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Things have been busy at our home as we are hosting a bridal shower for our daughter July 12th. Invitations have gone out and Ruth and Molly have been busy planning the shower. Just yesterday our daughter Tessa and her fiancée Everett bought a home outside Marysville and will be moving next week. This home was an answer to prayer as they were looking for months with no luck. Since I will be at the Annual Conference next week, Ruth and Molly are heading to the beach on Sunday before returning mid-week to Harrisburg to help with the move.
I saw Emma Dubble briefly on Tuesday this week, which was her birthday. She was so appreciative of the many cards and visits she received and was having a good day as she had company when I was there. I was also at Solanco Neighborhood Ministries on Wednesday for pastor’s hours and had opportunity to visit via telephone with two individuals and pray for them.
I want to thank those who have contributed toward the purchase of a van for the Church of the Brethren work in Burundi. This is the last opportunity to give as we want to send those funds to Elgin for that project. Our goal was to raise $5,000 by the end of June and we hope to have a report on what has been given so far on Sunday. In addition, the egg roll fundraiser for our Senior High youth headed to Montana in July wraps up on Sunday. The order form is still available for you in the gathering area.
Exciting things are happening in Family Ministries. Janae filled me in on the Junior High Conference last weekend. You will get a full report with pictures this Sunday during worship. We also had a number of our children at Camp Swatara this week. In addition, FAM JAM promotion has begun. Be sure and check out the volunteer board in the gathering area. Let me encourage you to begin praying daily for this event August 1-3 as we seek to bless our community and our families with a meaningful discipleship event.
Pastor Mary Etta and Ed Reinhart and I will be traveling separately to the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference next week. The Conference begins Wednesday evening and concludes Sunday morning. Pastor Mary Etta and I are your official delegates, and we want to thank those who gave feedback on the business items that will be addressed at this year’s session. Your prayers for this gathering of the Brethren from across the country and around the world are needed as we seek to embrace this year’s themes of “Faith Working Through Love” based on Galatians 5:6. This will be my third Annual Conference, and I am thankful for the opportunity to go and represent Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren.
This Sunday is an important Sunday as we will be celebrating Baptism in addition to receiving two new members. As a reminder, this is a fifth Sunday so there is no Sunday School after the 9:30 worship service. In fact, the 9:30 worship will flow right into the baptism service and celebration and lead us right up to 11:00 hour. As a reminder, at 11:00 am we will have a fellowship meal as a part of Every Generation Sunday. Those with last names starting A-K are asked to bring a main dish and those with last names starting with L-Z are asked to bring a dessert or drink. Plans now are for a kickball or softball game if the weather cooperates after our meal together. So, a big Sunday is in store but most importantly we will be celebrating the baptism of three believers in Jesus Christ. That is worth celebrating!!
With my trip to Annual Conference in Greensboro, NC next week, this column will take a hiatus for a week and return on July 11th. In addition, Pastor Rita Carter will be bringing the message on Sunday, July 6. This Sunday, we will once again be in the story of David, our hero of faith for the summer for a message entitled, ‘When God Says “No,”’. In addition, we will take into membership two new members and celebrate the baptism and church membership for three followers of Jesus Christ. The baptism is happening in the sanctuary this time as we gather for an exciting Lord’s Day. So, please come and be a part of the celebration and stay for the meal and fellowship time afterward.
Let me close with this. In our Wednesday evening Bible Study, we have been in a video series entitled “Navigating Genesis.” It is led by a scientist turned pastor Dr. Hugh Ross and it has been challenging our understanding of how the earth was created. In one of his sessions, Dr. Ross noted that there are multiple creation stories in Scripture apart from Genesis 1-2. And so, I was challenged to be looking for bible verses that affirm God as creator in my devotional reading. Sure enough, this week as I was reading in Psalms, over and over again I was reading verses affirming God as creator. In particular, Psalms 89 and 90 and 104 mention God as creator. Dr. Ross in our study has mentioned multiple times Job 37-38 as yet another creation text. And one of my favorite God as creator affirming verses is Psalm 24:1: The Earth is the Lord’s and everything it. The world and all its people belong to him.” We are surrounded each day by the handiwork of God that prompts us to praise and worship our Creator and our God.
Looking forward to an awesome Sunday with you and remember no Friday column next week and please be praying for the 238th Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren which will be next week July 2-6 in Greensboro, NC. It is Friday…but praise the Lord that Sunday is coming!
Pastor Kevin
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