Thinking about some coming series...

I don't usually think much about anything beyond the coming Sunday. Seriously, I'm just not wired that way. I honestly wish I was.

But in order to be the best we can be - in order for us to rise to the level of excellence that truly is our very best - I have to do just that. I have to see more than one coming Sunday at a time. I'm not good at it, but I am learning.

And the truth is that I'm pretty excited about some coming series. I'm pumped about the one we're in right now, by the way. This coming Sunday, you are in for a real treat. My friend and fellow church planter, Tommy Adams, will be at PCC. Tommy planted Amelia Community Church. I promise you, you don't want to miss a chance to hear him. He is a killer speaker. He's going to blow you away!

The following week, on July 4, Dennis Green will be the teaching pastor. I'm also very excited about Dennis, who in an experienced and dynamic speaker. There is no doubt in my mind that Dennis will bring you a message to remember.

Beginning on July 11, we start a 4 week series that will be called something like "One". We thought we could help everyone by giving them something they could really achieve - a serious milestone - with relative ease. There are four books in the Bible that are just one chapter each - Philemon, 2 and 3 John, and Jude. We're going to talk about one each week, learning the practical teachings of the Bible, and we're going to encourage everyone to read all four books in four weeks - something that can be done in an hour, total. (By the way, I think we should all read the Bible for a few minutes every day, but some folks are intimidated by it, so this will really help them.)

In August, I am SOOO excited about doing something we've never done before. I am very good friends with 3 other church planter/pastors: Jeff Boggess from Atlee CC in Mechanicsville, Mark Jenkins from Mountain View CC in Culpeper, and Hank Brooks from Coastal CC in Va. Beach. Last summer, we started batting around the idea of rotating. Each of these guys is a great communicator, but we all have our own unique styles, too. I'm looking forward to being in each of their churches, but I'm also excited for you that each of them will be able to be on the stage at PCC. This will be healthy for us, a good exchange of ideas and styles, all the while maintaining an absolute commitment to God and the Bible. The series is called 'Get Real' and we'll talk about some very practical things that the Bible has to say about living our lives.

At the end of September, we begin to look at 6 ways that our lives are caged in - 6 areas where we need to break free and where the Bible has powerful words for us. This is our fall spiritual growth series - where all PCC small groups do the same study. We'll be using Mark Batterson's book, Wild Goose Chase, which is an incredible book.

When that's over, it's time for Christmas...

Feels like snow already!

Mark Your Calendar

Here are some things you might be interested in attending or being a part of:

• Dennis Green, our Executive Pastor and the Campus Pastor for the Westchester Campus, is being ordained on July 11. Ordination is a special time when the church honors a long-held tradition (see, we have some traditions!) and 'sets apart' someone for vocational ministry. In this service, we are effectively saying, "we see in you and affirm that God has called you into vocational ministry." As a church, we get a really special part in this service. The service is at 5pm. Come and join us for this special time in PCC's life and in Dennis Green's life.

• The Leadership Summit is coming! Mark your calendars for August 5-6; do whatever it takes to attend PCC's premiere leadership and team building event for 2010! We'll be Atlee Community Church this year. Contact Lori Wheeler for details.

• Building Help. There is a LOT going on with our building now, as we make a final push to finish it. If you have or can operate a tractor or are willing to help stain our Portico, or are willing to help do other things in our building, please contact Dennis Green at Dennis@pccwired.net or 400-9820.
• Looking for something to do on July 4? Check this out :
• How about a picnic?! The Midlothian Small Group is sponsoring a picnic and you’re invited. You only have to bring a lawn chair and a side dish. PCC is providing hot dogs, lemonade and iced tea along with all the paper products we will need.
  When: June 27th from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m.
  Where: Huguenot Park - 10901 Robious Road – Chesterfield County
  We have reserved a great playground adjacent to the shelter. There will be a horse-shoe and volley ball competition. We may even get a softball game going – so bring your glove. A great opportunity to come, relax and get to know some folks at the same time. See you there!

There is so much more happening...keep an eye on the program and the monthly events sheet at each campus. You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook, the Website, get our weekly email, and follow several staff member blogs. Stay connected and get involved! If you'd like help getting the weekly emails or connecting with us in one of these forums, contact any of our staff members and we'll get you pointed in the right direction. You can find our staff on our website at http://www.pccwired.net/#/about-us/our-staff. Just click on any name on that page for an email prompt.

Scared of the Shower

On Sunday the 13th, I talked about sacrifice and I was sharing how I would stand in harms way for my family without hesitation.

But I ALSO said that I didn't do too well at home alone - especially at night - because all the noises freaked me out and I guess I'd watched too many horror flicks as a kid.

Anyway, Friday of last week I heard a report on NPR. They were marking the 50th anniversary of the movie Psycho. They talked to someone who had interviewed Janet Leigh, and she said she never took a shower again after making the movie! The interviewer was unconvinced, so she took him to her bathroom...there was no shower curtain! Just a tub.

They went on to say that Psycho changed the way America took a shower!

I feel so much better, now that I know I'm not alone.

Thoughts on Vacations...

I faithfully take 2 weeks of vacation every year. Only once in the past ten years can I remember not taking 2 weeks...the year that PCC began. We were just too fragile, not enough systems in place for me to be gone. I took one week that year, not two.

Vacations are so important. They are an opportunity for us all to have fun, sure, and spend needed time with our families, no question. But there is more to them, for me. Vacations are reminders: I'm not nearly as important as my calendar would suggest...as my busy life would lead me to believe. Vacations provide me an opportunity to learn anew that everyone is expendable - everyone.

That doesn't mean we're not important or that we don't make a significant contribution. Rather, it is to say that vacations help me to gain a healthy perspective. Ultimately, I'm God's vessel, here for a season to use whatever I have to do whatever He wants. But in the last analysis, God is the important one, I am not.

PCC has a personnel policy that the Steering Team approved a few years ago. Like most organizations, vacation time grows with tenure. We were generous with our vacation policy, to help compensate for other areas of compensation that were a little less so. That means that I get four weeks a year now, since I've been here for over 7 years. I don't know that I'll take them all, but it's nice to have them.

What I WILL do, though, is leave for 2....in a row. Haven't done that in well over a decade. In fact, I'm already gone. I wrote this on Saturday, and left yesterday, headed for a week at Hatteras followed by a week at Myrtle Beach, both weeks possible because of the generosity of some good friends, and because our staff is incredibly competent.

I've posted in advance some thoughts here - they'll show up over the next few days, but next week will probably get pretty quiet on my end. I'm disconnecting from work, refocusing on God, enjoying my kids and Susan, reading the Bible and a good fiction book...and I'm re-appreciating this truth: I'm really not all that important, but God wanted me anyway.

That's how He feels about you, too.

See you in 2 weeks,

Brian

Thoughts about Sunday...

Yesterday was a real win for PCC. It was also a win for me, personally. Let me walk you through my day...

1. I was at our Westchester Campus at 6:30 to help them unload the trailer and set up. Normally, I drive a shuttle a the Powhatan Campus from 6:15 til 7 or 7:15, but Erik Edwards relieved me yesterday and I jumped on the chance to get the 'full Westchester experience'. Can I just say 'WOW!!!' Our WC operation is as complex as what we did at the high school, with 2 full trailers, sound, lighting, PCC Kids, coffee bar, portable signs and food for the volunteers who serve... Our folks at Westchester are working incredibly hard. But let me say a word about their attitude: Unifying. Our folks there are doing backbreaking work, week in and week out, and I never heard one single complaint. I even tried to get them to grip: "Wow...this is really hard work!" I would say. They didn't say, "Yea...and we need more people," or "man, this is getting old." or even "my back hurts." They simply replied, "It's worth it." Wow. The truth is that they could use some more hands. It matters...a lot. We're reaching people and changing lives there, too, like in Powhatan. You don't have to go to the WC campus for the service to come at 6:30 and help for 45 minutes or an hour. However...
2. At 7:15, I left the movie theater and went to the hospital to pop in on a friend who is fighting for her life. Kathy and John were both sleeping (even my knock and opening of the door didn't wake them), so I decided to let them have their moment of peace and left them a note instead. My heart is heavy for what is happening in their lives...and it seems that they really need a miracle right now. I'm praying for them every day, and I hope you will join me in that.

1. From there I went back to Westchester. The place was buzzing - people everywhere doing coffee and prepping the PCCKids check in table, checking sound and rehearsing music. I am soooo impressed. It took PCC YEARS to get to the level of quality that our Westchester folks have achieved in WEEKS. The service was OUTSTANDING. I am so impressed at how engaged the crowd is, how intimate the message is. If you came to Westchester in the first few weeks, but haven't been lately, you just don't know how much we have improved the quality of the video. You think the speaker is in the room with you. It is simply the BEST presentation of a remote speaker I've every seen. You shoudl check it out...you might even like it more. And speaking of the message...
2. Wasn't BETH BRAWLEY STODDARD AWESOME?!! Words just can't say how proud I am of her...how blessed we are to have her at PCC, and how enriched my life is to have her as a partner in the Gospel and one of my closest friends. Her message was outstanding and she delivered it like a seasoned, experienced teaching pastor. She had all of the elements: she was passionate, engaged, funny, Biblically sound, practical. She left us with more work to do, more questions to answer, and more connection with God to gain through the reading of the text. (this is essential, in my opinion, to a good message. It never answers all of the questions, but simply leads us to a deeper connection with God). Behind the scenes, Beth also had some qualities that would be lesser known and hardly noticed. Anyone who teaches at PCC needs to be coachable. When I say that, I mean they need to be open to my instruction and teaching. Beth has that, without a doubt. We went through her message many times, talking through words, stories, Scripture choice, Bible application, laughter and humor, expression, pauses, standing and sitting...everything. It was as fun for me as actually doing the teaching, but that's as much because of Beth's response. She wants to be the best at everything, she recognizes my experience and my gifts, and she takes instruction and coaching with all the grace she exhibits in the other areas of her life. I could go on an on, but I just cannot say how proud I am of her. WAY TO GO, BETH!!
3. After the WC service, I raced down to the Powhatan Campus. I wanted to see how long it would take - 17 minutes, but I didn't catch any lights. I got to the shuttle lot at 10:50 - the shuttle picked me up immediately - and was on campus at 10:52. I greeted people and played with some kids and talked to some friends before and after the 11am service, which was an intimate but fun crowd.
4. I got to spend a very few minutes with my whole family at home for Father's day...
5. Then we drove for 7 hours to Hatteras...for a week. I could say a LOT more about that, but if you've made it this far, you're ready to do something else. More on Hatteras later!

You are invited to a VERY cool evening...

Join Beth, Lindsay and a bunch of folks from PCC on June 26 at 7:00pm at the Powhatan campus for our first Summer Saturday Night open mic night! Coffee-house setting, no pressure, just come share your talents!

Contact Lindsay Harris with questions and spread the word! (Lindsay is at lindsayh28@gmail.com, you can also follow her blog and you can find her on facebook!)

A few thoughts...

Some random thoughts...

1) On getting away with friends. We had a chance to slip away for a day with our good friends, Dennis and Brenda Green. Brenda had been given a gift of appreciation from her work - 2 nights at an historic Bed and Breakfast in downtown Baltimore. We went up there Thursday afternoon and got a room for one night. We had a GREAT time, a nice dinner at an Italian joint, sat out on the balcony - really cool. I got up early, sat in the courtyard, read my Bible, enjoyed the coming of a new day. It's so important to get away sometimes. Today, we went to the National Aquarium

2) On traffic. The worst place on the PLANET to drive is Northern Va, Baltimore, Washington DC. We were having such a great time, we didn't leave until 3pm. After 2 & 1/2 hours, we were still only in Northern Virginia! Stop, drive 10mph for 10 seconds, stop again. Mile after mile after mile. Took almost 5 hours to get drive 180 miles. Those people are CRAZY!!! I don't know how ANYONE can live in that mess all the time. We don't know how good we've got it...I gripe when I have to wait more than one click at a stoplight. Today's experience really makes me appreciate where we live.

3) On vacations. I'm really looking forward to two weeks off. More on that in a coming post...