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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 |