(Thank you Debbie Barker for submitting this week’s devotional.) Every year around this time, something happens to me. While most people are soaking up the last days of summer, I’m practically giddy. Forget January 1. For me, the real New Year begins in late August. I’ve always been this way. As a child, I loved walking through the school supply aisles. Apparently, I’ve always been a nerd. (I know… everyone thinks I’m so cool. Sorry to burst your bubble.)…
This week’s blog is shared by Carol Musser. Recently, I stepped into something completely outside my comfort zone – a three-day backpacking trip through World’s End State Park with four other women. I had never backpacked before, but when the invitation came, I eagerly accepted. I expected an adventure. What I didn’t expect was how much God would teach me along the trail. Confident in my natural abilities, I assumed the journey would be difficult – but certainly manageable. The first…
Pastor Steve is on Sabbatical, we thank Pastor Isaac Martin for today’s contribution. A few weeks ago, Pastor Steve used a creative illustration in his sermon about who is shaping us. As Steve pointed out, you don’t get a purple dinosaur if you have green Play-Doh and a Christmas tree cookie cutter. You need the right mold and the right color of Play-Doh to get the right result. This spoke to me in a powerful way. This is the third…
This coming Monday, August 10, I begin my sabbatical. We announced it during a worship service this spring, but since several people have recently asked about it, I thought I’d share a little of the story behind it. Many of you know that our employee handbook provides pastors with a scheduled sabbatical after every seven years of ministry. I’ve now been serving in pastoral ministry for thirty-five years, and I cannot adequately express my gratitude for the wisdom and kindness…