacles along their way.  When they began contacting record labels and booking agents to build relationships with, they were told that Cheyenne was too close to major Colorado markets and was not an ideal destination for them because it would cause too much competition.  Christian music has a very distinct niche in the market, and most bands do not have the ability to sell-out several shows in large arenas in a small geographical area like their secular counterparts can.  But, after networking for several months, Prairie Fire Concerts got their first opportunity in October of 2004 to host a show in Cheyenne with a well-known Christian rock band called Pillar.   After a successful show and a report back to the booking agent from the band about how well they were treated here, offers have been rolling in steadily every year since.  In May of 2005, Superchick (whose music was featured on the Legally Blonde soundtracks) played for over 600 fans in Cheyenne and other notable bands that have put on concerts here include:  Seventh Day Slumber, Petra, The Afters, Day of Fire, Decyfer Down, and worship group Avalon.   All of these bands can be heard on local radio stations such as Air1 (88.1FM) and WayFM (89.7FM) .

The goals of Prairie Fire Concerts are to help unify Christians in the Cheyenne area and bring family-friendly entertainment to Cheyenne that can reach outside of church doors.  They raise funds by donations from local businesses and individuals, which are all tax deductible.  Often times hotels will donate rooms for the bands, and the concerts are self-sustaining with all profits that are made going back to the bands.  Prairie Fire Concerts is dependent on volunteers to staff their shows, as most Christian artists do not travel with their own road crew.  

In July of 2009, Prairie Fire Concerts was given a very big opportunity to host one stop on a tour that is considered huge by Christian music standards and they are hoping that the Cheyenne community will help make them make this their most successful show yet!  Two of the top-selling Christian bands in history are touring together to promote their upcoming albums, and will be playing for one night only in Cheyenne.  Building429 and Todd Agnew will be performing on Saturday, October 24, at 7:00 p.m. at Destiny Church (located at 711 Warren Ave).  Seating is limited to 600 seats and with the help of the community, they would love to be able to call this show a sell-out!  The next closest arena that these bands will be playing is Denver, but tickets for the Cheyenne show are available at half the price!  Tickets are available for $13 each, or $12 for groups of 10 or more.  Tickets will be available at the door for $15 if there are any left!  The public can purchase tickets at Cornerstone Christian Supply, Destiny Church, or Cheyenne Hills Church.  You can also purchase them online through www.prairiefireconcerts.com, or by calling Aaron at 307-286-3673 or Randy at 307-631-1077.

Aaron and Randy would like to thank the Cheyenne community for all the support they have received so far, and praise God for the work He has done and will continue to do in this city!

Something amazing is happening in our city. The walls of our churches are falling down. Of course I do not literally mean bricks and mortar are falling from the buildings, but it is evident that spiritual walls are beginning to tumble.

Scripture is very clear that churches should cooperate with each other and there should be no division among God’s people.

The Apostle Paul says, “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (I Cor 1:10)

Jesus Himself pleaded with His Father saying, “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent me and have loved them even as You have loved me.” (John 17:23)

I admit that I, for one, did not understand the concept of ‘the’ church working together as one body. I was quite comfortable worshipping in my own church, getting to know the people and maybe attending a Bible study. Then I began to long for more. I felt called to move beyond ‘a’ church to become part of ‘the’ church in Cheyenne. Don’t get me wrong; I love the church in which I faithfully serve and attend! In fact one of the reasons I like my church so much is because our leaders are the very ones encouraging us to go beyond our four walls and shine God’s light in our community.

God is doing a work in Cheyenne and the entire state of Wyoming. In January of this year, the city-wide women’s ministry of Women of Worship (WOW) was born. As women of Cheyenne came together to create WOW, we found many of us shared similar visions of bringing our churches together. When we began to search, we found others also desiring to create spiritual synergy within the body of Christ. If just ‘a’ church can make a difference in Cheyenne, how much more of an impact could ‘the’ church of Cheyenne make?

My eyes have been opened to many other Christian organizations having the same vision for unity of the body. A few examples are:

Cheyenne Interfaith Hospitality Network - CIHN empowers an interfaith and community response to families without homes by providing shelter, meals, comprehensive assistance, and encouragement toward self-reliance in an atmosphere of hospitality. The Network utilizes a collaborative effort of congregations of all faiths by taking turns providing overnight lodging and home-cooked meals.

Wyoming House of Prayer - WyHOP’s mission is to bring the body of Christ together to pray for revival and to encounter the living God through prayer and worship. Their vision is “A city seeking God together.”

Cheyenne Ministerial Association - CMA is a group of church leaders who unite monthly for the common good of finding the needs in our community and helping as their resources allow.

Cheyenne Association of Evangelicals - CAE is a group of about 30 like-minded leaders of churches and para-church organizations who unite monthly to uphold each other and pray for our community.

It gives me great comfort to know that the spiritual leaders of Cheyenne come together as one to pray for our churches and our city. It also comforts me to know that Cheyenne is served by individuals with godly hearts and a willingness to go above and beyond for the glory of the Lord.

Though not all are considered ‘faith-based’ organizations, many other non-profits in Cheyenne are networking together and reaching out to help a city in need. Connections Corner, the Salvation Army, COMEA Shelter, Life Choice Pregnancy Center, Needs Inc., Safe House, the Cheyenne Community Clinic, and CLIMB Wyoming are just a few of the shining examples of God’s hand extending in our community. Unity of Christians outside the church is evident in each of these vital organizations.

It is important to understand that even though our Christian churches have different doctrines, traditions, and worship styles we still serve the same God. The difference between belonging to ‘a’ church and being part of ‘the’ church is simply stated in Romans 15:5-7:

“May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus! So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory.” In our city, we are awakening to unity of the body and spiritual abundance on all levels. One community, one voice, one church, for one purpose: giving glory and honor to One God.

Sitting across the table talking with Pastor Francis Nyung and Pastor Galen Huck, one is immediately struck with how much these two men are like long lost brothers. To be more accurate you feel like talking to a close set of twins. Their eyes twinkle with inside jokes that are often left unsaid, and the two are constantly finishing each others sentences. The fact that one grew up in war torn Northern Africa and the other grew up on a farm in Kansas is immaterial; these men are brothers of the deepest sort. You also would be hard pressed to believe that up until three years ago they had never even met.

Pastor Francis, a native of Northern Uganda, has lived a life almost unfathomable to an American. Immediately after he was born his father tore him from the arms of his mother and tossed him into the bush where he was left to die. Surviving this experience would, by itself, make him a remarkable man but the entire course of his life has been extraordinary. After his traumatic birth he went on to study for the Catholic priesthood; became a civil engineer; was arrested by the government of Idi Amin and imprisoned; drafted into the army and trained in North Korea; assigned to the protection detail of President Obote; escaped certain death to Tanzania with the fall of the government in the mid 80’s; was arrested and sentenced to death trying to return to Uganda; spent more than three years on death row; served as a prison chaplain; was freed and returned to the Army eventually becoming a General Officer; became a farmer; became a refugee; became a pastor; founded a church movement that has planted over 50 churches in three countries and has converted over 6,000 people. In his words it has been “a good life but with many challenges.”

Pastor Galen, the Senior Pastor at Cheyenne Hills Church, met Pastor Francis on his first trip to Africa in 2006. When asked why he went to Africa on his first trip his answer was refreshingly simple; “I went out of obedience.” He confided that he went on his first trip without any real plans, he went simply because God told him to go and that was it. Unknown to him that trip would lead to a partnership that has impacted thousands of lives in two hemispheres. He went on that first trip to fetch and carry and provide a layman’s survey of the drinking water in the areas surrounding Lira. A third party contacted Pastor Francis (because he owned a motorcycle) and asked him to help the American visit the refugee camps and villages in war torn countryside.

That trip through the war ravaged country side was a shared experience in suffering that helped forge this remarkable friendship. Pastor Galen still groans and holds his lower back remembering the ride. They both laugh and joke about what a site they must have made roaring across Northern Uganda, two men on one motor bike one African and one Caucasian, both holding on for dear life and praying up a storm. Pastor Francis remembers he was very surprised when Galen accompanied him into the countryside. The war was just winding down and to his knowledge no other American missionary groups had made trips into the country side. Galen’s willingness to “get his feet dirty” so impressed him that he knew he had to make a connection with this man. Along the way Pastor Francis introduced his new American friend to a group of more than 40 pastors he had discipled and equipped while living in the refugee camps. These men were pastoring new churches in the camps and rural villages while scratching out a meager living farming reclaimed land.

Pastor Galen was entranced by the fertility of the soil but shocked by the amount of manual labor it took for to cultivate even a small garden. At the end of their time together Francis asked Galen what he thought was the most important thing the church needed in Northern Uganda. His answer wasn’t bibles or training it was “I think you need oxen.” Unbeknownst to Galen that is exactly what Francis and the church had been praying for. During the war all the livestock in Northern Uganda was stolen or lost, and the farmers in the area (including the pastors) were forced to cultivated the fields by hand spending long hours in the field breaking the soil with nothing but a hoe. Galen’s insight birthed what has come to be known as Program Oxen.

Program Oxen purchases teams of oxen equipped with a plow and harness for distribution to Northern Ugandan clergy. These gifts, distributed to clergy from all different denominations, allow the recipients to not only spend more time pastoring but also enrich their communities providing a shared resource for rebuilding the war torn area. This Cheyenne-Ugandan connection has at its center a shared desire, as expressed by Pastor Galen, to “move away from the historical model of missions through sustainment towards one that enables independence an indigenous church.” To all appearances this goal is being met. To date the program, active in two churches, has provided over 60 sets of oxen as well as bicycles for pastors and equipment for an orphanage that teaches war orphans trade skills such as carpentry or tailoring. During Francis’ recent visit to America over $76,000 was raised for various projects ranging from a well for the war orphan’s home to roofing materials for local churches. Any churches interested in making ministry connections in Northern Uganda can contact Pastor Francis by calling his long lost brother Pastor Galen Huck at Cheyenne Hills Church. Who knows, maybe there are other long lost brothers out there just waiting to be discovered.