From Rubble to Glory
Life can often feel like it’s falling apart. When anxiety, depression, or personal struggles overwhelm us, it's easy to feel like everything is in ruins. This sense of brokenness isn’t new. The people of Israel, in the time of Isaiah, also found themselves in a similar state. Their city was in rubble, their faith shaken, and their identity fractured. In the midst of their despair, God delivered a powerful message of hope: With the Lord, your rubble will rise to glory.
Isaiah 54 offers a message of hope for anyone feeling like their life is in ruins. God promises that, just as He transformed Sarah’s barrenness into life and beauty, He can take the brokenness in our lives and create something new and glorious. The exiles in Isaiah 54 were reminded that their future was not defined by their past failures or their current suffering. The same is true for us today.
When life feels like rubble, we may be tempted to fix things ourselves, but God’s Word reminds us that only with Him can true transformation happen. He promises not just a temporary fix, but a complete renewal—a life full of glory, hope, and purpose. Jesus, through His resurrection, is the ultimate embodiment of this promise: a life that rises from the rubble to glory.
The latest update from our Alley mission partners in Arizona shared a similar image of how our lives and work for the Lord are transformed—from rough rock to polished glory—when we’re with Jesus.
Consider the following:
What areas of your life currently feel like rubble? Is it a relationship, a dream, or your own sense of identity? How can you bring those pieces to God and trust Him to transform them?
Are you relying on your own strength to fix the brokenness in your life? Or are you trusting in God's ability to bring lasting change and new life?
How does the resurrection of Jesus give you hope for your own transformation? What does it look like to live with the hope that, with the Lord, your life can rise from rubble to glory?
God invites us to join in the celebration of His power to raise us to new life. With the Lord, our rubble does not define us—it becomes the foundation for something even more glorious.
This Sunday, we’ll be reflecting on Isaiah 55, our final Isaiah passage for the current sermon series. I hope you'll join us as we continue to strive to live out of the hope we have because Jesus was risen from the grave!
An Opportunity to Bless Our Community
This Sunday, we’ll be taking a special offering to support HEAL’s Community Resource Center—a vital new ministry on Buffalo’s West Side, led by our mission partners who minister and reside there.
HEAL is working to renovate an old McDonald’s building into a resource center that will serve individuals and families with practical help, encouragement, and hope. Through food distribution, job resources, and connections to care, this center will be a hub of compassion in action.
HEAL is currently raising the final $54,000 needed to move this vision forward. We invite you to prayerfully consider how you might give.
You can contribute during our church gathering this Sunday with a special offering (write “Special Offering – Heal Int’l” in the memo line), or donate online anytime this week by selecting the same designation.
Thank you for your generosity,
Elders and Staff
Get Ready for the Mountainview Christian Camp Season
Give your kids the chance to get away this summer and experience God’s presence, along with a lot of fun. Camp weeks: First Chance (K-5th), Junior (4-6th), Jr. High (6-8th), Sr. High (9-12th), Mountain Do (7-12th). More info and register for camp.
First Mountainview Christian Camp Work Day | Saturday, April 26th
Mountainview’s Season Opening Weekend | May 9–11
Mountainview Christian Camp invites you to be part of a brand-new Season Opening Weekend—a time to bring the camp community together and help prepare the grounds for the exciting season ahead.
Friday, May 9 – Arrival & Fellowship
The camp will be open for adult and family overnight accommodations. There are no scheduled activities on this day—it’s simply an opportunity for those traveling from a distance to arrive early, settle in, enjoy the camp environment, and connect informally with others.
Saturday, May 10 – Work Day
Starting at 9:00 AM, volunteers will help get the camp ready for the summer season. Projects are available for all skill levels and physical abilities, including:
Cleaning and painting
Light carpentry and upkeep tasks
Wood stacking
Prayer walking
Meals will be provided, and time will be set aside for fellowship and recreation.
Sunday, May 11 – Online Worship Service
At 5:00 PM, a pre-recorded worship service will stream on YouTube and Facebook. Modeled after a typical Mountainview gathering, the service will include:
Worship music familiar to camp
A message from the Mountainview stage
Testimonies and updates on this year’s programs
How to Support the Weekend
Pray – for the volunteers, the work being done, and the upcoming season
Serve – individuals with trade skills or a heart for prayer are invited to help with on-site projects
Attend – your presence makes a difference
Mountainview Christian Camp relies on the support of its community to fulfill its mission. This weekend offers a meaningful and practical way to get involved and help launch the season well.
3511 Reed Rd
Dansville, NY 14437
Walk for Life
CompassCare champions the dignity of unborn and newborn life and mothers in unexpected pregnancies. You're welcome to support their work through prayer, donations, or raising awareness by joining a local Walk for Life, hosted by Northgate Church on Saturday, May 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Clarence Town Park. Learn more.
Says Who?! (Upcoming Message Series, May 4th)
We’re all familiar with the tension between wanting control over everything and feeling like we’re at the mercy of someone else’s authority. But what about Jesus’ authority? The Gospel of Matthew reveals that Jesus’ authority is not only real, but worth trusting. Join us as we reflect on what it means to place our trust in His healing and life-giving authority.
Jordan and Sean will be out of town from Sunday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon, attending and participating in a continuing education opportunity at the Renew Gathering in the Indianapolis area. Sean will also be presenting at the event. They’ll have the chance to hear from keynote speakers, engage in workshop discussions, and connect with other ministers and ministry innovators. Please keep them in your prayers as they seek to learn, grow, and be refreshed through this time. If any direct needs arise while Jordan and Sean are away, please contact Mitch Knight or one of the elders.
The following weekend, May 2–4, Sean will also have the chance to represent our church at the Future Church Conference, hosted locally at The Chapel at CrossPoint, gleaning insights and ideas to bring back to our ministry team here.
We’re deeply grateful for the support of the elders and congregation in making opportunities like these possible.
Continue to trust that God is present and active.
