Clear Creek Neighborhood Church

We never would have believed that we would be part of starting a new church at this stage in our lives but it is gradually becoming a reality--in Empire, CO of all places!!  The pieces are coming together ie: a group of people who want a church, a building available, a supportive sending church, and it appears we have denominational support from the Presbytery of the West of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. This piece is not yet official but I met with two leaders a few days ago who were very encouraging.
To put this in the category of 'Stones of Remembrance'...we were going an entirely different direction two months ago.  It was then I got a call from a friend in Empire about a vacated church building being turned over to the town of Empire with the question "would that Pastor Bill want to have a church there?"  We took the idea to the leadership of our home church, Lookout Mountain Community, and one of the elders said, "It sounds like a Macedonian call."
And now here we are!
Empire is a small mountain town of about 450 people.  It is on US Hwy 40 which traverses Berthoud Pass.  People who ski or mountain bike in Winter Park drive through Empire.
Clear Creek Neighborhood Church will start here but it has vision for all of Clear Creek County.  We will have some pictures on here soon so you can see the place.

Watch for 'stone' stories-- Ebenezer stones that is.

I can't believe we are doing this.  I guess it goes to disprove the old adage that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks."  We are old dogs.  At least I (Bill) am an old dog so here goes our first blog post of significance.

Somewhere in our family history, on my mom's side--the Stam side--Ebenezer was a motto.  I will confirm with my cousin but I remembers seeing a plaque with that word on it.
Interestingly, as Mary and I have been reading through the book of I Samuel in the Old Testament in the Bible, we came across the origin of that family motto.  It is found in I Samuel 7:12.  The context is this.  The nation of Israel is in one of its many conflicts with the Philistines.  They have been defeated a couple of times.  The ark of the covenant was taken for a time and then returned.  Samuel instructs the people gather to Mizpah vs. 5.  The Philistines learn that they are gathered there and decide to go up against them and when the Israelites hear this they are afraid (v. 7).  Then we read that the "...the sons of Israel say to Samuel, 'Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.'"  Samuel does this and also offers a sacrifice to the Lord.  When the battle is set to begin 'the Lord thundered a great thunder' and confused the Philistines and the battle was over before it even began.  And then we come to vs. 12:  "Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen and named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far the Lord has helped us.'"  Ebenezer is the 'stone of help'.
Some years ago Mary started a note book of 'remembrances'.  She called it 'stones of remembrance.'  We think it is pretty cool that this ties into an old family tradition and one of the things we are going to do on the site is recall some of those 'stones' to trace how 'thus far the Lord has helped us.'  
Should be fun!!

Happy Summer family and friends. We are on our way to becoming bloggers! Stay tuned for further developments in our journey into cyber space!!!!