February 6, 2013

Good Morning everyone!

Thanks so much for your prayers, even when I am not so diligent to get you fodder for your prayers.  I was finally able to get a partial prayer day 2 weeks ago at a beautiful Benedictine Monastery in Oceanside, which I think will be my new favorite.

My next scheduled day is at the end of this month is Feb. 28 - PRAY IT DOESNT GET PREEMPTED!

PRAISE:

• Nathan's right foot is healed and his left foot has a brace until it is obvious that he needs surgery.  He is playing Lacrosse, so it isn't affecting him too much.
• The Tree lighting was such a success the city contacted us about doing a similar event for their 125th anniversary on April 6.  Yay!  Pray for partners in the city.
• I have had the honor of leading several young men to Christ lately, pray they will get into a discipleship group and be baptized.
• El Modena HS has a long HONEY DO list for us.  Pray for wisdom and finances.
• We are meeting with other congregations once a month to compare notes on ministry possibilities after our monthly prayer time!

PRAYER:

• My wrist is still an issue and we do not have clarity.  In the meantime, another issue has come up that I am on 30 days of medication for.
• Our family is prepping for Israel, and with all the news, the kids are a bit nervous.
• I am prepping for Israel, so it is like prepping for 30 extra messages all at once. Pray I am diligent.
• We are making a bold move to have Marcus ordained, not by our denomination, but trying to see if we can get the congregations in Orange to unite for this purpose.  This is about as big as it gets.  Please pray for wisdom.
• I am in a 9 month series on the life and letters of the Apostle Paul and thoroughly loving it.  Pray, in Paul's words, that I might finish well.
• Please pray for our upcoming resurrection celebrations.  
• Please pray for Carolyn's work load as she prepares to be gone for 2 weeks in Israel.
• Please continue to pray for the Beacon's financial status.

There is a lot more. Thanks for keeping us in prayer.

Ric for the Olsen's

Quickie...

It has been a crazy month with the passing of my Grandfather and the family reunions that ensued.  So glad to see everyone, but it carried an emotional toll.  That covered our Thanksgiving week.

That was quickly followed by the Annual Treelighting Ceremony here in Orange that we partner here with our City.  THEY GAVE US TWO BLOCKS this year for bounce houses and trains and crafts.  It was a lot of fun and total success.

We launched our new ministry plan in March of last year and we have seen God move in ways that make it seem like we are on slippery ground.  Hard to keep up!  God is so good. Pray we are wise with the blessings He is giving us.

This last weekend, 30 HS Choir students and their families joined us for worship and lead us in two songs. It was beautiful! They came to say thanks for our ladies repairing their robes "better than new."

Praise God the Body of Christ seems to be gathering in Orange. More pastors are joining us for prayer and the discussions we have now tagged on the back of the meetings on issues like homelessness and recovery.

Pray for our partners: School principals, city officials, etc.  We lost two more key partners to job loss and family illness last week.

Pray for our finances.  We are basically brooke, but somehow able to operate.

Please pray for our family health...

• Nathan twisted an ankle that revealed a greater problem.  He has had several MRI's and xrays.  We will discover the results next week.
• Carolyn and Keziah are fighting off strep.
• I am still dealing with my hand and trying to decide what to do.

Also pray for our Christmas Eve services in a week or so.

Please keep the Israel trip in prayer as I need to give final answers to the agency on January 3.

Thanks for keeping us in prayer.  lots of plates in the air.

Love

Ric

NEW September 2012

TWICE IN ONE MONTH!  There are two parts to making this happen... 1. Having my day to pray and 2. Taking the time to type the results of that day to you.  So, I am becoming more consistent on my prayer days (yeah!) and trying harder to write them down, so without further ado...

PRAISE:

1. We are on a great vision path for the Fall.
2. Super responses from the Elmo principal about partnership.
3. New families are visiting us.

Prayer requests:

1. I found out my wrist is broken.   I have had two opinions on it and looking for a third.  I t doesn't look like surgery can do much, but I am losing my ability to do some things (like handwriting) as i am write handed.  Pray for wisdom as I would be in a cast for up to 9 months with only a 50% chance of success.
2. I have some terribly emotional situations that I am dealing with right now involving marriages going bad.  PTL none at the Beacon right now.  It is taking its toll on me and Carolyn.
3. Finances at the Beacon are not dire, but have hit rock bottom. This too becomes emotional since we none of our staff can afford a reduction in pay.
4. Membership covenants are being collected now for the Fall drive.
5. Wisdom about invitations to speak outside of the Beacon.
6. Israel trip preparation.
7. Pray we finish our 2011 taxes.
8. Team lead openings: Advent, Resurrection, Connection team (overseas life groups)
9. Restructuring of all church retreat to day retreat (due to Beacon financial situation) and response from our people. 
10. That I can organize a pastors day retreat for orange pastors.

Schedule:

1. Teaching Awaken on Tuesday nights in October.
2. mayors prayer breakfast on 18th

Lots happening as you can tell,  thanks for praying.  

ONE FINAL NOTE: It is September and I want to free you or re enlist you for another year of praying for our family.  

1. Nathan and Keziah are more involved in lacrosse and dancing this year which tightens up our schedule.  Pray for rest.
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September 2012

Good morning to you all.

I can keep apologizing and promising to do better, but that seems repetitious and meaningless.  So I will move on and do my best.

This fall is looking promising.  I am excited about the momentum we are feeling as things prepare to launch this fall.  Please pray that I am able to present a compelling vision of the future.  Orange Sunday is this weekend and I will layout the strategy for this year.

Specific prayer would be appreciated in several areas...
1. I broke my wrist a few years ago, but just found out a few weeks ago.  I need surgery and will be in a cast for 6 months.  It is my writing hand.
2. I am swamped with marriages falling apart lately.  No Beacon ones PTL, but still significant relationships.  It has been emotionally draining.
3. The trip to Israel is on the books and we will be announcing it soon.  Lots of work to do to prep for that.
4. We need to finish our taxes for 2011.
5.  School has started and we are trying to find our rhythm as a family.
6.  The Beacon just ran out of cash.  Give us wisdom Lord.
7.  We are in the process of electing new elders and a new constitution.  Not easy.

I know this is shorter than usual, but I wanted to post something for you.

Blessings and thank you!
Ric

I am sorry!  I have not kept my end of the bargain.  It has been hard enough to schedule the prayer days, but even more so to sit and write these updates.  I am so sorry!  I made a commitment to you and I broke it.  I do so appreciate your prayers.  Ironically, the time I need them most is when I haven't been giving you prayer requests.  I have to trust the Lord leads you with groanings beyond words in your efforts on our behalf.

It has been a very full Spring...

• Keziah participated in her first musical- Flat Stanley, and did a great job.
• She also served as assistant Conductor for her school orchestra, while also participating in Violin.
• Nathan also participated in the Orchestra playing Cello.  
• Pray that their love of music doesnt become performance driven, but that it becomes a way for them to express worship.
• Nathan is in Cubscouts - Webelos 1, and they asked me to teach them through the requirements for their faith emblem.  Over 6 meetings, I get to lead families and sons to discover some foundational truths of Scripture.  Pray for these families.
• I have been teaching from Genesis to Revelation, scrunching God's Never Ending Story down into 9 months of messages.  Whew.  We finish in 2 weeks.  It has been so rewarding. 
• I am finishing a 2 year coaching network with Church Resource Ministries that has been 1 full day once a month.   I will be gone this Friday as well.  We finish in August.
• We launched our 3 year vision plan in March.  It has been very exciting to reinvigorate our people on a focused vision for the future.
• We had a friend visiting from Romania.  We hope to take the Tru Curriculum to Romania.
• We started meeting with other churches in Orange for prayer every 3rd Wednesday.  So good.
• My car broke down during a retreat with the elders.

I did get my monthly Summit/Prayer this month (last Thursday), though it took a lot of wrangling with my calendar to do so.  Please pray I can keep that commitment.   Also, please pray for...

• Kid to finish well at school (June 15).  They are both straight A's, and mostly A+'s.  We are grateful for their hard work.  
• Our vacation from June 22 to July 6.  We will be along the Mississippi coast and Nathan doesn't like Alligators.
• Keziah heads off on her first mission trip without us.  She will join the Beacon Youth on a Navajo Nation project from July 8-13.
• Nathan will be heading to Camp Pondo with our Children's Team from July 9-12.
• Carolyn has conferences related to work this summer.
• I am trying to get my head around the messages sequence for 2012-2013.  I hope to publish that calendar for our teams by September.
• Family members who need prayer: Ric's Grandpa John, Carolyn's Mother Bonnie and Brother Gary.
• My regular meetings with the Men that keep me sharp have been cancelled lately.  I am not fond of that.
• Pray for my Men's Discipleship group.  I have 5 great guys that meet twice a month.
• Pray for the Elder choosing process at the Beacon.  We have 4 men and their wives in the process right now.
• Pray for our current Elders as we are trying to make sure we lay a solid foundation for the future.
• Pray for our Elders as they interview new member prospects.

My next prayer day is supposed to be June 14.  Thanks again for your prayers.  Is there anyway we can pray for you?

Leaping...

Boy, today is leap day, but this year has truly kept us leaping. 
We have had some back to back appointments, all good stuff, but keeping us on our toes.

Praise report, I spoke at the CPC conference yesterday to a packed house.  I had low expectations since the AC unit outside my room kept me up all night, the printer from the hotel for my message was broken, the Starbucks I got to pep me up was so bad I couldnt drink it and the video and audio systems were having issue.  I started to laugh.  Then they told me the seminar I was teaching on Spiritual Foundation was for credit for some of them.  Yikes!  By the time it started they had turned over 50 people away and people were sitting on the floor.  They were very forgiving as well and we had a really good time.  One guy came up to me later in the day and said that he had come to the conference feeling confounded, but the seminar gave him a clear path and he was excited!  God is to good!

Home again!  I am excited for this spring!  God is changing lives right in front of us and I am excited to see where it will take us.

Keep praying.  I will post some more in a few days!  Anything I can pray for you about?
Ric

New Year, New Prayer Effort...

Sorry I have not been as active on this as I had promised.  I am making an effort to get back on track.  I  had my prayer day today, but it took 3 weeks of rescheduling to do it.  That is my first prayer request.  Things have been very busy.

This month...
1. 10-11 Leadership Retreat for Beacon Leadership to cast vision for the future.
2. 19 Wedding for Fire Department
3. 24 Wedding for a former student
4. 28 Speaking at the National Children's Pastors Conference in San Diego on Spiritual Formation.

We are teaching several new classes: Financial Peace University, Discover the Beacon
I am involved with Boy Scouts with Nathan.
I have several leadership teams meeting to prep for the Spring and Resurrection Celebration.
I am working on this message series that has a chance on getting published.
I am still trying to get time with the guys at the fire department.  One of them recently decided it was time to give his life to Jesus!  Yes!

Pray that I can put some margin back into our family life and into ministry time. We are trying to plan vacation time for this summer.  Not an easy task.
Pray that I use my time well!

Thank you for praying!  Normally, my prayer days are the 4th Thursday of the month, and you can expect updates after that.

How can I pray for you?
Ric

Late September

You all are so patient. Thanks for your prayers.

School and Fall and all their glory took quite a toll on us as we tried to build momentum. Good news is we finally seem to be getting some traction. Bad news isnt all that bad, but we are running at a pretty high volume.

I did get my prayer day in September, but it was a week later than usual due to Fall busy-ness, but wanted to up date you on things you can pray for...

1. Family: Pray for my Mom as she lost her job this week.
2. Family: Pray for some upcoming very difficult family decisions. More on that as we are able.
3. Family: Pray for our consistent family devotional times. We have been doing it, but we are having to fight for it.
4. Beacon: Pray for this new series GOD: His Never Ending Story. It will be almost a full year series and we are taking some significant risks in the way we pursue curriculum and discipleship, but we are already seeing great promise and results. Pray for freshness and commitment to God's Word.
5. Beacon: We are in a vision casting season called FOCUSING. Will you pray that we hear God's voice for this community?
6. City: Pray for the Fire Department. The men are praying at 5pm for 5 minutes every day for the City and negotiations and for the other fire fighters.
7. City: Pray for unity in the Body of Christ in Orange. I am trying to meet 2 pastors each month.

Thats the big stuff for now. I hope to get my Prayer day on the 27th of October and will update you after that.

Thanks again. How can I pray for you?

Back in the Saddle again...

It seems abit cliche after a week in cowboy country, but I am back in the swing of things are roaring at 100 miles an hour. In terms of prayer...

--- pray as we visit my Grandfather tomorrow for what could be the last time.

--- pray as the Beacon transitions to Saturday night services for the summer. Summerfest 2011includes ice cream trucks, Nazareth (comedian)(16th) City Serve Celebration with Milele (from Africa) (23rd), special food nights and ends with Soul Surfer (movie)(Aug. 26)

--- pray for kids camp next week at Pondo (I will be a counselor the last half of the week)

--- pray for our City Serve week with youth from all over North America coming as we plug them in with our partners in the city.

Thats a lot, but thanks for praying. We got alot of rest on vacation and I am ready to hit this stuff hard. Praise God for the teams who covered me in my absence, especially Marcus Little, and Mike Moore.

Late April Update

Hey Crew,

Thanks for so many of you chipping in to support our family and me through prayer. It really is my intention to update this at the end of each month after my day of prayer (4th Thursdays of each month). However, 2 weeks ago I was asked to attend the Federation of Fire Chaplains Conference in San Diego on the day I had planned to spend in prayer. As a result, I dont have as much detail to get to you. Here are a few quick things...

(P.S. We moved our offices and this blog was frozen in a DSL incident and didnt get posted until after my Dad's visit. Sorry!)

PRAISE...

• Our Resurrection Celebrations were SOOO good! It was like going to the gym after you have not been in a while and getting in a really satisfying workout. It was perfect and beautiful, and satisfying. Check out the Beacon Facebook page for some pictures.


• We moved our offices. Good news and bad. Good news because we are in a more spacious and safe office space and are actually in the City of Orange now.We moved into the old Wycliffe Bible Translators building off Prospect and Chapman. Please come visit! This is the good news. The bad news isnt really bad, its just that I had begun some great relationships at the old building with some people who could use the hope of Jesus and I know I wont see them every day anymore. (update: I dropped in for a visit with a few of them today 5/6).) The other tough part is unpacking.


• We have a whole group of NEWBIES coming to the Beacon. Brand spanking new, no previous church connection and it is exciting!


• May 30th is the 13th wedding anniversary for Carolyn and I. Yeah!

PRAYER:

• My Dad is coming in to town for the week. It is not a social visit. His father (my grandfather) is elderly and might not be around much longer, so we are going to say goodbye. Neith erof them are Christ-Followers, so please pray! (5/6 update: great visit and Grandpa's health is improved)


• I began a new series on Comparitive World Religions this week called "What's the difference?" It is a touchy subject. Several non-Christ Followers were in the audience this past week and others that are still sensitive to the religion of their family or culture. Pray I have the study time to do this subject service.


• Next week (May 12-15), Patti and I are speaking at a conference for Rock Harbor and David C. Cook. I have a lot oto prep, including tomorrow (May 3) I am doing an all day video taping session for the conference. Lord, giv e me rest and peace.


• May 20-21 I am leading the 2nd Session of AWAKEN for our people. So excited to see how this seminar continues to change lives.

Thanks again for praying!

Ric

April Catch up Notes

Hey crew,

Thanks for so many of you chipping in to support our family and me this way. It is my intention to update this at the end of each month after my day of prayer, however, last week I was asked to attend the Federation of Fire Chaplains Conference in San Diego on the day I had planned to spend in prayer. As a result, I dont have as much to get to you. Here are a few quick things...

PRAISE:

• Our Resurrection Celebrations were so good. It was going to the gym after you have not been in a while and getting in a really satisfying workout. It was perfect and satisying. God is good!



• We moved our offices. Good news and bad. Good because we are in more space and actually in the City of Orange now. We moved into the old Wycliffe Translators building off Prospect and Chapman. Please come visit. That is the good news. The bad news isnt really bad, its just that I had just begun some great relationships at the old building with some people who need the hope of Jesus desperately and now I wont see them everyday. The other tough part is unpacking.



• May 30, our 13th wedding anniversary! Yeah!

PRAYER:

• My Dad is coming in to town for the week. It is not a social visit. His father is elderly and might not be around much longer, so we are going to say goodbye. Neither of them are Christ Followers, so please pray.



• I began a new series on Comparitive World Religions this week called "What's the difference?" It is a touch subject. Several non-Christ Followers in the audience yesterday. Others who are still sensitive to the religion of their families. Pray I have study time to do this subject service. (1st Message is on our website)



• Next week (May 12-15), Patti and I are speaking at a conferernce for Rock Harbor and David C. Cook. I have a lot to prep, including tomorrow (May 3) I am doing an all day video taping session for the conference. Lord, give me peace and rest.



• May 20-21 I am leading the 2nd Session of AWAKEN for our people. So excited to see how this seminar continues to change lives.

Prayer Warriors

I write this to you listening to Gregorian Chants in a 225 year old wood and adobe chapel. I am on a silent retreat day trying to get a grasp on all the things in my life and people too. THANK YOU for agreeing to pray for me and my family.

As I mentioned in the initial letter, you all I ask is that you...

1. add us to your regular prayer list. You can pray generically.
2. I will send periodic (at least monthly) and specific prayer requests including important things on my calendar. I only ask that once you receive the requests, that you pray immediately. After that, pray as often or as little as you are led.
3. VERY IMPORTANT: If you feel the Lord is prompting you in prayer about something, will you promise to let me know what He is telling you?

That is it! It is my goal to get a prayer list to you once a month at the minimum. Usually by the end of the month. Lois Hudson is taking the lead as my prayer team captain. She may contact you with information more often.

So here is my agenda for the rest of this month and for April...

MARCH

25-26 AWAKEN I lead the training of 30 of our leaders in understanding God's work in their lives.

31- APRIL 3 INTERNATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS RETREAT at Hume Lake.

• Pray for Carolyn and I to get some quality time alone together.
• Pray for relationships with some great believers in the fire department

10 END OF FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY many people new to our church to find a place to transition to.

END OF MESSAGE SERIES ON MATTHEW 22-26 Call to Discipleship

17 PALM SUNDAY

22 GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE

24 SUNRISE SERVICE with the community @ Fairhaven Park

RESURRECTION SERVICE @ the Beacon

ONGOING:

• 1st Thursdays Orange Pastors Prayer meeting. I am really trying to develop a sense of unity in our the Body of Christ in Orange.
• YG11 MEETINGS We have 800-1000 teens from all over North America coming this summer for 3 days to serve in our community and we need to shore up the partnerships in the city that we will be serving.
• ISRAEL 2012 - We are in the final phases of negotiations for our 6th pilgrimage to the Holy Lands. It takes time and wisdom.

HERE ARE SOME OF MY GOALS IN MY ROLES:

• Husband: reschedule regular date nites. Get meal menu back online.
• Father: Split date night 2 times a month. 1x with each kid.
• Disciple: Quiet time without distractions. Monthly retreat days.
• Friend: Meet with core friends monthly.
• Catalyzer: Meet with 2 people and explore God's path for them.
• Creative: Work on Summerfest 1/2 day per month.
• Networker: Meet with 1 new pastor in Orange each month (42 evangelical churches in Orange)
• Team Leader: Awaken Training two times in by May.

Thank you for your prayers. I trust that is enough to start with.

Please let me know how I can return the favor. We would love to pray for you as well.

Love you all!

Ric

FROM CAROLYN: Pray that we can make family time a priority in the midst of the busyness.