Slideshow image

It is hard to believe that the end of March is here already. Fortunately, though it seems to be going out like a lamb with a beautiful day lined up for tomorrow. I have started noticing the forsythia blooming which for me is always a telltale time that spring has come. The grass is getting greener, buds are forming, and the days are getting longer. With the coming of spring comes the season of Lent and of course the celebration of Easter.

We are halfway through the season of Lent. Easter is just three weeks from this Sunday! Our focus in Lent has been on the symbols of Lent including the candle, the towel and basin, and last week the praying hands. This week we will share yet another symbol of Lent. In addition, we have been preaching about encounters with Jesus and looking at some amazing life changing encounters that Jesus has with people from all walks of life. We will follow up last week’s message about the unexpected believer where Jesus encounters the Roman Centurion with Jesus encounter with ten lepers in Luke 17. Looking forward to sharing this message about the thankful foreigner.

This Sunday will also be the Branches Brunch during the 10:30 am worship service. This is always a special event for our children and those adults who have encouraged them during the month. In addition, we are having every generation Sunday School so we will all be together for a special Lenten Jeopardy challenge. Sounds like a great event and I encourage your participation as we celebrate together the season of Lent.

This week I was able to visit some but was busy in the office preparing two sermons. Usually, I prepare just one sermon a week. However, I will be out next Monday and Tuesday as I am required to attend the Annual Conference of the Churches of God, Eastern Regional Conference to keep my credential valid. So I will be in Newville, PA on Monday and Tuesday at the Church of God Camp at Doubling Gap Center for their annual conference sessions. I am looking forward to catching up with a number of longtime friends and fellow pastors.

This weekend will be busy at Mechanic Grove. The Grace Marriage date night is tonight. Men’s Bible study meets tomorrow morning at 7:00 am and then in the afternoon, many from our older adult ministry are attending the Promise Players play at Lampeter Church of the Brethren at 2:30 pm. Then at 5:30 pm, the Men’s Banquet is at the church. I will be at all three events tomorrow, but Ruth and I will not be at the Grace Marriage event. Instead, we are participating in the Feed My Starving Children event at Willow Street Mennonite Church from 4:00 – 6:00 tonight.

Ruth and I traveled to Harrisburg yesterday to celebrate our daughter Tessa’s 22nd birthday. We had supper last night with our girls, Tessa’s fiancée Everett, and his grandparents. After substitute teaching in Harrisburg today, we are returning to the area just in time to help out at the Feed My Starving Children event. With tomorrow’s weather expected to be gorgeous, we are anxious to squeeze in some time for some outdoor activities.

I have started working on the sermon series that is coming right after Easter and is entitled “Questions from Young Disciples.” Back in the fall our Roots kids gave me a list of questions that they wanted answered. I was able to consolidate them a bit and have a five-sermon series that will answer some of their questions. The first question in the series is “What is heaven like?” and the second question is “Why are there so many mysteries in the Bible?” I can tell you that these are great questions, and they have stretched my sermon preparation skills. It should be a great series to follow up the season of Lent and Resurrection Sunday.

I have continued praying for the church and for revival. I have been praying for specific needs in the congregation that I am aware. I learned this week that one my pastoral mentors from the Churches of God passed away. In the summer of 1996, I did a ten-week internship at the Middletown First Church of God under Pastor William Reist. He was tremendous and I learned so much from him. Pastor Bill was promoted to glory about a week ago at only 73 years of age. I have been praying for his family this week and thanking God for the many pastoral mentors He has blessed me with in the last 40 years. 

Let me close with a word from the Lord. In reading about the end of David’s reign as Israel’s king and the beginning of Solomon’s this week, I was reminded that both David and Solomon brought tremendous gifts to the throne. David was a “man after God’s own heart” who God used mightily despite His egregious sins. Solomon was blessed with wisdom and wealth. Each were king for forty years. But David’s reign was marked by war and bloodshed. In fact, God refused his request to build the temple because there was blood on his hands. During the forty years that Solomon ruled as king of Israel, there was peace and unity throughout his vast domain. At the beginning of his reign, Solomon loved the God of Israel and covenanted with God that he would walk in obedience throughout his administration as king of Israel. Each man was uniquely gifted and served the Lord according to his giftedness. David was the warrior king, but Solomon was the wise and peaceful king. Those stories this week reminded me of 1 Peter 4:10 which says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” I am blessed to see that verse lived out at Mechanic Grove each week as we faithfully serve each other and our community.

A rather full weekend is before us, one I am sure will have many of us using our gifts to serve others. Enjoy this spring weekend and if I don’t see you Saturday I will look for you on Sunday as we continue our Lenten journey together. Remember it is Friday…but Sunday’s coming.

 

Pastor Kevin