February 26, 2010

Lent is the 40 week day period before Easter that began last Wednesday, February 17, with Ash Wednesday.  The observance of Lent originated with the early church as a time to prepare for an Easter Sunday baptism.  We will be having a baptismal service the Sunday after Easter, April 11.  The 40 week day period of Lent is modeled after the Israelites 40 years in the desert after being liberated from slavery in Egypt and the 40 days that Christ spent in the wilderness while being tempted.  For many people Lent is associated with giving something up, but it is meant to be a time of deep spiritual renewal.  Each Wednesday evening during Lent, we are having a simple soup and bread supper at 6:30 pm, followed by a time of prayer.  We will conclude by 7:30 pm.  I invite you to join us as we seek and pray for renewal each Wednesday.  Love in Christ, Pastor Jerry

February 10, 2010

This coming Sunday is Valentine's Day. The theme of Valentine's Day is romantic love. The Bible has a lot to say about love and uses several different words for love. One of the words the Bible uses for love is agape. This is the word that John uses when he writes that God so loved the world that He gave. (John 3:16) Agape is different than warm feelings. It is a volitional commitment to another that motivates us to act on their behalf. Agape involves the kind of giving that cannot be compensated. That concept of love is quite foreign to our culture. The mentality of this world leads us to love and give only when there is reason to assume that our love will be reciprocated. Love is commitment and operates independently of what we feel or do not feel. This is the love that people long for and that we need to extend to everyone on Valentine's Day and beyond. This is the kind of love that God has extended to us in Christ. Love in Christ, Pastor Jerry

February 3, 2010 Corporate (group) Prayer in churches has fallen on hard times. At one time most churches had prayer meetings at some time during the week, but that is no longer the case. Christians recognize the importance of prayer, but our practice of prayer does not always measure up to what we say we believe. Our Lenten suppers, simple bread and soup meals, will be followed by prayer. We are not going to talk about prayer. We are going to pray. We will pray in different ways so that not every week will be the same. The suppers begin on Wednesday February 24 and run through Wednesday March 24. These times of eating together and prayer will last one hour. We will begin at 6:30 pm and conclude by 7:30 pm. In the book of Acts we see the importance of corporate prayer to the early church. Lent, the forty weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter, is a good time to begin again a time of corporate prayer. Love in Christ, Pastor Jerry

January 27, 2010 Haiti Most of us have been following the situation in Haiti very closely since the earthquake two weeks ago. Haiti was the poorest country in the western hemisphere already and now this devastation. I am grateful that we are a part of a denomination, American Baptists, that has worked in Haiti for years. That means that there were already some people in place in a position to help and that financial help could be channeled through those missionaries and the Haitian Baptist Convention. Dr. Stephen James and his wife Nancy have served in Haiti for years. Kristy Engel, another American Baptist missionary, was able to help lead a medical team from the Dominican Republic into Haiti. I know that many of you have given to Haiti earthquake relief through reputable charities. American Baptists have helped through the One Great Hour of Sharing. Every dollar given through One Great Hour of Sharing goes to disaster relief and recovery. Continue to pray for Haiti, the Haitian Baptist Convention and the Gengells, the Rutland family whose daughter has not been found. Love in Christ, Pastor Jerry