Reid Harmon
I was brought up in a household in which my mother’s side of the family were Roman Catholic and my father’s side of the family were all Mormon. My father was not a practicing Mormon so my parents made the decision to raise my sister and I as Catholic. The Catholic church in our town was ritualistic and rarely deviated from the strict liturgy structure the church had decided upon. The church did not encourage us to read the Bible for ourselves, study the scriptures or have a personal relationship with Jesus. The teaching was clear that as long as a person was baptized as an infant into Catholicism you would eventually get to heaven.
In my teenage years I stopped going to church and was living a secular lifestyle. I did believe in God buy didn’t think about Him much. In 1984 I began my career in the Semiconductor industry eventually obtaining positions as the Line Maintenance Dept. Manager and Senior Equipment Engineering Manager. I met my wife Connie at this time as we were working at the same facility. At this point I started feeling like something was missing from my life and I wasn’t doing something I was supposed to be. This feeling ended up being God drawing me to himself and the Lord Jesus Christ although I didn’t realize it at the time. I came to saving faith in Jesus after some of my co-workers were discussing the Book of Revelation. Two of them were Christians and the other was a Jehovah Witness. I had no idea the Bible contained what they were talking about. One of the Christians later gave me a small new testament and I read the Book of Revelation to learn what it contained. I was very intrigued by what is said and it gave me a thirst to read more of the Bible. I then asked my mother if she had a Bible and she said she had one that someone gave her although she had never looked at it. It was an old King James Bible which have never been opened. I took it home and later started reading the Gospel of Matthew. As I read through Matthew, God convicted me of my sin and I absolutely knew I needed Jesus to save me from my sins and certain destruction. God also put into my heart, at that moment, the conviction of the true and trustworthiness of the Word of God. I was born again by the faithfulness of a loving God that sent his Son to redeem me from the punishment which I rightly deserved.
Several years later my wife and stepdaughter would come to faith in Christ along with my sister. My wife became very involved in children’s ministries with a focus on special needs children. I spent 35 years in the Semiconductor manufacturing industry and then moved on to the building products and mining industry after the company I was working for lost most of their mass production contracts.
My wife, seemingly very healthy, suffered a major heart attack and went home to be with the Lord a few years after I changed industries. My comfort is that through God’s unending love she is in heaven with the Lord Jesus and I will see her again when he takes me home. I have since retired from the manufacturing industries I was a part of and have been redeployed to serve the Lord at Cool Community Church, my family and however He will lead me.

Andy grew up in the Auburn area in a faithful Christian home. Although he spent much of his teen years running from Christ, the Lord graciously drew him back at age 20 through the influence of godly mentors. These men invested deeply in his life, guided him through Scripture, helped him wrestle with difficult questions about the God of the Bible, and introduced him to the Doctrines of Grace. Through their example and teaching, Andy came to know and trust the sovereign God who rules over every part of life.

Andy married his wife, Shannon, in 1991. Together they have been blessed with seven children—three of whom are adopted—and seven grandchildren. Andy and Shannon have been part of the Cool Community Church family since 1997, grateful for the relationships, discipleship, and ministry opportunities the Lord has provided through the years.

Since coming to Cool Community, Andy has served in a variety of ministries, including preaching, teaching, Children’s Church, AWANA, Men’s Ministry, home group leadership, and has recently joined the board of elders.

After retiring in 2024 from 37 years of local government service, he stepped into a new season of ministry, joining the volunteer staff at Cool Community as Director of Operations.  Andy counts it a privilege to support the church’s ministries, care for its facilities and support its people as they grow in their walk with Jesus

The Art of Asking: Why Prompt Engineering Matters More Than You Think

Vladimir Lenin once said, "There are decades when nothing happens, and there are weeks when decades happen." I believe that we are living in one of those weeks right now, when decades are happening.

If you haven't experimented much with AI tools yet, it is genuinely hard to overstate how capable Artificial Intelligence has become at performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. But the difference between someone who gets mediocre results from AI and someone who gets genuinely useful results often comes down to a single skill: prompt engineering.

What Is Prompt Engineering?

The key to getting good results from AI is learning how to ask good questions. In AI terminology, the questions or instructions you give are called "prompts," and learning to write effective prompts is called "prompt engineering."

Here's the fundamental principle: The more specific and detailed your prompt, the better the result.

Let's say you want help planning a vegetable garden. A basic prompt might be: "What should I plant in my garden?"

That's not a bad start, but the AI doesn't know much about what you want. It doesn't know where you live, what time of year it is, how much space you have, or what your goals are.

The AI has to guess what you really want to know. And AI, like your Uncle Bob at Thanksgiving, will happily talk for twenty minutes about something you weren't actually asking about.

A much better prompt would be: "I live in Northern California (Zone 9) and want to start a small vegetable garden in March. I have a 10x10 foot raised bed with full sun. I'm a complete beginner and want to grow vegetables my family will actually eat. What are the easiest vegetables to start with for this climate and season? Please give me specific planting instructions and a simple maintenance schedule."

Do you see the difference? The second prompt gives the AI your location and climate zone, your timeline, your space constraints, your skill level, your goals, and exactly what kind of information you need back. The more detail you provide, the more useful the result will be.

The Five-Box Framework

Now depending on the complexity of the question you're asking, that determines how much detail you need to include. But if you want the best possible response, especially for more complex questions, here are five things to consider—five boxes to fill in:

Box 1: The Role
Tell the AI what its role is. This is who you want it to be. For example:
"You are an experienced medical professional."
"You are a master gardener with 40 years of experience growing vegetables in Northern California."
The AI will assume that persona. It will draw on everything that someone like that would know and say, "Okay, that's who I am here."

Box 2: The Context
Context is basically everything you can tell it about what's going on. Give it the background, the situation, the relevant details. For example:
"I just got back from the doctor's office, and they told me these are my lab results. There's a possibility that I might need heart surgery. I am a 46-year-old man living in Northern California."
"I want to start a vegetable garden but have never done it before. Last year I killed a cactus, so we're starting from a low baseline here."
This is where you provide the relevant information the AI needs to give you a useful response.

Box 3: The Task
This is what you're actually asking it to do. This is the part that takes a little bit of thought. What do I want to get back from this? What specifically am I asking for?
"What vegetables should I plant in March, and how should I prepare my soil?"
"Can you give me the pros and cons of this treatment versus that treatment?"
Be specific. "Help me with gardening" is less useful than "Tell me which three vegetables are hardest to kill."

Box 4: What You Don't Want
These are the restrictions or the restraints. Tell the AI what you're not looking for. For example:
"No medical jargon or diagnosis."
"Don't ruin the story for me."
"I'm not looking for a 40-page analysis."
This helps the AI avoid going down paths that won't be helpful to you.

Box 5: The Output Format
What do you want it to look like when it's done? Am I looking for a list of bullet points? Am I looking for an essay? What exactly am I looking for?
"I want a fourth-grade level explanation."
"Keep it under 150 words."
"I want 500 words or less."
When you fill in these five boxes, you will get the best possible results. You don't have to do this for everything you ask an AI. If you take a picture of a tomato plant and ask what's wrong with it, you don't need all this detail. But if you need to get the best possible answer for something more complex, this is a good template to work with.

Putting It All Together

Here's an example of how this works:

Basic prompt: "Tell me about Nepal."

If that's your prompt, the AI has to guess what you really want to know. It might tell you about the weather of Nepal. It might tell you about the politics in Nepal. It might tell you about the indigenous people groups in Nepal. It might tell you about Himalayan snow leopards. You're getting something about Nepal, but who knows if it's what you actually needed.

Advanced prompt using the five-box framework:

Role: "Act like an experienced tour guide who's been leading trips through Nepal for the last 30 years."

Context: "You're talking to a person from rural California who's never been out of the state but is considering a trip to Nepal."

Task: "Help this person come up with an itinerary and tell them about the things they would probably enjoy the most."

What you don't want: "No ocean liners to get there—I want to fly."

Output: "Tell me about this in 500 words or less."
When you ask it like that, you're filling in five boxes, one at a time, to get the best possible answer.

Additional Examples

For medical clarity:

• Role: You are a medical professional
• Context: You're speaking to an older audience looking for medical clarity
• Task: Explain the purpose of a cholesterol pill called a statin
• What you don't want: No medical jargon or diagnosis (I don't know what "hyperlipidemia" means and I don't want to)
• Output: I want a fourth-grade level explanation and one question I should ask my doctor about this

For reading guidance:

• Role: You are an expert literary critic who has been studying English literature for 50 years
• Context: I'm reading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for the first time
• Task: Tell me what literary elements I should watch for as I read
• What you don't want: Don't ruin the story for me (I know there's something about Jekyll and Hyde, but that's about it)
• Output: Give me 5-7 specific things to watch for, each with a brief explanation

For homeschool planning:

• Role: You are an experienced homeschool teacher who specializes in teaching history to elementary-age children
• Context: I'm teaching American history to my 4th grader who thinks history is boring
• Task: Create a one-week unit study on the American Revolution
• What you don't want: Don't make it too complex—keep activities simple and hands-on. No multi-step craft projects requiring supplies I don't have.
• Output: Include daily activities, discussion questions, and one hands-on project

The Iterative Approach

Here's something else important to understand: don't expect perfection on the first try. Think of working with AI as having a conversation rather than making a single request. The AI won't be offended if you ask it to try again. It doesn't have feelings…yet…probably…we think.

If the first response isn't quite what you want, refine your prompt:

• "That's good, but can you make it more concise?"
• "Can you rewrite that for a younger audience?"
• "That's too formal. Can you make it more conversational?"
• "Can you add a specific example to illustrate this point?"

You can keep refining until you get exactly what you need. This iterative process is actually faster than trying to craft the perfect prompt from the beginning. Start with a solid attempt, then adjust based on what you get back.

Moving Forward

The best advice I can give you about working with AI is to simply try it. Pay attention to how you ask your questions. Use the five-box framework when appropriate:

1. Role - Who should the AI be?
2. Context - What's the background?
3. Task - What specifically do you need?
4. Restrictions - What don't you want?
5. Output - What format do you need?

You might be surprised at how useful it becomes.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Hebrews 12:3

Like most people my age, I remember exactly where I was on September 11, 2001. I especially remember walking to my car, preparing to leave for work, when I ran into one of my neighbors. We’d never spoken before, but that morning we looked at each other, and without speaking, we both knew we were thinking the same thing. After a few moments, he said, "I'm not sure what to do. Do I go to work? What do I do?"

National events like these are jarring in the most fundamental ways. The death of Charlie Kirk this week has been much the same. Many of us are looking at each other, wondering “What's going to happen next?” “What should we do?” There's been so much anxiety, pain, and sorrow, not the least of which is over a widow and two young children who lost their dad. But this passage speaks to us in these moments: when everything falls apart, we are to “consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself that we may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

The Greek word for "consider" means to calculate carefully, to think through thoroughly. The world hated Christ, so they murdered him. So, it should not surprise us that they hate those who are willing to speak up for Christ and to murder them as well.

The passage warns against two specific dangers: growing weary and becoming fainthearted. Weariness is a kind of spiritual exhaustion, the kind that makes us want to quit the race altogether. Faintheartedness refers to losing courage, allowing fear to paralyze us. Both are natural responses to tragedy, which is why the author of Hebrews points us to “Him who endured such hostility against himself,” to give us heart for the work before us. The tragic death of Charlie Kirk is a reminder that there is still much work to do.

As we grieve, as we wrestle with questions that may not have answers this side of eternity, let us fix our eyes on Jesus. Let us consider Him deeply, thoroughly, repeatedly. In doing so, we'll find the strength to continue running the race set before us, knowing that our labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).

 It has been a privilege and a blessing to serve as an Elder here at Cool Community Church. To be called to serve the Lord and the people of His church in this way, is not something that I take lightly. Nearly every day I look deeply into my heart and consider my worthiness to serve as a shepherd of the Lords flock here at this church. 
   1Timothy 3  is the standard by which elders are considered to be chosen to serve. It is also the level of life that they are to maintain throughout their time of service. Therefore I must always humbly consider whether or not my life brings glory to God.
    I served as an elder at the church we attended in Southern California but it was very different there.  My responsibility was to oversee the local outreach commission. We organized local community events like door to door food giveaways with gospel presentations. Events like backpacks for back to school, toys for Christmas etc. We went to skid row in downtown L.A. to feed people and share the gospel with them. We had a prison ministry in men’s central jail and twin towers. I served as a volunteer chaplain for twelve years, leading weekly Bible studies and a monthly church service for the inmates.
     I am thankful for that season of service and what the Lord taught me during that time. When that season ended I felt that the Lord was telling me it was time. It had been a fruitful and blessed ministry of service, I will always cherish.
   When I was called to serve as an elder here at CCC, I thought that I would be continuing to do what the Lord had already taught me, but that was not the case. He was calling me to love and care for His flock. In a sense He was calling me to serve Him with my heart. That is the love that He gave me for the family of God. To be a help, an encourager, and a blessing to the ones He loves.  To be an example a teacher and friend to His people.
    I believe that this is what being an elder truly means and I am thankful for the privilege to serve you and our Lord as one of your Elders

 When I was a kid growing up in LA, we went to the First Baptist Church of Van Nuys. This is where I first heard the Gospel, in our Sunday school. Thank you, mom!
   I did spend 4 years in Indiana as a kid (10-14 years old) and had a blast. Big difference from Los Angeles!
   Time went on and I came to the Saving faith in Jesus while a senior in High school. This was at the First Baptist Church of Hemet where I was baptized in February 1978. Mr. William O’Leary led me to Christ. I was encouraged by Steve Bovie in my new found faith while at this church.
   Time goes on and I got married to my wife Amber in July 1981 and we had 3 boys (Domenic, Sonny, and Vinny) while living in Yucca Valley, CA. My boys went through AWANA at EV Free Church of Yucca Valley and my wife Amber was an AWANA leader for many years. Unfortunately, I missed out on a lot of the AWANA fun and mid-week Bible studies as I worked at night at the USPS facility in Redlands about 60 miles away. My family and I were very grateful for this job and we all understood the ramifications of me working nights.
   But by God’s grace I was able to get a day job in 2005 and spend more time at church, with my family, and the Wednesday night Bible study. This study really propelled my faith and understanding of Scripture. Hector Figuroa (a Marine cook) asked if I would help him in the kitchen for a church function. And so my ministry of serving began!
   As time went on, my wife Amber became ill and went home to be with the Lord January 9, 2009. We had been together for 30 years. I was crushed not just for myself but for my boys, the youngest still in high school. My church family rallied around me and my boys and showed great love and support during this rough season. Elder Russ Gentry and his wife Marta were my Priscilla and Aquilla. They have been so much encouragement to me and my family throughout the years
   Through God’s grace, I was able to take an early retirement that year so I could be home to take care of my youngest, Vinny.
   After Vinny graduated high school, I moved to Rocklin in 2010. We (Amber and I) always wanted to live in Northern California since she was from Auburn. 
   While in Rocklin, I did some church shopping at the larger churches in the area but they were mostly topical which is OK but not the expository teaching I was used to.
   Time went on. Cindy and I, with whom I worked with in Redlands, began dating and become more serious about being married. We married April 6, 2013 by my Pastor in SoCal. She continued to work till her retirement in May of 2016 and then joined me up here in Cool.
   After she arrived in July, we went church shopping and stopped looking after our 1st visit to Cool Community Church! We have enjoyed the teaching of the Word, the fellowshipping and the opportunity to serve. As members of this church body, we just want to serve the Lord as best we can. 
   I have been blessed to serve as a deacon here at Cool Community Church since March of 2024.

Barb and I were both raised in the Placerville area where we also raised our daughter, two sons and now enjoy our eight grandchildren.  I was privileged to grow up on the family ranch established by my great-great grandfather in the 1850s and continue to reside and run the ranch.  After graduating from CSU Sacramento with an Engineering degree, I was commissioned an Officer in the Marine Corps and married my sweet Barb.  After five years in the military, we were called to serve in Papua New Guinea with Wycliffe Bible Translators for six years where I flew as a pilot flying bible translators into remote parts of the country. 
I was raised in a Catholic church and knew about God but it always seemed something was missing.  At thirteen, I turned away from God entirely and went my own way.  During college, outwardly it seemed that I had everything a young man could want but there was still something missing.  It was during Officer Candidate School where I heard the Word of God for the first time.
On a Sunday morning, the Chaplain spoke from Matthew 18 on forgiveness and the unlimited forgiveness offered to us through Christ.  This was my first glimpse of the gospel and of the power of Christ's atoning work on the cross.  On the way out the door, the Chaplain handed me a Gideon New Testament.  I began to read it every chance I got.  I began to see that the Word of God wasn't just some ancient book that only the Priest could read but that it was alive and active and applied to me today!  God soon gave me an eternal perspective and a new heart that desired to serve Him. Over the years I have been active in a number of areas of ministry including Awana, Junior and Senior High school, and Men’s ministries.  Barb and I believe that it was God’s kindness that led to us to Cool Community Church where we are loving the people God has connected us with here.  I believe that God has wonderful plans for Cool Community Church as he continues to conform us more and more into the image of Christ.  

Hey church! My name is Emily Lomas. I’m 29 years old. I was born in Hawaii, and raised in the  little beach town of Santa Cruz. It was an amazing childhood, growing up in a tight-knit  homeschooling community, getting to play at the beach in Capitola, or head up the mountains  to hike and explore in the gorgeous coastal redwoods. I was the oldest of 7 kids, and my dad  loved to take us on “daddy days” on the weekends. Whether it was to Carmel, Half Moon Bay,  or on some hike in the redwoods, there was always an adventure to be had. During the week  my mom was always bringing us to different classes, and that included a lot of musicals,  theater productions, and Christmas choirs. Looking back I’m not sure how she did it all! In  2011, after searching for 3 years during the housing crash, my family through God’s perfect  timing and providence moved up here to Cool. Shortly after that move we began attending  Cool Community. It was here, through serving in the worship and youth ministries that I met my  now husband Jeff. We were married in 2014, and have been blessed over 10 years with 4  beautiful children, Tucker, Kinsley, Havyn, and Selah. We homeschool, and because of that  flexibility during the school year we love to take family vacations to the ocean, desert or  Disneyland! Summer is our favorite time of year, and you can find us regularly at the pool. In  our free time at home we love to go on family hikes, have movie nights, share dinners with our  large extended family, and more recently have incorporated family worship nights in our home,  and at my parents.  

I was blessed to be born into a Christian family, with grandparents and great grandparents that  prayed over me from the start. Because of this, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment where I  was “saved”, but I can think back to the age of 4-5 and asking Jesus to come into my heart. As  I grew up, coming to understand that I am a sinner in need of a savior, and that Christ is that  savior became more and more sweet to me. Looking back I can remember so many moments  being involved in different musicals and Christmas choir productions, and I can see Gods hand  slowly guiding me and laying the foundation of worship and leadership at a young age. One of  the biggest impacts on my faith happened outside of church, through our own homeschool  community that my mom had built. She would regularly lead different Bible and book studies  with other moms, and we’d meet at a park or up in Mount Hermon. I remember sitting and  listening to those studies, and observing that discipleship made a huge impact on me and how  we should do life with other believers. My parents also hosted several Bible studies in their  home, with friends from different church denominations and backgrounds. Witnessing that set  a foundation for my own faith, and how to interact with others, and find unity in our faith in  Jesus. At around the age of 14-15, I felt led to lead a young girls Bible study at my church, and  my mom helped me set that up with our pastor. I continued to lead the same study for a time  after moving to Cool. At the age of 16, God convicted me to make a public declaration of my  faith, and I made the decision to be baptized by my dad at the American River with our church  families river baptisms. All of these little stories interweave through my childhood, and I can  again see Gods fingerprints through them all, slowly building my faith and trust in Him.  

Shortly after moving to Cool in 2011, I joined the worship team here at Cool Community, during  a time of transition between two different leaders splitting their time. On my first Sunday Heidi,  who was one of the leaders at the time had me lead a “special song” for the service. I was 15,  and although I had been involved in worship/choir/and different theater productions since I was  4, I had never served regularly in a worship team setting. The next 3 years serving in music  ministry were very formative, and I’m thankful for the discipleship and growth that happened  during that time. A short time after Jeff and I were married, we moved to a little town in Northern California called Susanville. We quickly got involved at an amazing church, and were  plugged into a home group. My pastor found out I could sing and asked if I’d sing for their  Christmas Eve service. I was 5 weeks postpartum with our first baby Tucker, but was excited to  have the opportunity to serve through music again. From there I was on the worship team  nearly every week for the next 2 1/2 years. We had the opportunity to open for Audio  Adrenaline at our small town summer fair, which was such a fun experience! Those years were  another huge season of growth and learning to allow the Holy Spirit to move through me to  lead His church. Through that time we also added another baby to our family, Kinsley. We loved  our church family dearly, but were feeling pulled to move back closer to family, so in 2018, we  made the move back to Cool. Since we’ve been back, I’ve served on the worship team here at  Cool Community off and on over the last 6 1/2 years, between adding two more babies to our  family, Havyn and Selah.
 
From as far back as I can remember, I’ve always loved to sing. My grandma would say I sang  before I talked! :) Music has always been woven into my life. I’ve found in times where I’m  struggling, God will put lyrics to a certain worship song into my head, and I’ll subconsciously  start humming or singing it, and before long I realize the lyrics will apply directly to whatever it  is I’m going through. When I am worshipping our Lord through song, I feel like I’m stepping into  what I was created to do. Everything else falls away, and His Glory and Majesty are at the  forefront of my mind. My heart in worship ministry is to truly be a vessel used by Him, for His  glory. Being able to lead His people in worship is one of the biggest blessings in my life! My  favorite moments in worship are when I can get out of the way, step back from the mic and  hear His congregation singing His praises. My goal as a worship leader is to be spirit led, and  that Christ would be magnified in and through me. As the song so beautifully says, “Yet not I,  but through Christ in me.”

“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as  long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.”
Psalm 63:3-4 ESV

Hello Church! My name is Ross Gilleland and I have been leading worship since 1996. I grew up in Sacramento, where I met my beautiful wife, Marybeth who grew up in Colorado. We both have served in the local church in various capacities, including leadership, youth ministry, worship, & production. In our downtime, you will find Marybeth crafting or consumed by a good book and you will find me outside, working with my hands. Marybeth, and I have three children, Madelene (Maddy), Jackson (Jack), & Owen. We have called Volcanoville home since 2021 and absolutely love this community on The Divide. Ask us some time about our story, moving from Sacramento to Volcanoville. It is filled with God's love and providence.

My story of how I came to know the Lord brings a smile to my face. I remember a good home before Jesus and an amazing home with Jesus. My parents came to know Jesus when I was 8 years old. It was an invitation to play on a volleyball team that exposed my parents to a community of believers who shared the love of Christ with our family. I remember it all like yesterday and it felt like our life went from 0-60. Oh, my Lord, how you changed our family. It was in this little Church that I learned that I was known by the Father and loved. In the last 6 months or so I have found myself taking account of marking moments in my life like coming to know the Lord, Baptism, ministry, etc. I remember my baptism at age 12 and the seasons of different ministries but could not recall what age I came to know Jesus. I knew that I was 8-10 years old and that it was in Sunday School. I really wanted to know so I prayed, "Lord, it would be amazing to know how old I was...". I thought maybe I'd find a note in my first Bible in an unpacked moving box and thought, this might take a while. Then something amazing happened. On September 23rd of this year, out of the blue, I received a text message from my first Sunday school teacher, Rosalie Vierra. Rosalie, nearing 80 years old, had been sharing the Good News with a couple of children who were visiting her that day. Noted inside the tract she was reading from were a few familiar names and a date, 9/13/92, the day I came to know the Lord. Thank you Lord for Rosalie and for answering my prayer, I now know...

Growing up, music was always in the air. My dad sang and played guitar and both my parents were a part of the worship team and choir. I started learning guitar at age 11, taking lessons at the local guitar store. My younger brother and I eventually graduated from rolling the length of the sanctuary under the pews during choir practice to being a part of the worship team. At age 13 and 11 respectively, I began playing electric guitar and my brother the drum kit on Sunday mornings. As we grew up (a little), we began to lead the worship for the youth group and at camps. Through tragedy and bliss, worship was and has been at the center of my life. I am grateful to have led worship for over 20 years in Sacramento, 5 of those years as worship pastor.

As God's creation, melody and verse move us. A good song is powerful. A good song makes my eyes tear up and goosebumps rise. A single trumpet playing Taps makes me quiet and still. Equally, as a guitar player, I just cannot stop smiling when I hear an electric guitar amplifier cranked to 10. Songs of praise on a Sunday morning, a Mozart concerto, a punk rock anthem, and a sappy love song all tug on our emotions, provoke thought, sometimes action, and sometimes they simply entertain us. This is where our heart posture and the focus of our attention as Christians is so important. On Sunday and every day after, it is so critical to remember that worship is more than music, it really includes our whole heart. In everything we do, we ought to bring glory to God by our obedience to God (1 Corinthians 10:31). We see this in our Sunday worship, where everything we do is both in pursuit of God's heart and builds up the Church (that's us). This includes reading and preaching Scripture (1 Tim. 4:14); melody and verse (Eph. 5:18–19; Col. 3:16); praying (1 Tim. 2:1–2, 8); celebrating the ordinances of baptism and communion (Matt. 28:19, 1 Cor. 11:17–34); and stirring one another up to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24–25), all with our eyes on our Lord. As a worship leader, one of the most beautiful things to witness and be a part of is the song of the Church. There's a tension between leading and getting out of the way that is hard to explain. There are competing thoughts of "come on Church, let's go!" and "whew... I'm out of the way". This is my heart as a worship leader: that all of God's people in the room sing as one.

I did not grow up in the church and lived a typical unbelieving teenage life. However, I did always believe that there was a God, I just didn't know Him.  I got married to my first wife, Janet, and moved to Phoenix, AZ  when my third child was on the way. In Phoenix, I had my own pizza restaurant and loved every part of my life.  Then my whole world came crashing down around me. I lost my house. I lost the restaurant. It felt like I had lost so much of what was really important to me.  My brother knew the Lord and decided to come tell me about Jesus. After hearing the gospel, I turned to Christ and asked him to save me.

Eventually, the Lord lead my family to the Divide and to Cool Community Church. We made a life here, raised our kids here, and have now been a part of the church for nearly 30 years.

In 2018, my dear wife (Janet), was diagnosed with cancer. She went to be with the Lord a few months later. In early 2020 the Lord put Julie in my life. Pastor Drew married us that fall.

I thank God every day for the life that he has called me to and the church that he has allowed me to be a part of.

I was raised catholic and attended parochial school through 5th grade, Catholicism taught me reverence for God and a strong sense of right and wrong. When I left home, I began living life for myself and the things the world had to offer; traveling and working, I found myself less and less satisfied with my life and I knew the LORD was calling me to return to Him. Then one day I received a letter from a longtime friend telling me he had received Christ into his life. I knew right then the Lord was setting me up.

Well, after coming back to California, my friend invited me to a bible study when afterwards the leader of the study turned to me and asked “Do you want to accept Jesus into your life?” Looking back on that I’ve told people that you never know who the Holy Spirit has been working on and sometimes they just need an invitation to accept Christ.

I started attending an evangelical church, a far cry from the church I was raised in but felt at home and this was where the Lord had placed me. Since early in my walk with Christ, He has always given me opportunities to serve. I’ve often told people that Christianity is not a spectator sport, that He has given us all talents.

I heard it said once from a wise man, “What would the Lord have you do?... The next thing He places before you.”

Our 2021 Vacation Bible School Registration just closed, but it's not too late!!!
If you come to the church on Monday morning at 8:45am, we can still get you registered in person. We look forward to seeing you here!

Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee - it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument - it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul.

- Charles Spurgeon
Morning & Evening

"The central problem of our age is not liberalism or modernism, nor the old Roman Catholicism or the new Roman Catholicism, nor the threat of communism, nor even the threat of rationalism and the monolithic consensus which surrounds us. All these are dangerous but not the primary threat. The real problem is this: the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, individually or corporately, tending to do the Lord’s work in the power of the flesh rather than of the Spirit. The central problem is always in the midst of the people of God, not in the circumstances surrounding them."
 
- Francis Schaeffer, No Little People

I think we all knew this was coming, but it is nonetheless shocking to see it happen.

A friend of mine, James Coates, who went through the D. Min. program with me and is a pastor in Canada, has been arrested by the Canadian Government for holding church services.

Here is an update from James' wife:
James has been in isolation in a cell block since yesterday morning. His hearing didn't go very well. The crown went for the jugular. The JP say he didn't want to detain him, he wasn't interested in making a martyr of him. He could walk if he just sets aside his God-given pastoral duties but he can't do that.

He has a hearing today to set a court date for his charges. It's very possible that they will remand him until his court case. The Crown has called him a danger to the health and safety of Albertans. May God have mercy on our nation!

I read to my children the work the Lord is doing in people through James so they can see the sacrifice of their father is not in vain. My prayer is that men will stand! They can't see that if they shut us down on this issue they will shut us down on any issue they deem to be "a danger to the health and safety of Albertans."

My heart is broken. They tried him in secret. The officers lied to us and told us he wasn't there. They tried to hide him and sneak him out the back door. In the providence of God one of our men was there. The officer only allowed him to tell him that they loved him and were here with him. They pulled him away.

They have remanded him as our lawyer seeks the appeal. The conditions of his release are that he would not pastor anymore. I cannot visit him. 

Please be in prayer for James, his church and his family.
You can find out more about the case here.
Here is the link to the last sermon that James was able to preach at his church.

Let us therefore remember, whenever each of us contemplates his own nature, that there is one God who so governs all natures that he would have us look unto him, direct our faith to him, and worship and call upon him. For nothing is more preposterous than to enjoy the very remarkable gifts that attest the divine nature within us, yet to overlook the Author who gives them to us at our asking.

~John Calvin~

Al Mohler has recently written a very helpful article about Vaccines and the Christian Worldview. In the article he lists seven issues that Christians should consider as they think through the morality of the new COVID vaccine.

Mohler writes:
This is an absolutely historic and crucial moment. This pandemic has wrought untold destruction—and we are, I pray, in the final months of this contagion’s deadly advance. The creation of vaccines in such a short amount of time is something to be celebrated. And as Christians begin to decide whether or not to take the vaccine, it is important to understand the serious moral complexities involved. We must think biblically about this vital issue.  

As we begin to think through the various arguments for and against the new vaccine, I believe that we should all be able to agree to the following: 1) No one should be coerced into receiving a vaccination. 2) No one should be condemned for receiving a vaccination.

Here are Dr. Mohler's Seven points for Christians to consider about vaccines and their use:

1. Christians do not believe in medical non-interventionism.
2. Christians must consider the derivation of the vaccine itself - what kind of technology was involved in the development of a vaccine.
3. Christians must consider the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.
4. Christians should consider the moral implications of a potentially government mandated vaccine.
5. Christians should consider the issue of the common good and what love of neighbor looks like in relation to vaccines.
6. Christians should consider the integrity of the family and the authority of parents in relation to vaccines.
7. Christians should consider the issue of access and priority in regard to vaccines.

You an read the rest of Dr. Mohler's article at this link.

Dr. John MacArthur also gives a very helpful answer to the question about whether or not to take the COVID vaccine (including whether he would be willing to receive the vaccine) at this link.

The finest test of the consecration of a minister of Christ is not in his public performances, but in what he does when the world is not looking. It is hard for a man to tell when he is preaching whether he is preaching for himself or for God. To open up glorious ideas, to clothe them with language which glows and speak them in tones which burn-all this is so delightful that it is not easy for the preacher to say just why he likes to do it. But in the obscurity of pastoral service, he has an opportunity to ascertain whether he really loves god, and how much he is willing to do for people simply for Jesus’ sake. 

– Charles Jefferson, The Minister as Shepherd

On July 19th of 64 AD a fire broke out in the capitol city of Rome, which burned for three days and three nights. When the flames were finally extinguished and the citizens of Rome began to grasp how much they had lost, historians tell us that the whole city descended into a “hopeless brotherhood of wretchedness.” This wretchedness quickly turned to furious rage at Emperor Nero.

Nero was already known to be a tyrant. He had made life for the Romans miserable. The Roman Historian Suetonius in his book The Rise of the Caesars wrote extensively about Nero. During his reign he outlawed “the sale of any kind of cooked foods in the taverns" (so there was no "indoor dining"). He also set limits on "public banquets" (so there was no "outdoor dining" either).

With popular opinion rising against him, Nero needed someone to take the blame for what had happened. Tragically, it was Christians who became the scapegoat for his own monumental failures.

Tacitus (who was no friend of Christians) wrote:
'Neither human assistance in the shape of imperial gifts, nor attempts to appease the gods, could remove the sinister report that the fire was due to Nero's own order. And so, in the hope of dissipating this rumour, he falsely diverted the charge on to a set of people to whom the vulgar gave the name of Chrestians…The founder of this name, one Christus by name, had been executed by Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius. (Annals 15:44)

Tacitus goes on to describe the persecution and the suffering of the Christians in Rome:
Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. (Annals 15:44)

Finally, Nero declared Christianity to be illegal throughout the Roman empire. The Christian historian Sulipicius Severus wrote in chapter 19 of  his Chronicle:
Afterwards, too, their religion was prohibited by laws which were enacted; and by edicts openly set forth it was proclaimed unlawful to be a Christian.

Mercifully, in God’s infinite kindness, just a few months before the events of July 19, 64 AD. God put it in the heart of the Apostle Peter to write a letter to Christians scattered throughout the Roman empire, especially in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).

Peter could smell the coming persecution like acrid smoke drifting through the air.
The fires of persecution were still some distance away, but Peter knew that they were coming.
So, from his home in Rome, he sat down with his friend Silvanus and wrote one of the most encouraging letters in the Bible. 1 Peter is a letter that is written out of the depth and warmth of a true pastor’s heart, as he writes to those who he knows will soon enter into the fires of persecution.

Last Sunday (1/17/21) our church began a new expository series on 1 Peter. I chose to take us to 1 Peter for several reasons, but mostly because of the remarkable similarities between Peter's day and our own day:

• Much like in Peter's day, Christians today have enjoyed a long season of relative peace and tranquility, as the world seemed to slumber, almost unaware of our presence.
• Just as the great fire that consumed Rome represented an Emergency Situation for the government to exercise unprecedented power and authority over its people, so too our world has been subjected to an emergency with our own authorities exercising unprecedented power and authority over our lives.
• Just as it was Christians who the government was able to blame for societies woes, so too it seems that religious conservatives are increasingly being targeted and blamed for everything that is wrong in this world.

I am deeply persuaded that we need this book right now.
There’s never been a time in my life when I’ve needed this book more than I do right now.
So, I'd like to invite you to join us on this journey of exploring 1 Peter together at Cool Community Church.

By any measure, last week was a terrible week for our nation.
For reasons that need no further explanation, it was a particularly bad week for conservatives in this country.

In light of the anxiety that so many of us are feeling about the days to come, I want to remind all of us that no that matter who sits in the White House, no matter who holds the gavel in the house of representatives, and no matter who sits in the Governor’s mansion in Sacramento; this country, this world, and this universe are not ruled through democracy. Ultimately we do not live in a republic. Our lives are not ultimately governed by the men and women who sit in the seats of authority in this world.

The truth is that while there are many kingdoms in this world stretching from Mongolia to Poland; and while there are many worlds in our solar system, stretching from mercury to Pluto; and while there are many solar systems in the vast expanse of the cosmos; there is only one King. This great King rules and reigns over all things. His kingdom has no end. His sovereignty is unassailable. His purposes will stand.

Nebuchadnezzar was right when he wrote:
His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
 Abraham Kuyper was right when he famously said, “There is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’”

Like the lingering fragrance of expensive perfume, the kingship of our God permeates every passage in the Scriptures.
In fact, one of the richest veins of truth in all of the Bible is the truth that our God reigns:

• Psalm 47:7-8 - For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
• Psalm 93:1-2 - The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.
• Psalm 95:1-3 - Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
• Psalm 99:1 - The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!

Beloved, this is good news for those of us who live in times like this. This is the kind of news that comes with thunderous implications.

The prophet Isaiah knew how good this news was when he wrote:
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” (Isa 52:7)

The Apostle Paul knew how good this news was when he wrote:
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28)

Because our God reigns, we can have the utmost confidence that he is working ALL THINGS together for good.
God does not work "somethings" together for good.
God does not even work "a majority of things" together for good.
Our God reigns and our reigning God works ALL THINGS together for good!

So we should rejoice in the truth that...

• In 1980 when Ronald Reagan was elected as president of the United States, God, the King, took that man and used him to work all things together for the good of God’s people.
• In 1988 when George H.W. Bush was elected as president of the United States, God, the King, took that man and used him to work all things together for the good of God’s people.
• In 2000 when George W. Bush was elected as president of the United States, God, the King, took that man and used him to work all things together for the good of God’s people.
• In 2016 when Donald Trump was elected as president of the United States, God, the King, took that man and used him to work all things together for the good of God’s people.

But it is also true that...

• In 1976 when Jimmy Carter was elected as president of the United States, God, the King, took that man and used him to work all things together for the good of God’s people.
• In 1992 when Bill Clinton was elected as president of the United States, God, the King, took that man and used him to work all things together for the good of God’s people.
• In 2008 when Barack Obama was elected as president of the United States, God, the King, took that man and used him to work all things together for the good of God’s people.
• In 2020 when Joe Biden was elected as president of the United States, God, the King, will not fail to take that man and to use him to work all things together for the good of God's people.

God is not in heaven wringing his hands in despair over who is the President of the United States, or who holds the gavel in the House of Representatives, or who is serving as the President of the Senate.
Romans 8:28 is still true no matter who is sitting in the seats of power in this country:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

So, let me invite you to join with Charles Wesley who exhorts us to:

Rejoice, the Lord is King:
Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore.

His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o'er earth and heav'n;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv'n:

Rejoice in glorious hope!
Our Lord and judge shall come
And take His servants up
To their eternal home:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!



Grace & Peace to You,

Pastor Drew Buell
Cool Community Church 

This is a short piece of creative writing that I started a few weeks ago.
I’ve spent a lot of time in 1 Peter lately, getting ready for my next preaching series, so the format of the letter is similar to that of 1 Peter (I’ve included hyperlinks in bold to all of the biblical references). It’s something of a “tongue in cheek” letter to those dear friends who have left California (California’s Refugees) to seek greener pastures in “redder” states.
I hope you enjoy it :-).

Pastor Drew along with the faithful remnant left behind in the "People's Republic of California,"

To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Texas, Idaho, Tennessee, etc. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I want you to know that I thank God in all of my remembrance of you and that I continually pray for you. Whether your journey has taken you to the upper reaches of northern Idaho, the big state of Texas, or the far reaches of Tennessee, you are no less near to my heart.

I am thrilled to hear of the newly rediscovered political, economic, and cultural freedoms that you have found in your new home states. It must be a relief to have straws available when you go out to eat, plastic bags to take your groceries home in, and a state government with some common sense. In short, I am glad that you are doing well.

It has been reported to me by "Chloe's people," that some of you may be wondering why we have chosen to stay in California. For me, there are four reasons that immediately come to mind (Careers, Community, Counties, and Calling).

• Careers - There are quite a few people here who's careers simply require them to live in California (i.e. my wife's job only exists in California). There is also the question of income. I know that the cost of living is significantly lower in other states, but it seems that this benefit is often offset by a lower salary. For example, the average salary of a Correctional Officer in California is $77,520. The average salary of a Correctional Officer in Idaho is $37,800. For some of us, the difference between these two salaries is too great to make a move possible. In short, while we abhor high taxes and high gas prices, we are still making more money here than we would anywhere else.
• Community - While all of the benefits of moving to another state are certainly enticing, I can't escape the fact that most of the people that I love most in this world live in California. Most of my family lives in California and all of my church family lives in California. I have several church members who's roots in this community run all the way back to the gold rush. Those kinds of roots have a way of anchoring you to a location.
• Counties - California is a solidly democratic state and will likely remain so for a very long time. Nonetheless more than 13.3 Million Californians voted for the Republican ticket in the last election. That’s nearly twice the population of Tennessee and Idaho combined, which means that there are nearly twice as many conservatives in California as their are people in Idaho and Tennessee.  Many of those conservatives are clustered in various counties throughout the state (i.e. El Dorado , Kern , Yorba Linda, etc.). Even in “Red States” the city or county that you live in has a massive influence on the way you live your life. It wasn’t too long ago that the mayor of Houston issued sobpoenas for the sermons of multiple pastors within the city, threatening pastors who did not comply with being held in contempt of court. Of course, we don't need to look any further back than the last few weeks to be reminded of the truth that there really is no place for conservatives to hide, now that the entire federal government is in the hands of the left. In some ways, it seems that we all live in California now. I guess the point is that even within the "People's Republic of California" there are still many safe places for conservatives to gather, live, and even thrive. 
• Calling - The famous missionary CT Studd used to say, “Some want to live within the sound of church and chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” It's no secret that the great state of California has been steadily making its way closer and closer to the gaping mouth of hell. It's also true that California continues to lead the way for the rest of the country. In other words, what happens here will eventually happen throughout the country. For some of us, we sense God's calling on our lives to stay and to put up as much of a "last defense" as we can, remembering that if God can save the wicked city of Nineveh, he can surely save Sacramento.

I guess the main thing that I would like you to know is that I totally understand your desire to leave and start a new life and I am so glad to hear that you are doing well. I just hope that you can also understand our decision to stay. We know that we are fighting a losing battle, but we are doing the best that we can.

I know that it's easy to make fun of California and to talk about how glad you are to finally be out of here, but I would just like to lovingly remind you that many of God's people still call California home. So, rather than running down our home state, perhaps you would be willing to join us in simply praying for the good of this place, that God would be kind enough to grant our leaders repentance and wisdom to do a better job than they have.

In the meantime, those of us who remain in "Babylon" continue to send our greetings and our deepest love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

I first professed faith in Christ and was baptized as a young teenager, having heard the Gospel at a private Christian school I attended for two years. But as a young adult I was distracted by new responsibilities and the things of the world. I attended church only sporadically and did not spend enough time in the Word or in fellowship with other Christians. When Lori and I married I understood my responsibility to be the spiritual leader in our home but rarely met it. There were periods where we attended church but we always fell away and were not truly following Christ.

In 2013, a serious health scare with Lori brought me back to my knees in prayer. As soon as she was well enough we returned to church at Cool Community Church where we were warmly received by a faithful pastor and many godly people in the church. And as we worshiped with the church and studied the Word daily, the Lord opened my eyes and heart again to many things, among them:

That God is absolutely sovereign and holy and He is the source of all love, joy, peace, and light.   That I am unfit to be in His presence except by the atoning blood of Jesus. That the story of the prodigal son is not about the son but about the love and faithfulness of the Father. That He will not let go of those He has called. That He works all things for the good of those who love Him. And that there is nothing in creation to be valued higher than Jesus and being in His presence.

God richly demonstrated His mercy and love to us and I rededicated my life to Him then. He also gave me a new love for the church and His people and I have been blessed to serve them on the worship and A/V teams in the few years since. I pray that God will continue to use me to serve faithfully and effectively as an elder.

I accepted Christ at the age of 8 during vacation bible school at the Dixon Neighborhood Church in Dixon, CA. At the time, I remember sitting a row behind three of my classmates. When the leaders asked who accepted Christ, I raised my hand and one of my classmates in front of me did also but then quickly put it down when they were ridiculed by their friends sitting next to them(Matt 13:4,19). By the grace of God, I had sat alone that day which allowed the seed to take root. God continually increased my faith through prayer in trials. In 6th grade, I remember losing my math book and asking God to help me find it and after praying, I looked up and it was on my teacher's desk. I remember my brother becoming a Jehovah's witness when I was in 9th grade and being challenged as to who Jesus was ("The trinity can't be true as it makes no sense"). That Summer, I went to Alliance Redwoods Christian Camp and the topic was cults and specifically Jehovah's Witnesses!! In College, I remember struggling at times especially when I started taking electrical engineering classes. God was true to helping me overcome these obstacles through prayer and faith.

There have been times in my life where I have had very dry times. Times where it seemed like my prayers were hitting a bronze ceiling and the Bible had nothing new to say. It was at these times that my faith and endurance were tested. Through all of this, God was gracious in holding me close to Him. I have learned through all my experiences that the focus needs to be on relationship which is something I look for opportunities as far as growth.

My gift is in teaching. Here at CCC, I started teaching the 3rd - 6th children's church class. Then, when the opportunity presented itself, I began working with Rob as one of the youth leaders. I consider it a tremendous privilege to have the opportunity to shape young lives through teaching and counseling. Lately, I have been leading the adult sunday school class along with Gary Farnworth and Dave Robertson. I consider all these opportunities to serve the body of Christ as a privilege and look forward to continuing to serve our Lord through various ministries.

I recently finished reading Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol for the first time. Of course, I was already very familiar with the story having seen it performed on stage as well as on TV specials, but there was something uniquely satisfying and enlightening about reading the book itself. One of my favorite scenes is in the home of Bob Crachit as his family gathers together on Christmas today to celebrate. This is Dickens description of the scene:

They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker’s. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and contented with the time…

I hope that the same thing could be said of my family this Christmas, even with all of the activity of Christmas, that we would be content with the time.