News, stories, events, updates, and all things Mount Olivet.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Youth Lock-in

16 youth enjoyed a lock-in at the church last night. Pizza, games, pumpkin decorating, singing, devotions, a movie, a little bit of sleep, and breakfast. A whirlwind of activity. Whew!













Tuesday, September 4, 2012

More Pictures From Kentucky





























Pastor's PenPoint - "Free Indeed" - September 2012

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

We all have memories of childhood that come back to us in our daily lives. Those chance moments that pick us up and hurl us back across the decades when our concerns were more about how to enjoy the final warm days of summer and less about the more adult like concerns that burden us now.

I had a similar memory (but a not so fond memory) of a summer past. It was one of me riding along on my bike, minding my own business when suddenly I would find myself plowing head-long, face=first, into the middle of a large sticky spider web! Man, how I hated that! With arms flailing and lips sputtering, I would attempt to peel off the remnants of what used to be the spider's house. I would wonder if the newly homeless arachnid was now along for the ride, they're little eight legged self creeping along somewhere in the vicinity of my hair!

For some unknown reason, I have found myself very intrigued (again) with spider webs. We have quite a few around the hilltop where we live in Bridgewater. I happened to spot one the other morning as I was heading out for my usual morning walk with our newest family member, "Humphrey Dog". It was still dark and the moon was shining at just the right angle where I could see the reflection of the silk woven web over to my right. As Humphrey was occupied for a moment, I had time to stand and admire its beauty. I was amazed at how perfectly concentric its design was.

A few seconds later, I was stunned, as I watched a very large butterfly come out of nowhere and rapidly plunge head-long into the center of its web. The poor butterfly frantically began to struggle only to get wrapped tighter with each panicky movement. I instinctively dropped the leash and walked over and with both hands, reached in and as gently as I could cupped my palms around the would be victim and slowly pulled it out. I released it into the moonlight and watched as it flew away - a web tatter trailing behind.

 While I walked on, I thought of God's own hands and how they had lovingly reached down into my own web of impending doom. I recalled those web-like sticky fibers of sin that had wrapped themselves around my mind and heart so tightly, just waiting for me to die a slow death. I desperately tried to free myself from the bondage of sin, but could not. He came along at just the right moment and cupped his palms around me and set me free.

As the redeemed in Christ, we are that butterfly and we now soar in new found freedom, knowing full well just what we have been rescued from. We rejoice in the liberty that He has given by way of our salvation. The very same hands that were nailed to a cross, lovingly reached down into our own web of sin and forever set us free.

We still fly close to the web sometimes ... but He understands how we so readily fall prey to the enemy of our soul, and He longs to release us from the entanglement of sin. May we learn to stop trying to release ourselves, and let Him reach down and set us free.

~Pastor Todd