MIDWEEK MESSAGE #203
Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #203. These last few weeks of school are filled with activities for both students and families. In spite of the hustle and bustle these days bring, I sure hope you enjoy them. I know I will not be the only one who says this, but it sure seems like school just started (except if you are a teacher!).😊Soon graduation, parties, baseball, softball, soccer and maybe a vacation will fill our days. Enjoy them.
Speaking of school, we are encouraging you to pray for all administrators, teachers, staff, and students this week. Pray for them as they make preparations for the end of the school year and begin preparing for school year ’24-25. Did I really say that?
Don’t forget we plan to honor our graduates at the second service on May 19 at 10:45. A full list of graduates and their plans will be included in the MM the next week.
That Sunday, the 19th, is going to be a full day. Along with graduate recognition we will be having a pitch-in and work day here at the church property. Several weeks ago Pastor Ryan and Hope, Westin and Cassie Linville, Robert Anderson and some of our young people did some mulching and also some landscaping around the new sign. But there is so much more to do and so it was decided to have a work day to get as many involved as possible. The plan is to begin with a pitch-in followed by yard work. We plan to work until around 3:30 (or earlier, if finished). Can’t do yard work? We will have a list of some other things that need to be done.😊
Every year New Beginnings Pregnancy Resource Center (NB) promotes the Change for Life fundraiser. For those who may not be familiar, Change for Life begins on Mother’s Day and goes until Father’s Day. It is simple. A baby bottle is provided and all they ask is that you take your change and fill the bottle, then bring it to the church building from now until Father’s Day. It will then be taken to NB. It is a simple, easy way to support the ministry of NB. Becca Anderson is on the board of NB and she said last year the bottles brought in donations of over $13,000. If you prefer to include a check or dollar bills they will not frown on that either. 😊😊 The baby bottles will be available for you to pick up this coming Sunday (Mother’s Day). You may also donate online at newbeginningsowen.org or through the “donate” button on their Facebook page.
YOUTH CORNER
I mentioned in last week’s MM that Anna, Caleb, and Rachel East all won in the Red, White and Blue contest through the VFW. The “Easties” won for singing the national anthem, recording it and submitting it. Sophia Kropack won for her age group in the VFW Illustrating Art Contest. What I failed to mention is that all were advancing to the State Level! Congrats to all four of you. We will be cheering for you as you move on.
Congratulations to Hannah Pendleton. She is one of our graduates and at her party Sunday we were informed that she graduated Salutatorian of her class of 545 students. I can guarantee you that she is a whole lot smarter than I ever dreamed of being! Way to go Hannah!
It sure was good to see Logan Cain here for the weekend. He came to celebrate Kathryn Anderson’s graduation and birthday. He and Kathryn plan to be married in September. He went back to Quantico Tuesday. Logan serves in the Marines. Tony and Audrey Courson (mom and dad) and Jackson (brother) were also glad to see him, as were the rest of his family. But I’m guessing Kathryn might have been a wee-bit happier than all.😊
I’d like to give a tip of the hat to our Sunday morning children’s program volunteers. That includes the nursery workers, the check-in folks, the worship team, and every teacher and helper. We were talking in the elder’s meeting Monday night about the youth department on Sunday morning. It is packed, very often to the gills. We have a nursery and classes for Preschool, Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-6. This past Sunday alone they had around 50! I don’t have a list of all the teachers and helpers so I am afraid to list them lest I forget someone, but I can’t say thank you enough for your service to our children every Sunday. I realize there are some churches that don’t believe in having a separate youth area during adult worship, but I have several questions about that:
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- Where would we put everyone?
- I believe it is important for young people to learn on their own level. Why in the world should they have to sit and listen to some old fogy blather on?
- Where would we put everyone? Yeah, I know that is a repetitive question but it is an important one. We are packed enough as it is and I simply cannot imagine how cramped we would be without the youth program.
Again, I can’t say thanks enough to Pastor Ryan and his hard workers for making the youth program on Sunday morning top-notch. We even have some of our older high school youth helping. I love it!
Thinking along that last thought about space/room for everyone: we are waiting for the architect’s plans, as well as the topographical plans before we can get started. Trust me when I say there are a few of us in the office chomping at the bit, but we will continue to wait. God has His timing and it will do us no good to move ahead of Him with impatience. I have moved ahead of Him in my personal life and it has never worked out well for me. 🙁 There is a reason Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 40:28-31 drip with truth. (Why not take a moment and look them up?).
As I look outside today (Tuesday) the weather is playing with my head. It was supposed to rain all day yesterday and it was gorgeous. Today it is supposed to be stormy and while it has rained it hasn’t been quite as bad as they say. I’m going to sign off for this week. I look forward to celebrating Mother’s Day with all of you, especially the ladies. My sermon is Hard Acts to Follow (Ruth and Mary & Martha). Have a good rest of the week. Love you all.
Pastor Bill
