July 2023

Friends,

               We have recently raffled several gift baskets as a fund raiser for our church to allow us to donate funds to local missions and to aid in maintaining our facilities. Through this endeavor we’ve had learning opportunities.

               Several people put in a lot of work. They secured donations from our community businesses. They advertised our event. They put gift baskets together, and many spent time on the event day selling tickets. Events like this can either bring people together or drive them apart. It lifts my heart to see that our work brings us together. After the past few years of the COVID crisis our fellowship continues to come together as friends to accomplish things that need doing. We are reminded that our fellowship is still a force working for our church, for our community, and most importantly, working for God.

               Our raffle was held during our community’s annual car show. We entered this project late in its planning. The cooperation we received from the event and their generous gift to our church, the assistance we received from our local police, and the joyful way that area businesses joined with us and donated the items we raffled, show us all that though our congregation my still be small, it is seen and known in our community. Our church has been a sign of God for many, many years in this community and we can be thankful to our Lord that we continue to be.

               As you are aware the weather did not cooperate with us. The entire event was halted shortly after its start due to torrential rain and storms. While we may not have sold as many tickets as we would have liked, we did sell well over one hundred in the short time the weather held. Also, quite a few people stopped in as they were leaving and even though they were rained on and uncomfortable, they visited our raffle and bought tickets. It should please us all that our fellowship is seen as something special in our community and our community is vested in our continuation.

               Churches across the world are suffering and we are no exception. We may be a smaller group than we once were, but we should be uplifted by the knowledge that we are known in our community, that our work is seen by our community, and by the fact that our community is vested in our continuation.

               Praise God for the friendships in our fellowship, we are a family in Christ. Praise God for the way our community continues to see us and to be a partner with us in our mission and outreach. Praise God for the way we are seen; that our local population sees us as a historical part of our municipality and are compelled to the continuation of this church and congregation. Praise God for his work in our lives and the salvation he offers through his son.

All praise and honor to our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, may his blessings be on us all,

Pastor Jim