Pathfinder

  I asked many of you to pray for our denomination (the Evangelical Presbyterian Church) and our annual meeting in the third week of June this year. I just recently returned and I wanted to share with you some thoughts.           No denomination is perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses. And the EPC is a young denomination which is still experiencing the growing pains of youth. That being said, what I saw this week was a tremendous blessing to me. We had moments of prayer together that revealed a deep heart for the work of God in the world. We had missionary reports that recounted miraculous, spirit-led work around the world. We had people who came into the meeting at an impasse leave with commitments to work together for the good of the church and the hope of the world.           I am convinced that the stated clerk is committed to perhaps the most important part of the EPC; evange...

            The Session met in May with the Trustees and Deacons It is always good meeting together and hearing about the ministries each group is working on. The Trustees reported on their spring work day and where they are in the process of replacing the front walk way. The Deacons reported they raised $1,750 from the Crop Walk and that 25% would remain here for our food pantry.           We talked about the position of Food Pantry Coordinator. Linda Burch is stepping down after nearly 10 years of dedicated service. We are grateful for her service. It takes approximately 30 volunteers to run the food pantry. Would we replace Linda with another individual? A committee? This is an ongoing conversation.           We met early in June so that Bryan could attend General Assembly. There are some hot topics being discussed and voted upon and we spent...

  Summer always brings lots of outside jobs to do. Weeds have been pulled and sprayed, invasive vines have been chopped and the grass around the parking lot has been trimmed. In addition, step, AC and window repair has been done. Russ Mac Neil and his crew have started work on the manse porch. We are very grateful that they are tackling this project in hopes of making this a more usable living space for the Fitzgerald’s. Session approved our request to have the parking lot resealed… so look for that work to be done soon, as well as repair to our front sidewalks.           As the summer heats up, please remember to keep doors shut when the AC and basement dehumidifier are on. It really is a money saver.           As always, if you see a need or have a concern, please contact a Trustee.                  ...

  “Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, because this is the right thing to do.” Colossians 3:20 Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians while imprisoned in Rome, yet, in verse 3:20 he spoke directly to the children. He did so because he EXPECTED them to be there and he wanted them to know they were as much “in the Lord” as the adults around them. Every July APC, and hundreds of churches across the country, reinforce Paul's inclusive message through Vacation Bible School...teaching children about Scripture and about Jesus' life and how to follow Him. Adults voluntarily jump in and enhance the experience with positive and fun information. Turns out the experience benefits not only their current spiritual awareness and knowledge, it is also considered a positive investment in their lives as they progress to adolescence and young adulthood. In a Harvard, T.H. Chan School of Public Health study published online in the “American Journal of Epidemiology” (...