THANK YOU My family and I want to thank everyone for their prayer, cards, gifts and memorial contributions on the passing of my father Lester Riggle on June 17th. I also want to thank those that cover for me during my bereavement leave and filled the pulpit during that time; thank you Phyllis, Joyce and Pastor Brent. We felt all of your prayers and so appreciate your care! God is good! Pastor Lane and Family.

THANK YOU

My family and I want to thank everyone for their prayer, cards, gifts and memorial contributions on the passing of my father Lester Riggle on June 17^th. I also want to thank those that cover for me during my bereavement leave and filled the pulpit during that time; thank you Phyllis, Joyce and Pastor Brent. We felt all of your prayers and so appreciate your care! God is good! Pastor Lane and Family.

Within the Church we find the love and compassion of Christ our Lord!

Within the Church we find hope!

Within the Church we who are all sinners, find

forgiveness!

Within the Church we find true prayer, and the

answer to all prayers!

Within the Church we find truth, and are no longer misguided!

Within the Church we are all spiritually filled, and go hungry no more.

Within the Church we truly find spiritual joy, rather than sadness in our lives!

Within the Church we find salvation, and now know the correct path to take during our lives!

Within the Church we partake of the Holy Mysteries that cleanse us and nourish us all!

Within the Church we behold all who indeed nourish us with spiritual guidance towards the Kingdom of God!

Let us spiritually make every effort to attend the many services offered to us even during the summer months in realizing God never goes on vacation. God will accompany you during your vacation! God will also be present when you return! Remember God is with you and loves you! Have a spiritually rewarding summer!

 

Summer is here and I have my bike tuned up and I am back bike commuting to work. I like to let the congregation know this because even though you don’t see my car doesn’t mean I am not at church if you are stopping by.

Biking is one of the things I really enjoy. Alice and I have taken a number of vacations to surrounding states to enjoy their bike trails. When we ride together Alice is usually behind me drafting, drafting is a technique where one follows behind the leader as they block the wind, thereby conserving energy for later. This is the strategy Alice employs par­ticularly well when we ride our bikes in windy weather. My blocking the wind on the way enables Alice to blast past me on the final home stretch. This strategy makes me think how our spiritual journey can be likened to a bike ride. We all experience times in life where the winds blow fierce and seem to zap our energy. It's then that we need help. Who do we spiri­tually draft off of? Jesus invites all of us to follow him. But too often, we think we are able to handle every­thing that life has to throw at us until we get in over our heads and then it's often too late.

Drafting as a strategy is only good so long as you plan to employ it. Once you have spent your energy fighting the wind, you can't then blast past an obstacle. Jesus is always ready to serve as our windbreak in life. Matt. 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy bur­dens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." It's our choice/free­will. We can be like Alice and find the windbreak [Remember there are still hills to climb, and obstacles to pass, but with Jesus' help we will have the strength to overcome them.] or we can be like The Rich Young Man [see Matt. 19:16-22] that trusted more in the things of this world than he did in Je­sus. What's your choice?

Peace and Grace,

Pastor Lane