Read more about Lake Forest’s story here.

Lake Forest is hosting a leadership weekend congruent with the other festivities, welcoming pastors and church leaders from 11 different ministries and churches across the Charlotte area.

The goal of the weekend is to remind leaders of the power of hope and the fact that we need to not only cherish it but share it with those who do not have it yet.

I’ll be blogging notes from those sessions.

“Hope in the House of Blues” is an annual series hosted by Lake Forest addressing hurt, hate, hope and healing with an inspiring, blues-based musical backdrop. Lake Forest has literally built a ‘house of blues’ in their foyer! Pretty wild.

Stay tuned throughout the weekend for updates.

Thanks to Pastor Mike Moses and his team for the opportunity to hang with them and to see first-hand the great things that are happening here.

MinistryMatters.com showed up on the scene in the spring and is an interesting hybrid of a reference library, magazine, and blog. The site seems theologically diverse—and there are some reference materials that you won’t find on some of the other Bible study sites. MM also hosts a free online spiritual gifts inventory developed by Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City.

Ministry Matters looks very helpful for worship and message preparation, especially if your church offers any services with liturgical elements. There are outlines, full sermons, commentaries, prayers, calls to worship—even messages aimed at kids.

One feature I thought was cool was that the site allows you to create “bins”—virtual storage containers to keep things organized as you plan. Since anyone can create an unlimited number of bins, planners could potentially make one bin for each sermon series or Sunday. There’s even a pre-loaded “This Sunday” bin each week for folks who like to just grab a few options and go.

Articles on the site come from a variety of perspectives (big church, small church, evangelical, mainline, etc.), and the content is very practical.

Ministry Matters is organized into three main areas—Preach, Teach, and Worship.

In addition to the reference library, there’s a curriculum finder that is useful for finding Bible studies and teaching materials. There’s even an e-commerce area that offers digital downloads and physical books at a great price.

Ministry Matters also publishes a unique daily news aggregator “Headlines & Links” that offers a rundown of the most current Christian news and blog posts. Links include Christian and mainstream news sources and blogs from all over the theological spectrum. That makes for some interesting variety.

If you haven’t visited yet, go create an account and look around the site. If you’re involved in church leadership on any level, you’ll definitely find resources that will help with your ministry.

Check it out!

I was the youngest of the 26 grandchildren and was asked to give a eulogy honoring my grandpa at his funeral mass.

I wanted to share these words with all of you just so you could know what a truly remarkable man I was blessed to call Grandpa.

My name is Timothy Schraeder. I am the only adopted grandson of Don Schraeder. In the program under pall bearers you would have seen another Timothy, Timothy Crowley, stepson to my Uncle Tom, but just as much a grandson to my Grandpa as I was with the nearly 50 grandchildren who attended his 100th birthday celebration last year. I tell you this because in our large extended family, Grandpa Schraeder did not show favoritism to any of us. No matter how we came into the Schraeder family, by natural birth, by adoption, or by second marriages, we were equally loved, asked about in our absences, missed at special gatherings, and even remembered with small gifts at Christmastime from Grandma and Grandpa.

A man’s life is both honored and dignified by the memories he leaves in the hearts and minds of those he knew. Whether family, co-workers, neighbors, friends or competitors in a dart ball or bowling tournament, Grandpa Schraeder was often described by those who spoke of him as a man who was always a gentleman. He never wanted any attention drawn to himself and almost always wanted to know from his children how each of their kids, the grandchildren, were doing. His concern was sincere and he often worried about the little problems in our lives, which in truth we ourselves forgot about before the next day’s activities.

Today, patience and humility are virtues still required for honor and dignity to be recognized in one’s life. Grandpa told my father not long ago after attending a lengthy funeral with him that he would not want us to make a big deal at his funeral. His instructions to us were to give him a normal Catholic mass with prayers, songs, and a luncheon if we could afford it. He would not approve even of this eulogy, but at the last minute his immediate family decided that as humble and sincere as he was, that his life requires at least a public declaration by and from us that loved him for all of his wonderful qualities.

So briefly, in honor and with dignity, and on behalf of the Schraeder family with these short statements I do declare that we knew our father and grandfather as a man deserving of this recognition.

Grandpa was a true gentleman.

Grandpa was a patient man, although frustrated late in life for his inability to help others he saw in need.

Grandpa was honest in his dealing with financial matters and yet firm in his decisions not to be taken advantage of by those who did not work hard for their own living if they were able.

Grandpa was always concerned for the well being of his family.

He was the oldest of 10 children and he was concerned and interested in the lives of all of his siblings and their extended families as he was with his own. He was a man who would weep with those who wept after their loss and rejoice with those who were joyful over even the smallest victories and successes.

Raising eight children with Grandma staying home to care for the household needs, and surviving on one paycheck, he still provided food, shelter and clothing for all of them. They will tell you today they never thought of themselves as needy.

The proof of his example is the love that we show to each other even today.

Grandpa was caring and considerate of others, often agreeing to help when it meant less sleep, less money in his pocket, and less time for personal attainments.

In his last years even his checkbook will show he remembered those in need. From American Indians, foreign missions, or local fundraisers at St. Augustine where he lived for the past 10 years to chicken noodle dinners at St. Bernards. Grandpa even in his later years was always ready and anxious to participate wherever he could be of help and never a burden.

He was dedicated to his church and faithfully gave time, money, and energy to its activities all his life.

He supported his wife and family, not because he was required to but because he loved us and only wanted the best for us.

His life was truly lived to make the world a better place and now he is indeed in the home that Jesus promised to prepare for those who loved him.

The apartment in St. Augustine where Grandpa lived has a name plate on the door simply embossed with the name SCHRAEDER.

That room is now empty.

But, the room in Heaven, prepared for him in advance by his Savior, is now occupied. If there are doors in Heaven then his must be embossed with the words: James Donald Schraeder, Good and Faithful Servant.