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Last Friday, Ruth and I were in Harrisburg and were blessed to go out to dinner with our daughters and son-in-law. We were planning to celebrate Ruth’s birthday from the week before and Everett’s birthday this week. After Tessa and Everett arrived at the restaurant, they gave Ruth what looked like a birthday card. But when she opened it, it had a sonogram picture and a list of things she can do with her grandchild. Needless to say, we are overwhelmed with joy and are looking forward to joining the grandparent club come March. We will keep you posted on how things are going as God continues to grow in our daughter our very first grandchild.

Last Saturday was the Atlantic Northeast District Church of the Brethren district conference that I was able to attend with our delegates. It was good to hear of the good work that is happening across the district in light of the challenges of shrinking congregations. Our delegates will be sharing a report in the coming weeks.

The box in the doorway of the church is already starting to fill with coats. Please consider donating new or gently used coats that will be distributed in November in our own community. The CROP Walk is just one week from tomorrow and I am still looking for sponsors. Also, this Sunday we will be announcing Operation Christmas Child as we will again encourage you to fill a shoe box for Samaritan’s Purse annual Christmas gift to children in need worldwide. 

On Wednesday, we had our first Roots Night in months, and everything seemed to go smoothly. It was good to see some new faces and we have started worshiping together as a church family at 7:30 pm until 7:45 pm dismissal. My thanks to Morgan Holzhauer for this great idea as our children are learning more about worship in our Roots curriculum this fall. 

This week I wrote the final sermon for our Believe series. It is actually week 31 where we look back over the series and wrestle with the question “Now what?” We have just five weeks left in Believe followed by the wrap up sermon, our thanksgiving sermon and then Advent will begin. The Journey to the Nativity Committee met this week as they are preparing for the December 12 community outreach event. 

The Brethren Disaster Ministries mission trip is coming November 1-7 in North Carolina. Deadline for signing up is drawing near and we do have openings if you can donate a week of service. Contact Rick or Amy Graver and they will get you on board. My wife has gone several times and finds it so rewarding to give back in service. She hopes her foot will heal so she can participate this year.

My thanks to our Deacons and the team that prepared our modified, family-friendly Love Feast last Sunday. Our first attempt went fairly well and we will learn from it as we look to next year. As a reminder, our traditional evening Love Feast will be March 25, 2027, as we celebrate Maundy Thursday.

Kris Welk’s surgery went well earlier this week, and Audrey Reed had surgery as well yesterday. Ken Herr is recovering from his surgery in late September and Carolyn Wenger is doing much better and should be returning to her apartment at Brethren Village any day now. Please continue to pray for the Dave DeLong Family. The family laid to Dave rest on Tuesday this week and a celebration of his life will be a week from this Sunday at 1:00 pm at the church. 

Our COM ministry is continuing to do well. Aliza has a great staff, who are serving and I am trying to be more engaged with the ministry. This week COM passed their inspection, and I learned that many of the classes are nearing capacity. A couple of times each week I join the Wee Friends Preschool leaders as they pray for their day and welcome the children as they arrive. It is amazing the joy that most of the children have as they come. What an impact COM continues to have in the lives of children and families in our community.

Recently in addition to my devotions I read a book entitled, “Joy in the Journey” by Guy Rice Doud. I first read this book over thirty years ago and loved it then and loved it just as much the second time. The author was the National Teacher of the Year in 1986 and then became a pastor. I enjoyed noticing what I highlighted over thirty years ago when I read the book and how it was impacting my life and ministry then. This highlighted paragraph was particularly meaningful to me then and even more so now: 

“It is hard for some of us in the ministry to admit it, but most of the time hurting, wayward saints don’t really need someone to quote Scripture verses at them. They don’t need someone to give them advice. They don’t need to be told that they are miserable sinners. They don’t need someone to give them a book to read or a cassette tape of a sermon to listen to. What they need first and most is simply to know that everyone is glad they came, and it often helps if there is someone there to simply put their arms around them” (p. 140). After 29 years of ministry, I needed to hear that again. Let’s continue to be a church where wayward saints are warmly welcomed home!

I am hoping your week is ending well and you are anticipating being with God’s people on Sunday! We will be considering the virtue of patience and James 5:7-11 is the text if you want to read ahead.  I suspect that God has a word for us this Sunday as we continue our Believe series focusing on the virtue of patience. Be blessed in the service of our Lord. And remember it is Friday…but Sunday’s coming!

Pastor Kevin