From the Pastor

Recently our youth group went on a mission trip to Chicago and worked with the Center For Student Missions. Beside the wonderful experience of learning about service and what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus
Christ, all those things you would expect to learn on a mission trip, I witnessed something else happen. As the week progressed our group became closer and closer. I started to notice people truly bonding together. It was nothing but the Holy Spirit knitting. With needle and yarn the Spirit knitted together this diverse group of young people and adults in a special way. After returning home we met to plan the worship service we led on 9-10-06 at the Goodwill Camp and then we met on Saturday night at the camp
and stayed out there for a retreat and to prepare for the worship service when I noticed something special. These young people truly want to be together. Last year we always gave the youth the last Sunday of the month off because of their busy schedules, but this year the youth asked to not do that but to have a night when they could just hang out together! Yet another instance where youth reveal they are not just the church of tomorrow but they are the church of today as they teach us a valuable lesson.

In 1 Timothy 4:12 it says, "Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."  These young people experienced the power and importance of gathering together as expressed by Hebrews 10:24-25 where it says, "And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." The preacher of Hebrews knows that the church needs to gather in order to survive and thrive in our world. We need each other. Let us make Peace Reformed a place where we seek to gather with one another so we can hang out with each other and find strength and joy in our bond in Christ! Come and join us!

One in the Body of Christ,
Pastor Bob