Category: OVCF News

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #208

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #208. I hope you have had a good summer so far. Jo  and I were able to go to the ballfields to watch some of our kids play ball and I can say some  things for sure: 1) it was hot, like blazing hot; 2) the kids had fun and it is nice to see them  active; 3) I think the parents had fun😊; 4) almost to a “T” they are all glad it is over for now.  But then I talked to a parent or two who said, “Travel ball is going to start.” No rest for the  weary, I guess. All in all though, Jo and I (and Tami) had fun watching the kids and chatting with  the adults who were there.  

We have several young people who were at camp this week and two who will be.

• Cohen Frye, Oakley Groomer, Rob Anderson, and Sophia Kropack were all at Ice Breaker  camp at Hilltop. Ice Breaker is Sunday through Tuesday. 
• Amelia Borders and James Anderson will be campers on Thursday for Day Camp. It is a  one day experience at Hilltop for them to get a taste of camp.  

Since there will be no MM next week (I have plans for the first part of the week), here are the  campers who will be attending the Senior High Wilderness Week with Pastor Ryan and his crew. 

• The young ladies attending are Haley Amador, Anna and Rachel East, Meilynn Hess, and  Hannah Pendleton. The young men going are Caleb East and Nolan Miller. Pray for their  hearts to be refreshed and their relationship with Jesus to take on a whole new  meaning. 
• Faculty members from OVCF include Pastor Ryan and Hope, Macy Carlson, Westin and  Cassie Linville, Linda St. John, and Gracie & Mollie Wainscott. Pray for…well…just pray for  them. 😊

YOUTH CORNER

⮚ Alli Anderson was chosen as Most Improved for the 2024 track season at OV. She had a phenomenal season and her hard work and determination truly paid off. A proud momma posted that on Facebook.
⮚ Did you know Deeper has taken a short break through the month of June? It will resume on July 3 at the East homestead.

COMING THIS SATURDAY! Serving Owen County Together!

For the past several years SOCT has benefited the citizens of Owen County, and even those outside of this county. SOCT is a partnership between Servant’s Heart, Hoosier Hills Food Bank, For Bare Feet, Changing Footprints and many others. Here again are the details in case you need a refresher: 😊

❖ Date: Saturday, June 22 from 9 AM-3 PM. (Rain date is June 29)
❖ Location: OVMS/OVHS complex, back parking lot (This is a change from the past due to construction being done on the entrance to OVMS. Drive around back. You won’t miss us!)
❖ Free items and resources available to those in need!
❖ If you failed to sign up to work, please feel free to come and offer to serve. There is always a need for more help.

I try to make the MM informative and filled with news about the OVCF family. But since the MM is my personal word to you, I thought I would add the following. I wrote it for my “Shadow” blog this past Monday (you can read it there and comment if you would like):

This past weekend was one of milestones for me. Three to be exact. I’ll go from Good, to Better, to Best.

Milestone #1- Although mostly meaningless to many of you, I reached my first 20 mile ride of the season. I have slowly been building my mileage throughout this season, although it has never been this late when I have hit this marker. But life happens. A tsunami-like work schedule, weird weather (so far lots of rain), family commitments, knee issues and age (71) have all played havoc with my riding routine. It got so bad that I even rode one morning this past week in 40 degree weather! I slightly under-dressed for that one and got back to the office with my hands not working very well (I couldn’t move them). This past Saturday I hit the 20 mile marker. It was a pretty good day for a ride. Hot (which I like) and a tad bit windy. But I survived. 😊

Milestone #2- Father’s Day. 49 years ago and 44 years (almost 45) ago, I became a father. Tami and Janna have been the two blessings in my life I would never want to have been without. And then Janna blessed me with being a grandfather almost 18 years ago (October). Braden has been a highlight of my time here on earth. I thank God every day for these three gifts God gave me.

Milestone #3- This one is THE highlight of my milestones, the coup de grace of blessings. June 16, 1973 is when Jo and I were married. So Sunday, June 16th, was our 51st anniversary. We have been through a lot; have had our share of ups and downs; moved when we didn’t want to and moved when we did; celebrated the highlights and mourned the low-lights (the death of our parents for one); and we did it together. People find it incredible when I say we have never had an argument, but then I remind them we have had lots of quiet nights. ☺ She has hopefully seen the transformation of an arrogant, opinionated, know-it-all into a man whose heart beats with love for God and for the people He has entrusted to me in my role as pastor/shepherd. At 71 I still have a passion for my work and want to continue doing this until God says, “Enough.” But more than that I want to be known as a man who loved His God first and foremost, loved his children, loved his grandson, loved the church he is now serving, but most of all, loved his wife and was an example of a godly husband, father, grandfather, pastor and man.

Will there be more milestones? I certainly hope so. But only the Father knows (and He ain’t telling). Meanwhile, I want to live my life with purpose and meaning and to live it well.

One of the greatest events of my life was becoming your pastor. Thanks for allowing me to shepherd you for almost 19 years. I love you all.

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #207

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #207! I know this is a busy time for many of you so thank you for taking the time to read this edition of the MM!
I could start out with a bunch of calendar news but there is some other exciting news to share with you!

• This past week one of our teen boys attended Hilltop Christian Camp. Tad Nicholson made a decision to follow Jesus and was baptized this past Friday at camp. His parents, Dale and Rachel, and his grandparents were able to be there to witness it. We also had three Jr. High girls attend as well-Bella Madorin, Aubrey Mangia, and Charli Wood. I texted each of the parents and all of them said the girls had a fantastic week. Bella’s mom said she was told “it was her most favorite week ever.” I asked you to pray for them in last week’s MM and to specifically pray for them to have an eye-opening week with Jesus. I’d say that prayer was answered.😊
• This week is the first of two Wilderness Weeks involving Pastor Ryan and his crew. Faculty members from here besides Ryan and Hope are Abby and Anna Bales (Peter & Stephanie’s two daughters, Anna and Caleb East, and Gracie Wainscott). Pray for each of the faculty members to have wisdom and discernment as they teach and lead the young people this week.
• Campers this week for Wilderness Week are Rachel East, Trevor Floyd, Kalissa Hamlin, and Tatum White. Zuri Wills is attending on the dorm side of camp. Pray for each of these young people to grow closer to Jesus this week

Here is some really fantastic, balloon-busting, exciting news! Monday morning at 10:00 at the Owen County Courthouse Gavin and Jenna Wells officially adopted their foster daughter, Gigi. She is now officially named Gloria Jane Wells. Jenna said, “Gloria because she’s a light in the world!” and “Her birth mother’s middle name is Jane.” I love that Gavin and Jenna honor God with her first name and honor her birth mother with her middle name. That makes six children for Gavin and Jenna-3 older boys who are their birth children and the 3 younger ones are their adopted foster children. I met them all this past Sunday at the same time! Warner (11), August (9), Christian (7), Emmelia (6), Fletcher (4 until July), and Gloria (2). Warning: quiz coming. 😊 Gavin and Jenna truly show Jesus’ heart for children.

We now have another baby to add to our growing baby list!

⮚ Caleb and Gabrielle Corder (due any time)
⮚ Jake and Brandi Markland (due in July)
⮚ Austin and Mackenzie Trimble (due in August)
⮚ Matthew and Hannah Foster (due in November)
⮚ Travis and Sierra Floyd (due in January)

Congratulations to all of you! 😊

Here is a reminder that this coming Sunday is Father’s Day. That means, of course, you must be extra nice to dad. 😊 But that also means that Change for Life, which benefits New Beginnings Pregnancy Resource Center, is “officially” over. When I say officially that does not mean they won’t take your baby bottles beyond that date, but we encourage you to bring your change filled baby bottles this coming Sunday.

Also looming in the very near future is the Serving Owen County Together event. Saturday, June 22nd is the date for that with the 29th being the rain date. Help is needed to set up (7-9:00); help with booths from 9-3:00 (the time can be split into any time frame); then tear down is from 3:00 to whenever done. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me or Linda St. John.

Just a heads up: Sunday, June 30th is a 5th Sunday. That means the young people in our elementary classes will worship with the adults that Sunday. The preschool and nursery classes will meet as usual. An added bonus for us will be that the youth will be involved in leading the singing part of our worship with Pastor Ryan’s and Cassie Linville’s help. Dick and Vicki Hogan are taking the weekend away so it will work out perfectly. 😊

I’d like to switch gears for now. Most of the MM has been announcements and keeping you current on what is happening with the church family. I have been announcing the past couple of weeks what my preaching plan is for now through October. Here it is in concrete (or at least sand if God decides to change it all).

• The rest of June will be Follow Their Lead, a look at different men in the Bible. ∙ July and August I plan to finish the series on Revelation I started in January of 2023. Has it been that long? At this point I have four of those sermons started.
• September and October will point to the 20th anniversary of OVCF on October 20th. My series will be Feels Like Home. Included in that will be a reworking of the “Welcome Home” series as well as adding one on Ruth (a reworking), Philemon, and the Prodigal Son. Obviously there is more fleshing out of this series so this is just temporary. I will keep you up-to-date the closer we get.

It has been a really stress-filled week or two for the OVCF family. Not just staff but for many of you. There are times when it seems the hard times are endless and you wonder, “When will it end?” Or the more prevalent is “How come?” The answer to either of those questions is “Who knows?” Only ONE does and at my last recollection He is not telling. But one truth we know for sure is that He is walking with us through it all. Bobby talked Sunday in his communion meditation about the limitless love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of God. Honestly, that is what I hang onto during the rough times. I know He is present through it all. “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people trust, in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:5-8) (NLT)
Please keep in mind that I love you but that God loves you even more deeply.

Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #206

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #206. After taking a week’s break for family “stuff” it is nice to be back with you. I will go ahead and say it now that I’m guessing things will be sort of “up in the air” this summer. Diana will become a grandmother and I suspect she will fully embrace that role. In fact, I’m not sure I will ever see her again.😊 Pastor Ryan’s schedule is always crazy busy during the summer, especially this month when he has two weeks of Wilderness Camp at Hilltop. All that to say that the appearance of the MM may be somewhat spotty this summer. I know. I know. You are needing tissues right now from that announcement. But this too shall pass and you will soon be tired of hearing from me.😊

So…where do I start?

First, I start with a HUGE CORRECTION!! And yes, it is my fault and I can’t even blame anyone else. In MM#204 I mentioned the now yearly event called Serving Owen County Together. And leave it to someone who is involved in the planning to give you the wrong dates. (Sheesh! Can’t take me anywhere!). The correct date for SOCT is June 22 with the rain date being June 29th. The time for the event is 9:00-3:00. Diana has placed some flyers by the info table and also on the bulletin board if you would like more specific information. If you would like to help, please use the Sign-Up Genius app to do so.

Congrats to Kaedence Beckwith!! She made her confession of faith and was baptized in Bob & Tiffany Kropack’s pool this past Sunday. Her dad, Matt, had the privilege of baptizing her. There is a great story to tell about her younger sister Akaydia being baptized about a year ago and Kaedence deciding to wait. She decided now was the time. She has completed two years at Oakland City University and will be enrolling at Ivy Tech in Terre Haute to pursue a degree in diagnostic sonography (You will have to ask her what that is 😊 ).

YOUTH CORNER

Some of our young people have been pretty busy already this summer but some are busier than others. We have a couple who are receiving some late accolades from me in the MM:

• • Julian Carson received an award for Perfect Attendance this past school year. Way to go Julian! Honey and Pappy (grandma and grandpa) are doing a great job!
  • Charli Wood was chosen by her teammates as MVP (Most Valuable Player) for the “A Team” in softball. I won’t say that mom sent this to me.
  • We have several of our young people at Hilltop Camp this week. Charli Wood, Bella Madorin, Aubrey Mangia, and Tad Nicholson are campers this week for Junior High Week. Pray they will have an eye-opening week in their relationship with Jesus.
  • This is a little belated but I just read that MiaRose Hess was awarded a scholarship during the Third Annual Owen County Art Guild Auction which took place on April 20th. Congrats, MiaRose! As mentioned in a previous MM, she plans on attending Cedarville University this fall to major in Business Management and Entrepreneurship.

Here is another achievement worthy of mention! Gavin Truesdel was chosen as OV Fire Territory Firefighter of the Year. That is in spite of the fact that Gavin had a heart attack while battling a fire from too much carbon monoxide and adrenaline. Gavin has been on our prayer list since then, is mending, and still under a doctor’s care. But get this, his plans are to enroll in Ivy Tech this fall for nursing, then continue to become a doctor. Go for it, Gavin! We are behind you 100%. I think his mom and dad are proud of him since his dad, Mark, sent this information to me. 😊

Lots of times things happen at the church property very few notice. The work day on May 19th was a great thing to do and it spruced up the property. But another sprucing up took place recently. We own a total of 5 acres with three of them beyond the mowed section almost to the tree line at the back. That can’t be mowed by a traditional mower so twice last year and once this year Dave Keith has bush-hogged the property. Thanks, Dave for doing that and a belated thanks for last year’s work.

For the past three years since his retirement, Dick Hogan has done maintenance around the church building. It was nice to have someone to call on when things needed done. He now wants to enjoy his retirement. Thanks Dick for helping out around the building in multiple capacities and being our “Johnny-on-the-spot.”

We’ve had a lot of sickness, hospital visits and funerals recently. Please pray for their families.

• • Carole Smith, Kris Samick’s mother, went to be with Jesus on Friday, May 31st.
  • Jessica Bryan, a friend of many from the Freedom Homeschool Co-op, passed away last week, following a year-long battle with cancer.
  • Maverick Pendleton, suffered a stroke while he slept which caused paralysis on his right side. The doctors are trying to use PT and OT to get him to the place where he can go to Disney for his make-a-wish trip that was postponed. They say it was the tumor that caused the stroke.
  • Brent Talkington (Kathy’s son) suffered a major stroke over the weekend.
  • Lt. Col. Dave Allen lost his battle with cancer this past Saturday.
  • Daryl Harkrider, a friend of Mike and Nannette Edwards and one whom we were praying for lost his battle with cancer last week.
  • Jimmy Query had surgery on both big toes on Friday. He is grateful and recovering.

That is a lot of people in just over a week’s span.

My sermon this Sunday is Faith and Feet. I’d like to encourage you to try to figure out who those two men are. One is from the OT; the other from the NT. Until then, know you are loved.
Pastor Bill

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #205

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #205. School is officially over for the summer and I hope you have plans to enjoy and relax! I have talked to several teachers and school personnel and I have yet had one of them say they are disappointed school is out. Now…why is that?

By the time you are done reading this MM you just might say, “Hmmmm. That was a youth edition.” And you won’t be far off the mark!

YOUTH CORNER

• • • Amelia Biggs will leave 5th grade making her mark. She is part of the A/B Honor Roll.  Mom says she is growing up fast.😦
    • Hudsyn Biggs, her brother, was the proud recipient of the Hippopotamus Award, which  is given to someone with a “massive sense of humor and ability to spread happiness to  others.” Kala, his mom, wrote, “Blessed be his momma.”
    • Sophia Kropack was chosen as Top Cat of her 1st grade class for the last quarter (9  weeks). I think mom and dad, Grandma Linda and Aunt Jasmine just might be a tad bit  proud of her.
    • Charli Wood was chosen by Mr. Crowe for the “Rising Sun Award.” This award is for  exhibiting a greater level of responsibility for her learning as well as exhibiting respect  and cooperation. Along with that she also received an Academic Excellence Award in all  core subjects with a 4.0 for the entire year. Mom (Shelby VanDerMoere) may have  posted that on Facebook.

OV graduation was this past Saturday. Now is the time of graduation parties and life changes. As  promised in past MMs, I would like to highlight each graduate and tell you a bit about them and  their plans. Here they are in alphabetical order:

• • • Kathryn Anderson (OV) will be marrying Logan Cain on September 21st, then they will move to Washington, D.C through early 2026. During that time she will earn an online  associate’s degree in business administration through Liberty University. Until then, she  plans to work.😊Her parents are Robert and Becca Anderson. 
    • Caleb Bixler (OV) plans to attend University of Southern Indiana and pursue a degree in  business administration. His parents are Matt and Lizz Bixler.
    • Zach Dawley (OV) plans to enlist in the Army. His parents are Tyler Dawley and Sara  Parker
    • Annalei Dow (Indiana Connections Academy) plans to attend the University of  Minnesota on a diving scholarship and major in Food Science in the Ag Dept. Her  parents are Chad and Terri Dow.
    • MiaRose Hess (Homeschool) plans to attend Cedarville University in Ohio and major in  Finance and Entrepreneurship. Her parents are John and Jenny Hess.
    •  Cooper King (OV) plans to attend University of Southern Indiana for Computer Science.  His parents are Brad and Cara King. Fun fact: did you know that when Cara was searching  for a name that began with “C” Jo suggested Cooper?
    • Hunter Littleton (OV) His grandmother, Pat Harris, is proud of him.
    • Hannah Pendleton (OV) plans to attend Grace College to major in Elementary  Education. Her parents are Steve and Erin Pendleton.

College: 

• • • Mason Adams graduated from Indiana State University in three years with a degree in  Finance. He will be moving to Carmel this June for a job he accepted in the fall. His  parents are Tom and Kristine Mangia. 
    • Lily Bault graduated from Ivy Tech with a degree in nursing. She plans to work at  Bloomington Hospital in the Pediatric Department. Her parents are Chris and Angie  Bault. Grandma Rosie & Grandpa Melvin are mighty proud of her.😊

I would be remiss if I didn’t take some time (words to be exact) to thank the crew who stayed  Sunday afternoon for the workday. WOW, what a beautiful job they did! It was hot and sticky but they stayed with it. Next time you come make sure you take a look! Here is a list of those  who helped (based on the group picture): Rusty and Karen Turner. Bobby (that tractor saved us all!), Alli and Rob (he was having too much fun with that leaf blower) Anderson. Westin and  Cassie Linville. Geoff, Michelle and Marla Lippert. Ryan, Anna, Caleb and Rachel East. Bob, Tiffany and Sophia Kropack. Joe and Charlotte Pavich. (Sophia and Charlotte helped Linda with  the ice cream delivery. Thanks girls!). Gail Kempe. Brad Corder. Jerry and Carol Sturgeon. Linda  St. John (who also provided a much-needed and much-appreciated ice cream break). And yours  truly. Hope East took the picture. Part of the “this church spells HOME” is the curb appeal  people see when they drive in. Thank you s-o-o-o-o-o much for giving up a couple of hours to  spruce up what people see. 

I’ll let you know ahead of time that there will be no MM next week. With the Memorial Day holiday  Monday); our daughter, Janna, coming in from Ohio for eye surgery on Tuesday; then Jo and I  taking her back on Wednesday, I decided to take the week off from the MM. I hear a certain  office manager yelling a big “Hooray!” from her office as she reads this.😊😊

This week is my last sermon for the month of May focusing on women in the Bible. I’ve entitled  it Hope and Hospitality and it will focus on Sarah and Lydia. Beginning June 2nd the focus for the  month of June will be on men in the Bible. Since there will be no MM next week I’ll fill you in on  that Sunday. The sermon is entitled Second Place and the focus will be on Abel and Andrew.  

I look forward to seeing you Sunday. If you are taking off for vacation, please be careful and  enjoy yourself. I hope you come back refreshed. I know this will make your day, week, month  and summer: I love you all.😊

Pastor Bill 

MIDWEEK MESSAGE #204

Hello and welcome to Midweek Message #204! Mother’s Day 2024 is history, at least on the  calendar. The next big event is graduation and the end of the 2023-2024 school year. I would be  remiss if I failed to tell you that I hope you had a relaxing and good Mother’s Day.  

Speaking of graduation, this coming Sunday is our Graduate Recognition Sunday. Both high  school and college graduates will be recognized at the 10:45 service. We have a pretty good  number of graduates and I plan on telling a little bit about them in next week’s MM.  

Don’t forget that immediately following the second service we will be having a pitch-in lunch  and then a work day on the grounds. When someone owns a business they hear a lot about  “curb appeal.” We are no different. Many times a person’s first impression of the church is the  way the building and property are taken care of. One overtaken by weeds says, “We don’t care.”  That doesn’t bode well for how they care about people. It is true that perceptions can be  skewed but more often than not, such is the case. An effort was made a few weeks ago to begin  sprucing up the area around our building but it was way too much for one afternoon and the  number of people/amount of work involved. Pastor Ryan thinks a 2-3 hour work day with many  hands will get the job done. The pitch-in is informal and the work part of it will last until about  3:30 or sooner if done. If you would like to help, it is appreciated. You may want to check with  Pastor Ryan to see what tools are needed (if any). 

YOUTH CORNER

• • Congratulations to Alli Anderson. Alli was part of the girls 4 x 800 school record holders at OVMS. This past Wednesday Alli, Mallory Owens, Lily Smith, and Bailey Kay set a new  school record by completing it in 10:29:09!!!! Keep running Alli!
  • Kathryn Anderson was chosen for GWEC (Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate). That honor  is based on academic readiness; a GPA of at least 2.0; attendance of 98% plus of classes;  one or fewer discipline referrals; and a minimum of 6 hours of community service or  volunteerism.
  • Berkley Groomer received some good news in the health department. After 3 rounds of  blood being drawn and the doctors being concerned about her Vitamin D levels and  something else medically termed (mom’s words), Berkley is in the clear! There is nothing  genetic to be concerned with after breaking her arm twice within weeks. I love it when  we can report a praise like that! 😊

This past week the S-OCS system honored their nurses for National School Nurse Day.  Congratulations to Kim Floyd for being honored. She is the nurse for MCES.  

One of the dangers many church leaders and many churches get into is forgetting where they came from. For those who have been Christ-followers for any length of time or for those, like me, who have been raised in the church since they were “knee high to a grasshopper,” it is easy  to take for granted that others know what you are speaking about. I try hard to make sure those  who don’t know a Bible story are not left out by me saying, “You know…” I will try to say, “For those of you who are not familiar…”

All that to lead up to this: something was brought to our  attention recently that was a really good suggestion. Someone texted me about having Bibles  pre-marked with Scriptures I will be using in a sermon so that those who are unfamiliar with the  Bible will be able to find them. That was a really great idea to consider. Pastor Ryan, Diana and I  got our heads together and came up with a plan we hope works. The church purchased Bibles  for use on Sunday mornings that will be on the info table for use. Each Scripture to be looked up while I am preaching will have the page number listed in the bulletin and on the PowerPoint so  it can be turned to and read as I am reading it. We hope this will encourage people to look up  the Scripture but also lead to a desire to read and love the Bible even more on a personal level.  Thank you Jenna Wells for the suggestion!!  

As I mentioned at the beginning, Mother’s Day 2024 is history, but one event is not. Change for  Life, a fundraiser for New Beginnings Pregnancy Resource Center (NB), began Sunday and goes  until Father’s Day. Many of you are familiar with this, but if not, here are some details:

• • • This is a major fundraiser for NB. I mentioned in last week’s MM that Becca Anderson,  one of the board members, announced that in 2023 the Change for Life raised over $13k  for the ministry.
    • Baby bottles are provided on the info table. You may return the bottles here and we will  make sure they get to NB.
    • You may also support the fundraiser online at newbeginningsowen.org or through their  Facebook page. Both have “donate” buttons set up for easy access.
    • Keep in mind that NB does more than just help mothers of newborns. They provide  clothing, diapers, formula, and more to moms, dads, babies, children and families. This,  to me, is one of the most vital ministries in our community and favorite mission we  support as a church family.
    • If you have any questions or would like to help NB, please give them a call.

Serving Owen County Together (SOCT) has been a welcome event in our community for the past  5 years. This is, if my calculations are correct, Year #6. One Saturday in June the whole  community is invited to serve in helping the community. Booths are set up and clothing, shoes, food and more are open to the people to come and get what they need. Some local service  agencies set up booths for you to know more about them. The organizational date is May 20th at  5:30 and the date for SOCT is June 15th with a rain date of June 22nd. If you would like to help  please call the office or ask me.  

That’s all for this week. I hope you have a terrific rest of the week. I look forward to seeing you  Sunday. My sermon will be All In and the ladies under the microscope will be Hannah and Mary  Magdalene. Don’t forget this: I love you all.  

Pastor Bill 

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:

1. 1. Where would we put everyone?
   2. 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?
   3. 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