Category: MidweekMessage

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #106

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #106. It is so good to be able to communicate with
you in this way! I hope your week is going well.

Let’s talk about Mother’s Day. As I mentioned in last week’s MM, this is in the category of “I
NEED YOUR HELP.” Mother’s Day is only a week and a half away and as we have published in
the bulletin and in last week’s MM some things will be different.

• There will only be one service that day at 10:00. So make appropriate plans to either be
  here early or plan to watch it via live stream. Of course, I’m hoping you will be able to be
  here in person.
• The service will be different that morning. I will not be preaching (no comments needed
  from the peanut gallery).   I have mentioned this in years past that I sometimes feel
  awkward preaching on MD. For years, I stood and preached as though I knew exactly
  what to say and how to make things better, as if I understood women. I got wiser as I
  got older and so there are times I have tried to mix it up a bit. This year I sent a text to
  10-12 women asking them who their hero was among the ladies in the Bible. I then
  thought about using the answers as my preaching points. But after receiving answers
  from all the ladies and seeing how varied they were, I changed my other mind. I thought
  it would be interesting to hear from the ladies themselves. Some declined for various
  reasons. Two are going to be out of town and offered to do a video. A couple said yes
  but there were some who hesitated. When I offered a different approach, they said,
  “Count me in.” So the different approach it is. But…you will have to wait until that
  morning to see what it will be.
• It will be crowded. Of that, I am pretty sure. AND THIS IS WHERE YOUR HELP IS
  NEEDED! I talked to Pastor Ryan and Diana to get their feedback and then asked the
  elders their thoughts about having one service. Some adjustments will be made to
  accommodate more seating but please come prepared for it to be a tad bit crowded.
  Keep telling yourself it will be only for one week. The youth programs and nursery will
  still be active.
• If you are concerned about it being too crowded for your comfort, then I encourage you
  to watch it via live stream. But…I do hope you will come.

Let’s talk about Graduate Recognition Day.

• First, the date is May 15th . We will honor our graduates at the 10:45 service.
• Every year we honor our high school and college graduates and every year the staff
  comes up with a list. We then ask you to make sure your child is included. We are asking
  the same thing this year. We have a ton of graduates this year and want to make sure
  we do not leave anyone out. You can help us out by contacting Pastor Ryan or Diana
  with the name of your son/daughter if they are graduating. WE DON’T WANT TO
  FORGET ANYONE!
• Please make every effort to be here so we can honor your student.

Let’s talk about the Day of Service. In MM #104 I began to highlight the upcoming Day of Service. Here are some particulars for you to know.

First, the date is May 15th . Yeah, that will be a busy day. (That is also the last day of
ROOTS for the summer).
 The plan is to offer a light lunch here after the second service (about 12:30 or so), pray,
then head out to serve from about 1:30 (or sooner) to 3:30.
 We have a sign-up sheet on the information table. Please let us know if you can help so
we can count on you, plus have enough food.
 What will we be doing? We have received a request from the Lewis-Worman
Homeowners Assoc. to help some of their residents with light work like cleaning gutters
and raking flower beds. The Chamber of Commerce is providing all the garbage bags and
gloves and pails to hook onto the ladders. We will need to bring ladders and rakes. Even
if you are unable to help, if you want to provide any of those items just put your name
on it and we will get it back to you.
 If you are unable to do physical work, you can still help!! We would love to have folks
who will chat with the homeowners while we work. Many of them are by themselves
and would love for someone to chat with. Doing that is far more important than you
know.

In next week’s MM you will find a link to do a real short survey (like 2 or 3 questions). It is from
me and I’m seeking your input. Just giving you a heads up on that.
Jo has always told me, “Bill, when you are done, stop talking.” Do you think she knows me? She
is referring to my preaching-encouraging me to not ramble on and repeat myself. So, I am going
to take her advice on this week’s MM. But I won’t leave until I tell you I love you and hope you
have a fantastic rest of the week.

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #105

Hello! Welcome to Midweek Message #105! Thanks for “tuning in” to the MM this week. I hope your week is going well.

As I begin to write this it is Monday morning, or what is affectionately called the “day after.” As a young pastor I was always warned about the dangers of the “day after Easter.” Not just the day after, but the week after. There were several factors which came into play in that thought.

• First, the “high” from the Resurrection Day service. It is no secret that the two most attended Sundays are Christmas and Easter, with Easter being the biggest since it is always on Sunday. It used to be Easter was the highlight of the “fashion” Sundays. It seemed like every woman or young female broke out an Easter dress and every man and young male broke out a suit and tie. It used to be I always wore a tie so that was nothing new to me. But the biggest “high” comes from the attendance. Churches all across the nation see a major spike in their attendance, more often doubling or tripling the norm. Every pastor knows the next Sunday will bring a significant drop in that area. Me? I realize it is what it is and just relish getting to see so many people at one time. (I just wish I could remember everyone’s name I met yesterday). J
• Second, the “back to the grind” which comes on Monday. After a weekend of remembering the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, reality hits when we turn the alarm clock off.
• Third, exhaustion. So much is put into getting ready for the Resurrection Day service that exhaustion is often the result. That explains why so many pastors take off Monday and sometimes even Tuesday…to recover! In our case, all the logistics of making sure we haven’t forgotten anything to take to Abram Farm, plus the extra work required just finally catches up to us. This just might be the first Sunday in my 47+ years of ministry that I changed my Easter sermon at the last minute. I did a major rewrite on Saturday and so that weighed on me as well.
• Fourth, wanting everything to go well. It is always a challenge to have our service “away from home.”  The set up. The venue. The effort people put in. The different presentation. The audience. So many factors.

But here is what I want to say to all of that. Even though I was exhausted Sunday afternoon, I would do it all again in a heartbeat.  So many people showed up early to help set up we were actually done in 30-40 minutes. Zach Hogan provided his sound system and some members of the worship team helped him set up so that went much quicker than anticipated. We had people volunteer to help in various capacities, like making sure people had bulletins/music sheets and the pre-filled communion elements. Some were unofficial greeters. I saw so many people just walking around and welcoming others. Pastor Ryan ran the soundboard that Zach gave him a crash course on. Joe Pavich ran the live stream. The worship team sounded good. Tiffany Kropack offered to do family pictures (even though it was freezing cold outside).  And so many of you helped in the cleanup and by taking a moment to carry your chair to where they could be put away. The only glitch was the guy who was to speak, who choked on his communion, burned this throat with the juice, and then sounded hoarse the whole time. Oh yeah…that would be me. J  Yikes! A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE SERVICE. It went well thanks to you and God’s blessing.

Let’s switch gears now for another “I NEED YOUR HELP” plea. Mother’s Day (MD) is right around the corner- 3 Sundays to be exact. Occasionally in the past I have asked different women in the church to participate on MD. This one will be even more different. I sent out a text to 10 women who had not participated before with a question: “What woman in the Bible would be your hero?” Every one of them responded, some with two or more different names. I then asked them if they would be willing to present “why they chose that person” to the church on MD. Most of them agreed with 2 saying they would be gone and would be willing to do a video. My plan is to present the morning as an informal panel-type sit-in-a-chair time which will allow the women to relax and to feel as though they are not up there alone. After speaking with the staff and elders, it was agreed upon to have just one service that morning. That service will be at 10:00. Here is where your help is needed. I suspect with it being MD it will be a bit crowded.  Please come prepared for that. Keep in mind that families will be coming and will want to sit together so if you can leave seats for families or could possibly move over a chair or two, please take the initiative to do so. We will still have our children’s programs as we normally do. And remember: it will be crowded but it will only be for one week. If you are concerned about it, please keep in mind you can watch the live stream. Thanks ahead of time for your help.

I mentioned in last week’s MM about the opportunity to help some elderly residents who are unable to do some physical work needed around their homes. That date is May 15^th. The church will provide a light lunch and then we will plan to go to work from 1:30-3:30. Sign-up sheets will be on the info table for you to indicate your help. If you can’t do physical work, we have a need for those who like to talk. J  I’ll give more details in next week’s MM.

I want to close by saying, thanks again for making our Resurrection Day celebration at Abram Farm so special.  If you happen to know or see Bill and Suzie Abram around town, would you please tell them, “Thanks.” And if you are so inclined, please drop them a note of thanks. They have been very gracious to us in letting us use the venue.

One more thing (famous preacher line): I failed to mention that the size of the Abram Farm venue is just shy of what we are hoping to see as a reality for us in the near future.

Have a great rest of the week. I love you all and look forward to seeing you as we wrap up the series on Truth Decay by talking about “Eternity is Still Eternity.”

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #104

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #104.  What a meaningful week this is. Sunday was Palm Sunday which historically “introduces” what is called Holy Week. The week begins with Palm Sunday, peaks with the crucifixion (called Good Friday), then culminates with the Resurrection on the first day of the week. I am trying hard during my Encounter Time this week to really become more aware of the meaning and power of this week. I’d like to encourage you to do the same.

Speaking of Resurrection Sunday, I sincerely hope you are planning on joining us at Abram Farm for the one service at 10:00. Our current building is not big enough for us to meet as one church family so it is nice to have Abram Farm as our “go to.” Bill and Suzie Abram have been so kind in allowing us to use the venue every year (except during COVID). I told Pastor Ryan just this past Sunday that I know having it there requires a lot of extra effort on the part of many people, but it is so good to have everyone together worshiping the Risen Savior and King.

With that being said, we could really use your help this Sunday. Due to a wedding on Saturday evening, the venue is not available until Sunday morning at 7:00. There is plenty of equipment which will need taken to the venue and unloaded. We could also use your help setting up chairs and tables and making the venue as inviting as possible. If you can be there at 7:00 that would be most appreciated. And, as the saying goes, “many hands make light work.”  In the past we have had so many people help that everything has been ready to go within about an hour to an hour and a half. That allows folks to help, go home and get ready to return to celebrate the Resurrection with their families. And trust me when I say that it is a very welcome sight to see things ready to go so quickly.

Just a couple more items to bring to your attention (again):

• Parking is limited so if you would consider parking at the church lot, you can either carpool with someone you know or we can shuttle you to and from the venue.
• When you arrive be sure to enter and pick up a bulletin/song sheet and your own communion (we are using the pre-filled ones for convenience).
• Join in the worship with all your heart. Come prepared to worship and sing and celebrate.
• Consider helping after the service is over by carrying your chair(s) to the storage area. I know some will be in a hurry because of family obligations and that is okay. But if you can stay to help, it will go quickly.
• Every year we have taken the offering and given it away to missions (except that which is designated). We divide it equally and will do the same this year. Please see below for a further announcement about the Easter offering.

Further announcement concerning Easter offering. IDES (International Disaster Emergency Service) is trying to assist displaced refugees from Ukraine in Poland, Moldova, and Romania. They have people on the ground who are trying to provide shelter, food and other essential supplies on a daily basis. They are in need of clothing, bedding, medications, and much more. One of their most immediate needs are funds to make this ministry possible. Some of our offering will be sent to IDES to help with that effort.  The elders met this past Monday and decided to include IDES in our Easter mission giving. I am extremely grateful to the elders (Wayne Akerson, Jeff Carlson, David Robertson) for taking this extra step in helping others minister where we are unable to. And thanks to you for your generosity.

From the archives to today:  In 2009 OVCF was having a tough year. The flood of ’08 had displaced us to the Middle School and then after 4-5 months we had to go back to the Sports Complex. Several issues came into play in 2009 that took an emotional toll on us. But in the Fall of 2009 we took an unprecedented step of taking our eyes off ourselves and focusing on our community. We had our first Day of Service. We changed oil and did minor car maintenance for people in our community and we also dispersed and performed different acts of service (raking leaves, taking out air conditioners, etc.). It was a fun day. We moved into our current building in 2010 so we took a break while we moved in. The beginning of 2011 saw us get rocked financially but God was so good that in two years we were able to pay cash to do a drastic remodel to this facility.  As a thank you to God’s goodness, we decided to restart the Day of Service. Over the next 5 years we had two per year-one in the Fall and one in the Spring. COVID hit and we had to put that on a hiatus.  We have been asked to help in the community in a very limited capacity and I’m thinking it is a great way to begin serving again. The Lewis-Worman Homeowners Assoc. has some folks who are simply unable to do some maintenance on their residences. Gutters need cleaned. Flower beds need raked and prepared. Simple things. We plan for this Day of Service to be on May 15^th from 1:30-3:30. We will plan a light lunch here (provided), pray, then head out. It is all located in one area of town so there won’t be any traveling. The Owen County Chamber of Commerce is providing trash bags and gloves. We will need to bring ladders, rakes, etc. for light yard work. A sign-up sheet will be on the info table for you to sign if you would like to help. If you are unable to do any work, why not plan to maybe come and just visit with some of the folks if they come outside to watch? You never know what lives you may touch.

After this coming Sunday (Alive is Still Alive), I will have one week left in my Truth Decay series. The final sermon will be Eternity is Still Eternity. I’m going to do a short series called Snapshots (the short books of the NT: Philemon, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude). Sandwiched in there is Mother’s Day. I can’t wait until that day and I honestly believe you will be excited about it as well. Something totally different.

Well…this MM has included a ton of information for you to digest. I hope you have a fantastic rest of the week. I love you all and look forward to celebrating Resurrection Sunday with you.

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #103

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #103. Jo and I took off for Ohio Sunday after the 2nd worship service to spend time with our family, for her to visit her sister on Monday in the nursing home and for us to watch Braden play ball on Monday and Tuesday night. I will be back in Wednesday afternoon, Lord willing, in plenty of time to teach my “66” class.  Since I will have next week to remind you of the Resurrection Sunday “list,” I thought I would share a very meaningful post from my friend, Zee, whose family had to evacuate from Ukraine.  I think we can all relate to her thoughts:

// Silence & Emmanuel //

What does silence mean to me right now?

I used to love silence because most of the time it meant calm comfort, where I don’t have to speak to be understood.

In the last month, however, the silence started scaring me.

When there were no air raid sirens at night when we were still in Kyiv, I used to wake up and lie awake, waiting for the siren and thinking about my husband.

When there was no news from our friends and relatives – even for a short while – my mind kept coming up with worst-case scenarios.

When Sam wouldn’t message me after his shift – oh, those silences were the worst in general. The first time it happened, I lay in my makeshift “bed” on the floor, listening to my kids as they slept, and thinking “Is he dead? Will I survive without him? Was it just a phone malfunction? Am I a widow?” (Turned out a few hours later that he just was tired and fell asleep.)

Even now, when we are in a safe place, I keep reading messages and prayer requests from my friends “My parents haven’t sent me any messages for two days,” “My friend was in a military battle and I haven’t heard anything from him,” “There is a boy who miraculously escaped from Mariupol, but he hasn’t heard anything from his other relatives…”

All of these messages are about silence.

Lack of information.

Lack of connection when you ask and nothing happens.

This week, the Lenten reflections were focused on another phrase of Jesus on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

If anything, this was appropriate. I think this cry is heard throughout Ukraine – and throughout the world, as Ukrainians are forced to move far away from home to stay alive and to save their families.

“Why have You forsaken us?”

And yet… did He?

I think this phrase, more than anything else, speaks volumes to support those who are crying out right now. It tells a story of God who knows exactly what’s it like to wonder where is God in all of this?

Even Jesus felt forsaken.

And yet, at the same time, a short time later, Jesus says “Father. Into Your hands, I commit my spirit.”

I have read a comment on my friend’s Facebook wall about faith and logic being like two hands – you technically can do everything one-handed, but when you have two – it’s much easier.

During these days of war and horrible stories and explosions and evacuations and anxiety, my faith has been sustaining me. If anything, it was what I could hold on to.

My faith isn’t in “God is with me, therefore everything will be great.”

Rather, it is “God is with me. Whatever happens.”

As we approach Good Friday, remember that the same baby who was born on Christmas – the same Emmanuel “God with us” – is the same person who is “God with us” even in our darkest of days.

Even when it feels like we’re crying out and we hear silence as an answer.

Even when it feels like we cannot take any more pain.

Even when it feels like we are forsaken.

We’re not.

“God with us.”

Emmanuel.

Have a great week. See you Sunday if not sooner! Love you all.

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #102

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #102! Thanks for letting me “invade” your world in this way. As I write this, it sounds like we might be able to say “Spring has sprung.” I sure am hoping so. J  In any case, I hope your week has been going well for you.

My first order of business is to refer you to last week’s MM. I know you print all of them out and save them for historical significance (Ahem!), but JUST. IN. CASE. YOU. DON’T, I’d like to go over the Resurrection Sunday items and also make an important clarification. In last week’s MM here is what I said:

“For the past couple of weeks we have been announcing our Resurrection Sunday service will be at Abram Farm. For those “veterans” you already know a lot of work is needed to help get things ready. For you “newbies” here is a list of what we need to do.  All of this has to be done on Sunday morning since we cannot get into Abram Farm until 7:00 due to a wedding on Saturday night.

• Thanks to Zach Hogan providing the sound for us (as he did at our celebration outside this past Fall), we are spared having to cart all our sound equipment over. But there is still a need to take equipment from here to there. We also need help unloading the equipment from his trailer and bringing it into the building.
• The biggest need will be setting up chairs and some tables and we need all the help we can get in setting them up. In the past, due to the help we have had in that particular area it has taken us about 1-1½ hours or so to set up.  That also allows for us to make adjustments if needed.
• Because of a different traffic pattern entering the building we need some greeters who will show people where to enter and once inside to hand out bulletins, song sheets, and communion elements (we will be using the pre-filled ones).
• There is minimum parking available so we will need help with making sure all parking spots are filled. You may ask, “How can I help?” The biggest way is to consider parking at the church parking lot and carpool with others. This has worked well for us in the past and we anticipate it will again. Thanks for your help. {See note below please}
• Perhaps the hardest part is the tear down. I know folks are eager to leave for family things, but if we have everyone’s cooperation immediately, that makes things go quickly and also stops us from having to come back later in the day. The chairs and tables need put away, communion tubs and clipboards collected, and help with the equipment being taken back out to the trailer and vehicles for transport. I’d like to ask you to maybe consider giving an extra 10-15 minutes if possible to help with the teardown. As it has been said, “Many hands make light work.”

There is also one more item you need to be aware of. Having our service there hinders us from having any children’s programs. We can offer a place for a nursery although, unless someone or some folks want to step up, the nursery will not be staffed.” (End of MM#101 thought)

CLARIFICATION: In the past, due to the lack of space at Abram Farm, we have not had a staffed nursery. In fact, we give all our teachers and helpers the week off and tell them to enjoy the worship with their families.  This year is no exception despite what it sounds like by my words. There will be a space (south end of building) for you to take your child if you feel a need to allow them to move around, to rock them to sleep, or to play. There will be no one staffing the nursery so you will be responsible for staying with your child. That will be absolutely essential since we will have no way to sign in/out your child. I do apologize if I gave anyone the idea that we would have a staffed nursery.  I completely and fully agree that we have the best teachers and helpers on the planet and they deserve a week off to worship with their family.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Jim Jones would like to meet with the SAFETY TEAM this Sunday at 10:15 in the library to discuss the whole parking situation so it will work smoothly. Please make plans to be there.

NOTE: As in years past, all our offering on Resurrection Sunday will be given to missions we support, unless designated.

I have been enjoying preaching this series on Truth Decay. It has challenged me in my study and also in my personal beliefs and faith. I am not looking for you to comment on the yay or nay of the series, but I do sincerely hope it has challenged and encouraged you as well.  The rest of the series is as follows:

• April 2- Sin is Still Sin
• April 9- The Cross is Still the Cross
• April 16- Alive is Still Alive
• April 23- Eternity is Still Eternity

The series following will be entitled Snapshots. I plan to take a few of the shorter books in the NT (Philemon, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude) and do a short series on them. The one hitch will be on Mother’s Day when I will interrupt the series for a sermon fitting the day.  J

Just a word which has been on my heart lately before I close.  Over the past 2 weeks I chose to reread two fiction books I had at home. They were both books which deeply impacted me, first back in 1995 (Wisdom Hunter) and 1999 (Betrayal) by Randall Arthur. Randy became a friend through the books, correspondence and then personal visits. I read them every once in a while simply to remind me of who I need to be and what I need to be as a pastor. Randy wrote something in each book he signed for me: “Above all else, never lose your heart for God.” That has been burning in my heart the past two or three weeks. I think that is what led me to read them again. I would say the same to you: never lose your heart for God. If you feel it waning, run back to Him and ask Him to give you a fresh heart.  I love you all.

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #101

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #101. I’m guessing many are saying, “UGH!” after having been on Spring Break last week. I’ve talked to several who have said it was hard for them to get back to work or to school after being out for a week. Even those who stayed around here seemed to have enjoyed their time of relaxation. Long story short, I hope your week back to normal hasn’t been too bad.  J

I wanted to pass something on to you that I heard this past Sunday. But first, a little backstory to fill you on why this is so important. This past weekend (Friday and Saturday) a funeral visitation and service took place for a relative of one of our folks. Because it was Friday (my day off) I am ashamed to admit that I “spaced it” and simply forgot about the visitation on Friday night. When I realized I had forgotten the visitation I was mortified and was beating myself up a little bit. I lost some sleep over it as well because I wasn’t there for the folks who lost a loved one. Sunday morning I apologized to the couple for my failure to attend. I say this carefully: I was never so relieved after I heard what they had to say. They were quick to forgive and say it was no big deal (which I was grateful for) but it was what they said next that had me beyond thankful.  They said it was no problem because several others had shown they cared. They received a card of sympathy from the Care Team Ministry. When they got to the visitation there were flowers from the church which showed them we cared and were thinking of them. Then on Saturday, one of the elders went to the visitation which took place before the funeral service. And while they were grateful for my words, they made sure to tell me I “wasn’t needed” because several others made them feel special. People stepped up to the plate in a big way!  I want to give a big shout out to the Remembrance Care Team for doing what the whole Care Team Ministry is designed to do: reach out to those in our church family. And thanks to the elder who made his way on a Saturday morning to visit and offer his condolences.  {Sidebar: while I am thrilled they stepped forward, I’m going to try not to let that happen again on my part.}

I also know of other Care Teams which are preparing to be ready whenever the need arrives. I know the Safety Team has been actively making sure all our medical supplies are in stock and up-to-date. They have also been actively watching and being alert on Sunday mornings, which I deeply appreciate. I don’t want to ever think something will happen, but I am also not naïve in this day and age. The New Baby Care Team has also been stocking up in order to help new mothers transition well. The Wellness Care Team recently delivered food/medicine to one of our families. I’m excited to see the teams meeting and setting some goals to meet the needs of our folks.

For the past couple of weeks we have been announcing our Resurrection Sunday service will be at Abram Farm. For those “veterans” you already know a lot of work is needed to help get things ready. For you “newbies” here is a list of what we need to do.  All of this has to be done on Sunday morning since we cannot get into Abram Farm until 7:00 AM due to a wedding on Saturday night.

• Thanks to Zach Hogan providing the sound for us (as he did at our celebration outside this past Fall), we are spared having to cart all our sound equipment over. But there is still a need to take equipment from here to there. We also need help unloading the equipment from his trailer and bringing it into the building.
• The biggest need will be setting up chairs and some tables and we need all the help we can get! In the past, due to the help we have had in that particular area it has taken us about 1-1/2 hours or so to set up.  That also allows for us to make adjustments if needed.
• Because of a different traffic pattern entering the building we need some greeters who will show people where to enter and once inside to hand out bulletins, song sheets, and communion elements (we will be using the pre-filled ones).
• There is minimum parking available so we will need help with making sure all parking spots are filled. You may ask, “How can I help?” The biggest way is to consider parking at the church parking lot and carpool with others. This has worked well for us in the past and we anticipate it will again. Thanks for your help.
• Perhaps the hardest part is the tear down. I know folks are eager to leave for family things, but if we have everyone’s cooperation immediately, that makes things go quickly and also stops us from having to come back later in the day. The chairs and tables need put away, communion tubs and clipboards collected, and help with the equipment being taken back out to the trailer and vehicles for transport. I’d like to ask you to maybe consider giving an extra 10-15 minutes if possible to help with the teardown. As it has been said, “Many hands make light work.”

I know this is a lot of information to digest all at one time, but writing it to you now, and then reminding you along the way, will give you an opportunity to consider helping. I can guarantee you it will be much appreciated.

There is also one more item you need to be aware of. Having our service there hinders us from having any children’s programs. We can offer a place for a nursery, although unless someone or some folks want to step up, the nursery will not be staffed.

I’m excited about being all together in one place, and what better day to be together than Resurrection Sunday, the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.

This is also a good time to bring you up-to-date on the Building Team (BT) and our progress. First, we have had to slow down some due to the pandemic. But you all have been phenomenal in your consistent giving to both our weekly need and to the Building Fund (BF). Currently we have $203,064 in the BF. The BT met this past Monday night to dream about the building, begin putting our dreams on paper, and to also start the process to secure an architect. May I ask you to please be in prayer for the whole process? We are going to continue investigating and pursuing ways to build, all while keeping in mind that we are going to pay cash for it.

These are exciting times! Just remember I love you.

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #100

Hello and welcome to the landmark edition of MM. #100. It is amazing when I think about it. I started doing this at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 as an effort to communicate with you since we were so up-in-the-air about things. But, here it is #100. WOW!

I seriously thought about not doing an issue this week because of Spring Break (even told Diana that), but as I thought about it, I decided to do something different. So…here we go.

Many people look at the current Russian invasion of Ukraine as merely a political thing. Without a doubt it is an ugly encroachment on a sovereign country enjoying its freedom from the hammer of Russian strong-arming. But did you know there was a religious underpinning to this whole war? That is what this edition of the MM will be about.

Down through the years there have been multiple religious wars. I did a quick search and found that of the known 1763 (now 1764) wars, 124 of them have been because of religion-that’s almost 7%! We are certainly familiar with the Crusades, as well as those between Protestant and Catholics (Ireland). There is also the 30 year war; the Yugoslav Wars (Muslims vs. Catholics); Lebanese Civil War (Muslims vs Maronite Christians) to name a few.

So what about the current war? It finds its roots in the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church is a family of self-governing churches that are largely regional in nature. They are united in essentials to their beliefs, but each administers its own affairs. The Orthodox Church claims to be the one, true Christian Church, with all others (Roman Catholic, Protestant) to be later off-shoots which deviated from the truth. In their sense of history, the Church was “one, holy, catholic and apostolic” for the first 1000 years of its existence with five historic patriarchal centers: Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Alexandria and Constantinople. They maintain that in the East they kept the faith, while the West (Roman Catholic) veered into heresy due to the papacy and claims to supremacy over other churches.  {Note: That belief still exists today}.

The reason for the divide is complicated in explanation, but the Protestant Reformation (PR) of the 16^th century was another branch that led away from the one true Church. Why? Because the PR put the Bible above the Church and tradition. There are many other distinctions, like ideas surrounding apostolic succession, the meaning and number of the sacraments (like communion and baptism), the role of icons, and others.

Soviet atheism closed 98% of the Orthodox churches in Russia. Since the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union there has been significant growth in the Orthodox Church.

What does all this mean for 2022? This is where it not only gets complicated but also adversarial.  When Ukraine won its freedom from Russia, a Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) was established. In short, the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) now hopes to bring the Ukrainian branch under a single patriarch.  The war launched by Putin to reassert Russian influence in the region is “also a contest for the future of the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox churches.” (New York Times)

Therein is the rub. The UOC wants to maintain its independence from the ROC. If Ukraine survives Russia’s invasion, it will undoubtedly result in the ejection of the ROC. If Russia wins, the UOC will not survive. Parishes previously under the Moscow church have increasingly switched to the Ukrainian Church, so angering Putin that in 2018 he warned it could lead to bloodshed.

The Ukrainian Church was granted full legitimacy in 2019 under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, who is considered the senior authority in Eastern Orthodoxy. This so angered Russia they cut off ties with them.  One of the current factors for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is the ROC would lose its dominance over the Orthodox churches. They, of course, do not want that.  The Kremlin has partnered with the ROC in terms of exercising its power and influence. The Russian Orthodox Patriarch once called Putin’s leadership “a miracle of God.” {My note: seriously?}  One of the subdeacons of the UOC said, “The religious dimension of this is quite central to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The idea of the Ukrainians having an independent church not under the jurisdiction of Moscow is unfathomable.”  What they seem to have forgotten is that force never brings what I (Bill) will call willing submission. They actually made things worse.

But it isn’t just those in Ukraine opposing the war. Nearly 300 Russian Orthodox priests and deacons from around the world signed an open letter opposing and condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Talk about a rift within the ROC!!  What it comes down to is a conflict over who controls Orthodoxy-Moscow or Constantinople (approving of the UOC).

So…is your head spinning yet? Mine was.

I cannot take credit for the bulk of this information. I did a lot of research and editing and condensing for this MM, but I must give credit to James Emery White, pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Mecklenburg, SC. If you want to see the full articles here are the links:

Part 1: https://www.churchandculture.org/blog/2022/3/10/ukraine-russia-orthodox-church-part-1.

Part 2: https://www.churchandculture.org/blog/2022/3/14/ukraine-russia-orthodox-church-part-2.  If you prefer to listen, he also has a podcast you can access with the title Church and Culture.  I listen on Spotify but you may choose another platform.

Why did I share this? Several reasons: 1) you can see it is far more than a political war (although Putin is an egomaniac) and 2) this is a perfect example of religion gone bad. It is what happens when you kiss the Bible goodbye and decide to do your own thing.  I simply share this for your information.  Me? I’m glad I’m at OVCF and that I’m loved and can love back.

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #99

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #99.  Thanks for reading this week! I guess I’m going to have to figure out something special for the next edition. It is hard to believe it will be #100- Lord willing, of course. 

DID YOU FORGET?  Or maybe I ought to say, “DON’T FORGET!” How can you forget to do something which has yet to take place? You are finally convinced Pastor Bill has lost it (no comments from the peanut gallery).  So…DON’T FORGET to set your clocks one hour ahead this Saturday night. Just remember though, if you are used to going to bed at 10, you might want to try going at 9:00. Unless, of course, a nap on Sunday afternoon sounds really good to you. ☺ 

I was really encouraged this past Sunday when I saw a group of people meeting in the library area. After I inadvertently walked in on them I found out they were members of the Security Team. That is one of the divisions of the new Care Team Ministry which was started on February 27th. I also know that several of the other teams have been making inquiries about contacts, purchases and procedures. That is so exciting because that means some of the teams are off and running and performing their ministry as it was designed. 

PUT THIS ON YOUR CALENDAR! I announced this Sunday (and it was in the bulletin) that our Easter service will be at Abram Farm. Bill and Suzie Abram are so gracious to us to allow us to use their venue on special occasions. One of those has been Resurrection Sunday. It gives us a chance to meet together as a church family for one service with plenty of room. Yes, the downside is we have to do a lot of work moving equipment from here to there, as well as set up tables and chairs early that morning (they have a wedding Saturday night). But the pros far outweigh the cons. We will share more information with you as we get closer. I would like to encourage you to plan to come and invite some others to join you! 

SPRING BREAK BEGINS THIS WEEKEND!  That usually means two things: One, people traveling. I suspect, despite the gas prices, a record number of folks will “hit the road” to get out of Dodge.  Enjoy yourself. Relax. Get some rest. Try not to do so much you need to come home to get a rest from your vacation. ☺  Whether you are driving or flying, be careful, have fun! The second reality is as spring break arrives and people leave that also means some seats will be bare. That is a fact of life. Let me encourage you, though, if at all possible to join us via our live stream. If the times of 9:00 or 10:45 are inconvenient times, remember you can watch it later on Facebook or YouTube. 

With that being said, my sermon this coming Sunday is entitled The Truth is Still the Truth. I was humbled this past week as several approached me afterwards and even during the week to let me know how much Sunday’s sermon, The Bible is Still the Bible, meant to them and how much they are looking forward to this series. This series will go to the end of April. I thought I would share the titles with you so you can see where we are going. Just remember things are subject to change if God says, “Change it.” ☺ 

• March 13- The Truth is Still the Truth
• March 20- God is Still God
• March 27- Jesus is Still Jesus
• April 3- Sin is Still Sin
• April 10- The Cross is Still the Cross
• April 17- Alive is Still Alive
• April 24- Eternity is Still Eternity

Here’s one for you: I’m asking myself where do I go from here? I feel a real need to take a break from the intensity of that series and to just make our way through a book. My thinking right now is to do one titled Postcards. I just read Philemon and will soon be reading 1, 2, 3 John and Jude during my morning Encounter Time.  What do you think? I’d like to hear. 

All that to say something as I finish this MM. I read again this Monday about another pastor who is retiring after 35 years. On April 13, 1975 I was ordained into the ministry by the elders of a church in Akron, OH. That means in 2025 I will celebrate 50 “official” years as a pastor (that is not counting the previous 3 years or so I had already been a pastor and a youth pastor.  At 69 years old I have had people ask me when I will retire.  Lord willing, and as long as God grants me good health, I hope to be doing this until the day I breathe my last breath.  I have even had some ask me how I keep doing this “pastor thing.” I give a simple answer: passion. I love doing what I do, and as long as I can be effective I do sincerely hope God allows me to keep doing this. There is something else though. A little over a month ago I was purging my files and ran across something I wrote or found. I can’t remember (first sign of old age!) ☺ I had Jo retype and laminate it for me.  Here is what motivates me…besides the love of Jesus and joy of doing what I love to do:

• I promise to keep doing original and hard work in my study. Those to whom I am called deserve my best efforts. 
• I promise to maintain a heart for God. That means I will pray frequently and fervently, and stay devoted to Him and to my calling. 
• I promise to remain accountable. Living the life of a religious Lone Ranger is not only unbiblical, it’s dangerous. 
• I promise to stay faithful to my family. My wife deserves my time, affection, and undivided attention. Our now grown children and grandson deserve the same. 
• I promise to be who I am. Just me. I plan to keep laughing, saying things a little off the wall from time to time, being a friend, loving wholeheartedly, and making a few mistakes each month day. 

And there you have my “creed.” I love being your pastor and look forward, Lord willing, to more years serving Jesus hand-in-hand with you.  I love you all. 

Pastor Bill 

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #98

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #98.  I really appreciate you allowing me to congest your inbox, but most of all for taking the time to read the message. J

It was a really busy and exhausting weekend but well worth it.  To see so many come to the pitch-in and take part in the inauguration of the Care Team Ministry (CTM) was so refreshing. The count was about 50 adults who stayed to participate in the meeting, and then chose a group (or groups) in which to be involved. I can’t speak for Hope East but I can speak for myself: what an exciting time!  This type of ministry is so necessary but never more so than right now.  As I talked to Hope afterwards she said this has been on her heart for close to two years but she never felt like she got God’s “Go” until just recently.  I’m so glad she listened to God and launched the CTM. I cannot wait to see what God is going to do through the ministry and cooperation of everyone.  Thank you to all who came, brought food for the pitch-in and then stayed to hear about the teams and chose where to serve.

Okay…after Sunday where I was truly blown away by your response, I have another “blown away” moment. As I stated in last week’s MM, and have been advertising by word-of-mouth on Sundays (and any other chance I have), that this Wednesday is the restart of “66.” I am retooling the class with scaled down material which will allow for a learning but more relaxed atmosphere. I feel that in the past I tried to cram too much into the one hour class time and as a result didn’t get through all the material or just overwhelmed people. The reason I am blown away is I have 22 people who have signed up to participate, many of them NEW people!!  If you are reading this and either failed to sign up or want to come to give it a try, please feel free to do so. All I ask is that you let me know so I have enough material for everyone. I don’t want to waste paper by doing a lot of extra copies, but I also don’t want anyone not to have the lessons. You may call the office or you can text/call me.

Two more items of interest:

1. I mentioned Sunday about my friends in Ukraine-one a family (Zee’s) and one a missionary pastor (Caleb). If you are interested, I have posted some pictures of Zee’s family and the Sunday morning worship in the basement of the church building on my office door. Please continue to pray for an end to the war in Ukraine provoked by an egotistical, godless maniac.
2. My new sermon series, Truth Decay, begins this week with “The Bible is Still the Bible.” I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.

I have allowed some room for a heartfelt message from me to you. This was sparked by some events and words of the past week/weekend and a couple of devotions I read from Alistair Begg in his Truth for Life: 365 Daily Devotions.

Many of you know I am not on any social media. None.  I have chosen to be that way for a reason: I don’t trust myself to say/not say what is right or wrong in the right manner and also because I know it would involve way too much of my time.  But the greatest issue I see is the right and wrong use of words. Please let me explain:  Newton’s Third Law of Thermodynamics says, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” In every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. The size of the forces on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object.

Take, for example, our words. For every negative word, there is an equal or opposite reaction. For every positive word, there is an equal or opposite reaction.  The influence of our words is so important and can be so incendiary that the Apostle James wrote that the “tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness.” (3:6) He doesn’t stop there but goes on to say, “it sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.” (3:6). Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”  Our words can serve to encourage, to nourish, and to heal. But they can also cause strife, create dissension, and do harm.  Here is something to think about: “A careless word may kindle strife, A cruel word may wreck a life, A bitter word may hate instill, A brutal word may smite and kill.”  (Begg-p.65)

The other end of the spectrum is words that help. {Please take a moment to read James 3: 10-12}. The truth of the matter is that our words reflect what is in our hearts. If our words are not Christlike, we must not look first to our mouths but to our hearts. Our tongues contain immense power, and we can leverage them to heal, encourage, help, affirm, enrich, forgive, unite, or to bless OR we can use them to scar, discourage, hurt, downgrade, deplete, hold a grudge, divide or condemn. (Notice the opposites in those words). Remember: “For every action there is an equal or opposite reaction.”  Some people pride themselves in telling it like it is but is that really something to be proud of? The real fact is this: “it takes far more self-control to respond in gentleness than to give way to unbridled passion and anger.” (Begg-p.66)

May I please ask a favor of you? Instead of speaking your mind on Facebook or Twitter or whatever you use, why not hold your tongue? Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying, “It is better to keep your mouth shut (pen/keyboard silent) and thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.”  You can check the wisdom of those words by looking up two verses of Scripture: Proverbs 17: 27-28.

What will mark your words? Will you commit to using your tongue to bless others or curse others? Will you use it to build others up or tear them down? Will your tongue give life to others or bring death (sap the life out of people)?  Let’s honor Christ with our words-verbal or written. Friends bring friends life, hope, blessing and grace.

Rats! I forgot today is not Sunday. J I guess I ought to get off my soapbox (pulpit) and simply say that I hope you have a terrific week. I love you all (and those are not empty words).

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #97

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #97.  I hope your week has been a good one so far.

There is so much happening right now. I would like to highlight some things during this Midweek Message. I hope you will take the time to read through them and maybe check them out further.

#1 ITEM: This is for all the ladies out there! This Saturday night is the Ladies Night at Main Street Coffee. I know the details have been announced for close to a month but let me just give you the basics one more time. It is Saturday from 5-7 PM. Kropack Creations is catering an Italian meal with pastry and drink provided by Main Street.  The cost is $13 with girls 12 & under costing $7.50.  Seating is limited so the best thing to do is contact Linda St. John for more information (812.829.7999). *There is only room for five more ladies to attend!

#2 ITEM: For the past month and a half we have been announcing via voice and print about the launch this Sunday of our Care Team Ministry (CTM). I suspect you already know, but if not, the plan is to have a pitch-in lunch after second service and then Hope East will present the CTM plan in more detail than I have been able to do via the MM (starting with MM#92). You will then have the fantastic opportunity to become part of one of the teams which will reach out to others in our church family. You won’t want to miss out on this in any way! I heard someone say they would not be able to make the meal but would like to be involved. You will be more than welcome! Please just talk to Hope for a recap or discussion of where you would like to help.

#3 ITEM: For six straight years I taught what I called Route 66 (abbreviated to “66”), so-named after the 66 books of the Bible. After my third time through, I took a much-needed break for a year or two then started it again in September of 2020. We were going strong until the pandemic arrived.  I started it again this past February 1^st but after a couple of weeks, decided to change things. I talked to the class and they also agreed to the change.  66 will begin again on Wednesday, March 2^nd from 6-7:00. It will be all new streamlined material from the previous efforts.  We will take a break during Spring Break and then during the summer, but other than that, we will be pretty solid. I generally take a book a week which gives us a general overview of the Bible. If you want to know more, please feel free to contact me. I think it is good for both those who know very little about the Bible, and also for those who have been followers of Jesus for a long time.

#4 ITEM: Small groups. Small groups really are one of the life-bloods of the church. People need to feel connected, to feel a part of something. We want to start up small groups again but we want to do it right.  We have been asking you to sign up to indicate your interest. We plan to start working on them soon so if you have an interest there is still plenty of time to let us know.  You can sign up and indicate your preference (participate, host or teach) at the info table or call the church office.

#5 ITEM: The Testimony Project.  Many people have wonderful “God stories” that need to be told. An intervention. A healed marriage or physical healing. A wonderful transformation story. Standing in front of people is not the cup of tea for many, but recording your story on your phone and then posting it is much easier. It is a great way to share your story in the privacy of your home, but then be an encouragement to others. We have Testimony Project handouts with directions on how to do all of this and post it on Facebook at the info table in the auditorium, and on the bulletin board in the hallway.

#6 ITEM: It never ceases to amaze me what people are capable of doing (in a good way). There is a series of commercials running right now for an organization called Tunnels to Towers.  It was started by a man who wanted to honor his brother, a firefighter in NY, who lost his life running into the towers to save lives on 9/11. The purpose of T2T is to make houses available for vets and those who have suffered traumatic injuries from war or serving the community. Many of these vets have no legs, no arms, part of an arm, and other casualties of war. My impression of the people being featured reflected a “can do” attitude.

In Exodus 3-4, there is an interesting exchange between God and the one He is calling to lead His people out of Egypt, Moses.

• Moses: Who am I that I should go?
• God: I will be with you.
• Moses: What if they ask what is the name of the God who sent me?
• God: I AM WHO I AM
• Moses: What if they will not believe me?
• God: Check out your staff and your hand in your cloak.
• Moses: I’ve never been eloquent. I stutter.
• God: I will be with your mouth. I made you.
• Moses: Send someone else.
• God: (angrily) I’ll send Aaron to speak for you.

Moses had an “I can’t” attitude. It might have even been an “I don’t want to” attitude. God changed that “I can’t” into a “Can do.”

When we feel incapable, God says, “I am enough.” He turns our “I can’t” or “I won’t” into a “With me you can.”

I hope this week you will experience God’s “I am enough.”  I love you all.

Pastor Bill