A happy Saturday to you church family,
I trust that you are enjoying this unseasonably warm weather today. I know my boys and I are. While the ladies have been at the church building participating in their Valentine’s Day event, Toby and Reuben are out in the backyard playing and having the time of their lives. I spent most of the morning in prayer and Bible study, and you have been on my heart. I look forward to being with you tomorrow! It is always a joy to celebrate the Lord’s day together.
Before I write about tomorrow, I want to encourage us to continue praying for our dear sister in the Lord, Pam Dihmes. I’ve always been so encouraged by Pam’s friendship and partnership in ministry. She wonderfully exemplifies the heart of hospitality that we desire for our church community. I know many of us love and respect Pam deeply, and we so appreciate her husband Paul and his servant’s heart for our church. Pam underwent a surgery yesterday to install a drain tube which should alleviate a very serious infection in her gallbladder. She had a very difficult time yesterday, but she is grateful that the Lord revealed the root cause of the problem that she has been dealing with regarding her stomach for these past few months. Paul and Pam are asking us to pray that there would be no further damage to her intestines, that the infection would go away quickly, and that her gallbladder would be able to be removed so that she can begin her recovery. The doctors have informed them that this process can take a few days to many weeks, and there is no real way of telling which it will be in Pam’s situation. However, we know the power of prayer and so we submit this thing to God. We know that the Lord can expedite this process. We know that the Lord can remove the infection. We know that the Lord can protect her body from further damage, and even heal the damage that is there. The book of Hebrews encourages us to pray with confidence, knowing that the Father hears us because we belong to Christ and He is our great high priest. Let us do this on behalf of our dear friend Pam and her wonderful husband Paul. I know the Dihmes family appreciates your prayers and support. Pam told me when I visited her yesterday, that she could feel the prayers of her church family. Many of us know what this is like, as we have felt the added power that comes from our church family lifting us up in prayer. May the Lord grant us a gift of healing for Pam! I am confident that she will recover, and that this trial will become a testimony in her mouth declaring the glory and goodness of God.
Join us in the morning at 9:30am for Fellowship Groups. Each of these groups is designed to help us grow in our knowledge of Scripture as well as in our relationships with one another. The goal is discipleship, and discipleship is where we move from merely knowing about to applying the Word of God in our lives. Pastor Dwight is currently leading a study from Scripture on the Holy Spirit and the importance of his work in our lives. Beth Walsh is leading a prayer focused group that explores the importance of prayer from Scripture, and spends a significant time applying what God is teaching us by praying together. Susan Kitzrow leads our young adults group and Ryan Stephens leads our youth group. These four groups meet each Sunday, and we would love for you to come and be a part of one. I believe this is a critically important aspect of growing in our life together.
We will come together at 10:45am as usual for our worship service in the morning. Our focus passage for tomorrow is Philippians 1:21-30. We will be exploring the call of Christ to live in light of our identity in him.
This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and we will be having a special service at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary. Ash Wednesday commemorates the beginning of the season of Lent. I realize that there may be some in our Church who have never observed Lent before. I would encourage you that Lent can be a wonderful opportunity for us to remember Christ’s time in the wilderness on our behalf. Lent shows up as a practice fairly early on in the church, far before Roman Catholicism or Greek Orthodoxy even existed. The early church believed in the importance of prayer and fasting, and so they took the time before Easter to dedicate themselves to that purpose. For them it was a time of identifying with Jesus, intentionally practicing self-discipline, and learning how to cut away their ties to this world and fully immerse themselves into their new lives as disciples of Christ. I have found it to be helpful in my own life, and so we are opening up an opportunity for those who would like to participate in this season. Lent is for anyone and everyone who would like to further practice dedicating themselves to the Lord. It is not compulsory, as we don’t believe in compulsory fasting as New Testament Christians. It is however, something which can be a blessing in your life should you choose to participate. I reiterate that participation in Lent is completely voluntary, and that the invitation is open to all. Fasting is a Biblical practice, and it most certainly can help move us along in our walk with the Lord.
We would love to have you join us on Wednesday night at 6:30 for a special time of worship, preparation, and dedication as we enter into the season of Lent and look forward towards Easter. Even if you don’t intend to participate in the Lent season, this will be a wonderful time of prayer, worship, and focusing our lives on Christ. I believe that everyone will benefit from this time.
I would like to remind everyone that February 22nd will be our monthly fellowship meal, and while we eat together we will also participate in our annual business meeting. During this meeting, the church leadership team will be giving a variety of reports related to our ministries, our financial situation, and some plans moving forward through this year. We hope this will be a time that will inform and equip you. If you have any specific questions that you would like answered during this meeting, I would encourage you to let me or one of the elders or deacons know so that we can put those items into our agenda.
May the grace and peace of the Lord rest on you as you walk through this day. May he prepare your heart to come together to worship him and to participate in the equipping ministry of the church tomorrow. I love and appreciate you all! Don’t forget to be praying for one another, especially for Pam.
In His steps,
Pastor Nick
Philippians 1:27-28 CSB — “Just one thing: As citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or am absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel, not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your salvation — and this is from God.”
