2020 Focus - September

9/23/2020

At the beginning of the year, I meant to write one of these every month. What a roller coaster it’s been since then! We started streaming services on Facebook on March 22, and God has reached some new people in the process. Since we started having services again in person May 10, we’ve had about half attendance in the sanctuary (anywhere from 30 to 50 people) and half online. Youth group has resumed its meetings, and we had one night of VBS, which we called Family Bible Adventure, in the Mooreland Park. Merrill has worked to make sure his Sunday school class has had materials every week. Thank you and God bless all of you who have worked to stay connected, whether in person, or over social media, or through home studies and phone calls. And thank you to all who have continued to give; while some churches have struggled financially during this time, we have found all of our needs abundantly met through your faithful giving!

This summer the church began a subscription to an online Bible study video library called RightNow Media, with thousands of videos available to everyone in the church on a wide range of Christian issues and books of the Bible. Since August, there has been a children’s Sunday school class using this resource remotely, and we’ve begun having another adult class in the sanctuary using those videos. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can do so by clicking here. I hope it helps you as we continue to seek God in his word in the current social distancing situation.

I am almost done with my Doctor of Ministry degree! I have finished my “field research,” a group from our church that has helped me look at how to help Christians grow in their experience of genuine love, delight, and desire for God. I’ve turned in the first two chapters of my thesis. I will plan to finish the remaining three chapters by the end of the year, face my oral defense early next year, and graduate in May (God willing!). Thank you so much to everyone who has helped, whether participating in the project or just being patient and giving me the time to work on it. I pray that God will continue to bless our church through the things I have been learning.

We do not have a hayride/chili supper planned for this year, but Homecoming Sunday will be the first week in October (Oct 4) as usual. I hope you can make it in person or online! We are also planning a Chicken Noodle Supper October 17 with carry out and limited seating options. (No Sweet Shoppe, sadly.)

I hope this finds you all well and that we can soon see more of each other! God bless you and keep you.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Nathan Edwards