Pastor’s Message
March 2009
Greetings in the Name of our Lord,
Well here we are at March. I know that we all look forward to warming temperatures and a lot less snow and ice.
I want to thank you all for your attendance and support during these winter months. Your loyalty for the church and desire to be part of the functioning congregation shows in great detail. I can certainly understand why St. Paul Church has been a real bright beacon on this hill, demonstrating love for God and love for our neighbors.
I am also grateful for those of you who go out of your way to send cards, to make phone calls, to pray, and to visit folks who are in nursing homes or who do not have the ability to get out of their homes. I certainly recognize that I have a lot of help in the work of the ministry.
Thank you to those ladies who initiated and organized the “Sweetheart Luncheon” this past Sunday. It was a wonderful time to share a meal together and rejoice in the love that we experience in our families — both our biological family and our church family. And the food was great also!
All five Sundays of March are Lenten Sundays. We will be sharing in Sunday evening services with other churches in the Stateline, with March 8th being the Sunday on which we host this event. This is an opportunity to tune our hearts for the coming of the most glorious time of the Church year, Easter! Use these opportunities for worship and fellowship to soften your heart, to encourage your fellow travelers on the road of faith, and to give God the glory for all He has done for us.
In the business and pressure of the past number of weeks, I have had to remind myself often of God’s love and His provision for my life. Maybe you have experienced some stress yourself. Who doesn’t have things in their life to cause stress? Whether it is trying to get the kids to all their events, getting along at work, looking to some deadline that is on the horizon, a concern for bills being paid, some big change that has occurred, or the loss of someone near and dear. Let me give you a brief word from the Apostle Paul:
“Do not worry about anything, but in everything b prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
– Phillipians 4: 6-7
Take heart! Hang in there! God is not just near, He is in you!
In the love of Jesus,
Pastor Dick