Words from the Interim Minister,
This is an exciting time for WestWind Church, and I feel privileged
to be a part of the process of preparing for a new minister. As I am becoming acquainted with you, I delight in the experience
of your friendship and camaraderie. My regular church hours are going to be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 am to
1:00 pm... but I hope you feel free to contact me as you need and please know that I am available to you.
When a new minister comes to a church, it is like a fresh "wind"
blowing across the landscape. There are new possibilities, new opportunities, new prospects, and new visions of the church
is open to them. The question facing us is "how do we prepare ourselves so that our expectations will be exceeded by the reality?"
Now that is something to think about. What usually happens is that our expectations exceed reality, and we wind up being disappointed.
The other alternative is to lower our expectations, but then the excitement and energy is gone.
Let us listen to the apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians
3:13b-14. "One thing I do, forgetting what lies behind, and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal
to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
We can draw four principles from this statement:
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Become aware that the past is the past... remember
it, appreciate it, learn from it, and let it go.
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Become open to the future... dream about it, explore
it, and anticipate it.
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Become committed to the direction God has for us.
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Become disciplined to finish strong.
What WestWind will become is up to each member and friend as they seek
to follow the leading of God's Holy Spirit... in their individual lives, and in their corporate life as a church... as the
Body of Christ in this location and among the people we know and share with.
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this process,
Jim Hudson
(from the February 2010 Newsletter)
