In this modern day and age of everything being on the internet, I’m not sure how many people actually read the Des Moines Register anymore.   But being the old fashioned type that I am, I still do!  (I get made fun of for using a phone book!!   I’m told “no one uses a phone book these days – they look numbers up on the web” !!)   Anyway, back to the Register…..every Friday, there is a feature by Sophia Ahmad called “5 Things You Can’t Miss This Weekend”.  She highlights the 5 best things going in and around Des Moines for the current weekend – festivals, shows, tours, events, etc.    It’s a quick way to see at a glance the times, prices and details of events that you may want to take part in that weekend.

Well, here at LCC, we have something called “The Top 5”!   You may have noticed that we are starting to use it in our announcements from the stage on Sunday mornings and in the bulletins.   The section in the bulletin is called  “This Week’s Top 5” – a place where, at a glance, you can take note of the top 5 things going on at LCC.    Of course, we will continue to have other announcements listed in the bulletin as always.

In the near future, we hope to also have our website coordinate with a special front page section highlighting the “Top 5” too!  There will then (hopefully!) be a link to another page where you will be able to find all of the regular detailed announcements and ministry info.    By using the Top 5, we hope to streamline all of the information we need to convey to everyone here at LCC and others who may be visiting our website.

I’ve always enjoyed Ms. Ahmad’s column in the Friday Register….but every week I can’t help but think she’s missing one.   She should also include worshipping on Sunday!   To me, that’s the most important part of the weekend that I “can’t miss”!

-Jeana Smith

At the start of this year the band experienced an exodus.  We had a number of long serving members called away, due to jobs, moving, etc.  I thought we would have a time similar to when I first started serving at LCC, some Sunday’s we had a guitar and a piano, many Sunday’s we did not have a drummer and we only had horns for special occasions, not as part of our team.

God blessed this ministry and we experienced a season of growth, the band went from a handful to currently 17 members. The first Sunday I had a big band, Pastor Andy told me it appeared that half the congregation was on stage.

I thought with the loss of members we would have a season of needs again, but God had other plans.  For every member who was called away God brought another forward to take their place, not before or at some point after, but right at the time they were needed.  It has been amazing to witness.  His timing is perfect; He replaced talent with talent so we are just as strong now as before.  In fact we have more people that would like to serve than we have places for. 

Replacing talent with talent is only a portion of what was lost.  We still have long relationships that have ended and new ones to be formed.  We are not a performance band, we are a ministry that serves the Body, and the band is a small group, a small body of Christ.

A band has always appeared to me to be a very good example of this, as Paul explains in 1 Co 12:12 “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.” The band is a unit made up of many parts but with the same purpose, to worship God.  Many times we form small groups that are made up of people from the same walk of life.  Our band is made up of people from all stages life.  Our youngest member is 15 and our oldest member is not, but the age spans 40 + years.  Our small group includes singles, young married, mature married, young parents, parents of teens, grandparents, etc.  To see God bring these people together for one purpose is very powerful to me.  It is a group that one can both mentor and be mentored by.

In closing I thank God for the ones who were called away, I thank Him for the new members He has brought to us, and I pray for new relationships to be formed and to grow.