MIDWEEK MESSAGE #226
Hi everyone! Welcome to Midweek Message #226. I don’t suspect this will be a long MM since I am still recovering at home from surgery, but I did want to give you an update on several things happening at OVCF and then a brief word from me.
Remember to pray for our educator of the week: Kim Floyd. Kim has been in the S-OCS system for 7 years and for the past two years as a nurse assistant at McCormick’s Creek Elementary School. Kim has been married to Tony for 27 years and they have three children: Tori, Travis (who married Sierra just over a year ago), and Trevor. Tori works for the health department and is taking classes online majoring in epidemiology. Travis was a Marching Specialist for brass during marching season at Bloomington North and will graduate from IU’s Jacobs School of Music next spring. He also plays guitar on our worship team. Trevor is an 8th grader at OVMS and is being mentored in music by his brother.😊
2024 Operation Christmas Child is now a memory for OVCF, but the good thing about this memory is that it will keep on giving because of your generosity. The OVCF church family never ceases to amaze me with its generosity that goes outside our four walls. The way you responded, even given our late start, is one for the books. Thank you from every one of the children who will receive your shoebox. You’ll make a child’s Christmas a little bit brighter and you also give one more child an opportunity to hear about God’s love for them.
I’d like to tell you about something special. It goes along with my 2025 sermon series: “Burning Hearts.” The theme comes from Luke 24 where we have the account of the two men walking on the road to Emmaus when they meet a stranger. As they walk and talk they tell this stranger about all that has happened the past few days. When this stranger breaks bread with them and prays they realize later that stranger was Jesus, the risen Christ. Their comment to each other was, “Didn’t our heart burn with us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (NLT) I have been on the lookout for resources to help us explore the Scriptures in 2025 together. This past June I came across a devotional geared toward Christmas called Everyday Gospel Christmas Devotional. Since they were free I jumped at the chance to get as many as they allowed (50). For myself, I bought a book called Everyday Gospel by Paul David Tripp to use in my daily devotional time. The Christmas devotions arrived and I found out that they were from that same devotional book! Even better: Everyday Gospel is available for $10 at a bulk price (if we order 10+). My Wednesday Night Conversations class signed up for 9. I want to give you the opportunity to sign up as well. This coming Sunday the Christmas devotionals will be available on a first-come-first served basis. However, my copy of Everyday Gospel will be displayed for you to look at and Diana has a sign-up sheet for you to sign if you would like to order a copy. Again, the cost is $10 and you can pay when it arrives by designating it on a check or envelope (if you pay cash). We will have the sign-up sheet on the back table for the next two weeks. Let’s read God’s Word together this year!
YOUTH CORNER
I’ve been sort of out of the loop lately so my Youth Corner news is slightly abbreviated this week. I received the following the day the last MM went to press so it was too late to print:
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- Cooper Wood did the DARE program and had Deputy Bill Browne as his mentor. He took the pledge incredibly serious and then submitted an essay for a contest. He told his mom he didn’t think he would win anything but if he did he hoped he got 3rd place because he really wanted the sweatshirt that was awarded. Out of 163 kids who participated in DARE and submitted an essay, Cooper won! And if you guessed 3rd place you would be absolutely right! That made me laugh and also made me say, “Cooper, I want you praying for me!!” Way to go Coop! And thanks to the OCSD for the DARE program and to Bill Browne for investing in our kids. And, oh yeah, proud mom, Shelby VanDerMoere, may have been a bit prejudiced when she sent that to me. 😊
- Pastor Ryan and Hope took 10 young people to ICOM (International Conference on Missions) in Lexington, KY this past weekend. The young people who went were Anna B., Rogan C., Ava D., Anna, Caleb and Rachel E., Meilynn H., Nolan M., Elijah C. and Ethan W. They got in really late Saturday (or is that really early Sunday morning?).
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One last thing before I sign off on this “short” MM. Many of you have texted and asked how I was doing. I am truly grateful for your concern. My surgery went well…I don’t remember it. I found out he straightened my leg and had to move some ligaments and tendons to do so and I will be sore but, in his words to Tami, “In 6 months your dad is going to feel great!” I’m doing rehab at home and also at the IU clinic in Spencer. My first post-op with the surgeon is this coming Friday and I hope to find out more on how I’m doing. I think if you look up Pastor Bill in Webster’s Dictionary you will find the definition: “Stir crazy.” I have the loveliest drill sergeant who keeps me grounded when I want to fly. 😊 I am getting to see the OVCF church family from
another viewpoint and I like what I see. Thank you doesn’t seem strong enough to describe the food, the texts, the prayers, and the stop-in-and-say-hi I have experienced. I am hoping I can slowly reintegrate into the office (I have to keep those other two in line you know?) with my ultimate goal of being in the pulpit on December 1st. Until then, and in case I haven’t told you lately, I love you.
Pastor Bill