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Tomorrow we will gather to celebrate the life of Carl Graver. Your prayers for Doris, Rick and Amy, Anita, and their families are encouraged as we worship God in celebration of Carl’s well-lived life. I was working on a sermon for our Believe series this week on the virtue of gentleness. Carl Graver was a great example of how to live life with gentleness. The service begins tomorrow at the church at 11:00 am.

This week I had opportunity to visit Carolyn Wenger after she returned to Brethren Village. I also visited with Richard and Karen Macarter and Ginny Rineer. Please continue to pray for Dave Delong as well as Pat and the family. I was able to visit Dave twice this week as he continues to recover from his recent surgery. Lucille Wenger came through her surgery well this week and Ken Herr had knee replacement surgery just yesterday. 

On Sunday evening, I attended the Church of the Brethren mission event at Lancaster Church of the Brethren. It was great to hear of some of the global mission work of the denomination. Several mission reports were given in addition to worshiping together in celebration of the global church of the brethren. I am grateful for Ed and Mary Etta Reinhart, Brooklyn Sagers, Peggy Rasmussen, and Ken Rutt who all attended as well representing Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren.

Things are gearing up for our fall programming year. Wednesday evening adult bible study and choir practice have both resumed. The Sisters in Christ small group that meets Thursday morning met for the first time yesterday and Men’s Bible study has started again Saturday mornings at 7:00 am. At the adult small group fair last Sunday, we were able to promote many of the adult discipleship opportunities that are available. One of the great ways to build upon the Believe is to plug into a small group that is digging deeper into God’s word. Psalm 1 reminds us that blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord.

Next weekend will be a busy weekend as the ANE District Conference will be held on Saturday. Jim and Deb Krantz and Herb and Darlene Kreider are our delegates, and I will be attending as well. In addition, next Sunday morning (October 4) we will be having a modified, family friendly Love Feast observance during the Sunday School hour in the Family Life Center. Keep in mind as well our first Roots night is less than two weeks away on Wednesday, October 7 starting with our meal at 5:45 pm.

It is hard to believe but next week I will mark four years as your senior pastor. Ruth and I felt convincingly called of God to come and serve with you four years ago and that call is as strong today as ever.  We are blessed to be a part of such a gracious, serving, God-loving congregation. Let us resolve to continue together in this great work of knowing, living and sharing Christ’s love.

Ruth left this morning for Harrisburg and will be spending the weekend there. She will miss worshiping with us this Sunday but is spending time with our daughters as well as her aunt and uncle who are visiting from Butler, PA. Her foot is still hurting, and she will see the doctor again next week. Thanks for your prayers and concern for her. 

At our staff meeting this week, we covered two more chapters of the book “Doing Church as a Team” for our development time. One of the chapters focused on developing servant leaders and Mechanic Grove has raised up many faithful servant leaders in nearly 130 years. The author Wayne Cordeiro stated, “Finding your place in ministry is wonderful, but being willing to serve wherever the need arises demonstrates the essence of a servant’s heart” (p. 121). I am blessed to see that often as we do what we can wherever we can to serve the Lord and His church. Let us not grow weary in well doing for in due season, we shall reap a harvest if we faint not (Gal. 6:9). 

Have a great weekend, our first fall weekend. I hope to see many of you tomorrow at Carl’s homegoing service and even more on Sunday as we worship our Lord together. Remember, it is Friday…but Sunday’s coming! 

Pastor Kevin