Weekend of Service Signups begin Sunday, July 24 for projects that will be held on Saturday, August 13. Signup sheets are located in the narthex along with donation boxes to provide the teams with the supplies they will need, if any. Weekend of Service Projects (1) School Kits – 8/13 – 9:00 am till done –… Continue reading Weekend of Services Signups Start July 24!
Tag: relationship
For such a time as this…
Over the next five weeks, we will take a look at the book of Esther. If you haven’t read Esther, I’d encourage you to read it! It reads like a thriller or even a romance novel. And yet, we can learn much about what it means to live a life committed to God and to one… Continue reading For such a time as this…
It’s. All. About. Love.
Who doesn’t love to hear the parable of the prodigal son? Or the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin? We love hearing these stories about God’s immense love for us and being reminded of our value as children of God. But there’s the rub. These stories are not necessarily about us. They… Continue reading It’s. All. About. Love.
A Quest for Jesus – Journeying toward a deeper relationship with Jesus
Dear Friends, Over the past year, I have found myself wondering about our country’s current expression of Christianity. I have often felt overwhelmed with Christian mud slinging in the name of Jesus, words of judgment and hate paraded across the Internet, and sometimes-downright heresy. I confess that at times I found myself feeling ashamed to call… Continue reading A Quest for Jesus – Journeying toward a deeper relationship with Jesus
Multiply Groups Underway
The Multiply Small Groups are underway! If you are interested in checking out a group or the series of studies, you can still do so. Multiply was the brain child of Frances Chan and David Platt, authors of the book Multiply. The goals of the Multiply material, which are simple, practical, and Biblical, are to… Continue reading Multiply Groups Underway
Faith in Action
This past spring four members of First Church (Pastor Beth Jarrett, Brenda Fox, Micah Morris, and Carol Stickley) attended the kick-off meeting of Faith in Action here in Harrisonburg. Faith in Action is an interdenominational organization formed to solve systemic problems in the local community and county. It seeks to move beyond charity to address… Continue reading Faith in Action
the grace of giving
In May of 2000, I lost someone very dear to me… my stepfather, Daddy Bill. He died about three weeks before we returned from Italy. Daddy Bill was in a very real sense my father… he provided security, stability and love for me as a teenager desperately needing a father. One thing I loved about… Continue reading the grace of giving
More than enough
It is said that giving is the spiritual thermometer of the church. A healthy congregation will experience healthy giving because it is tied directly to our understanding of God and our relationship to him. And yet, it seems to be a difficult topic for us to talk about. A few years ago, I had the… Continue reading More than enough
So you want to be missional?
For some time now, I have reflected deeply on what it means to encourage the church to become more missional. I am reminded of a parable that Jesus shared in Luke 14, “”Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if… Continue reading So you want to be missional?
Beautiful things…
Recently a high school student in our congregation introduced me to a new song, “Beautiful Things” to use in one of our worship services. Ever since I heard the song, I have continued to sing and repeat a line of the song over and over to myself… “You make beautiful things out of the dust…” Yes, it… Continue reading Beautiful things…