Pastor's Ponderings
Pastor's Ponderings
February 2010
Great is Thy Faithfulness
The book of Lamentations is not a book you want to read if you are suffering from depression. It's a "downer." It's a book written during the Exile, a period of national collapse and captivity by the Babylonians. The people have been torn from their homeland and dispersed throughout the Babylonian Empire. It is a spritiual low period for the Israelite people. The book of Lamentations is a compilation of their trials during this period.
In the middle of this book is a great statement of faith in the one true God:
I remember my afflictions and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:19-23
At our January 5th Administrative Council meeting, we celebrated many areas of the faithfulness of God and his people during 2009. It was reported that we served 50 people per week (2500 per year) during our Community Meals for less than $1 per person. It is self-supporting financially. We have launched a second worship service and we are attracting new people. We paid $2000 principal on our mortgaage from January to July. August through December we paid $14,000 on that mortgage. In addition, we reduced our deficit on unpaid bills from $22,000 to $2,000.
We have changed our Church School time to between the two services. This offers teachers a chance to worship, and their children to worship with them. It also provides greater continuity of teachers in the classroom. So far, the church school numbers have not increased with the change. An unexpected bonus, however, was that we were able to start a second Sunday morning adult class.
As we journey into 2010, we will begin a Confirmation Class on January 23rd. Seven youth are currently signed up to attend. We will also start an all-church study on January 31st titled "Life's Healing Choices," based on the Beatitudes.
Last Saturday, we were able to offer a benefit spaghetti dinner for one of our members to help cover the funeral expenses of her daughter -- a young person in our church.
The compassion of God never fails. Great is his faithfulness! To the degree we follow and serve Jesus is the degree of our faithfulness. Thank you God, for all you do for us and through us. Rejoice in the Lord now and forever.
Pastor Greg
