"So then, each of us shall give account of himself to God." Romans 14:12
Kids cannot wait for the day every year when they can holler as they run out of their classrooms; "School's out!" I know in our home there has been a countdown since Christmas break ended. Whew! Another your over and now freedom looms ahead for a few months of good old summertime.
Not true in the school of life however. School's never out until we take our last breath and cross over into eternity. In every day and every season of life we are sitting in God's classroom. We can choose to learn or we can try to zone out - but we certainly can't play hooky!
An older lady I know wisely said, "God has a reason for everything that happens to us in life, even the bad things. I'm not saying He causes the bad stuff but he sure does use it." She's facing diminishing health as she nears 98 and with it, a loss of independence. She sees it as the Lord's hand teaching her to trust and depend on Him. (From what I know of her, I think she is going to end up with an A+ on her final report card).
So how do you feel at this season in your life? Are you ready for a vacation? Do you wish you could drop out of class? Or, are you excited about your lessons right now? Maybe during this season you're taking your favorite subject and acing all your tests.
No matter what, learn all you can now because when that final bell rings there will be no further lessons - or chances. After that "so then each one of us shall give account of himself to God."
How glad will you truly be to holler, "School's out!"
~ Pastor Todd
Monday, June 17, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
Memorial Day - A Salute to Our Veterans
The worship service yesterday morning at Mt. Olivet concluded at the entrance gates to the cemetery where 43 veterans of war are buried. Two veterans, Dallas Lam and Herbert Lam, read the names as a salute to those who had served our country. The following is a list of those brave men:
Granville F. Crummet
Leon Daggy
Homer L. Fox
J. Lester Grogg
David Gums
Levi Esten Halterman
Charles W. Hiner
Fred O. Hiner
Oakley Holsinger
Ellet Newton Hoover
Ernest W. Huffer
Clarence E. Huffer
Alfred Knott
Grover T. (Tom) Knott
Meddie Lee Lancaster
Victor John Larkenau
Donnie Michael
James Woodrow Michael
Lawrence R. Michael
Paul J. Michael
Robert Michael
Troy Michael
W. L. Michael
James C. Milstead
Dr. D. Morrison
William Moyer
Elsworth Paris
Edwin P. Puffenbarger
Richard Ralston
Claude Rawley
John Rawley
Warren W. Rawley
Wayman Rawley
John Edmond (Ed) Shank
Kirt L. Simmons
R. William Smith, Sr.
Andrew Sprouse
James L. Staubus
Frank Terrance
Ernest Billy Terry
Leroy Toombs
Emory Daniel Wenger
Elmer Zirk
Thank you veterans!
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Pastor's Penpoint - The "S" Word - May 2013
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification." (1 Th. 4:3)
The Lord has a grand plan for the life of every person, and it can be summed up in a single word: sanctification. If you are scratching your head about what that term means, you are not alone. Many people - even some longtime Christians - do not know its definition. However, believers should see to it that they acquire that knowledge because it's an important word, and it defines them.
In its verb form - sanctify - the term means "to make holy" or "to separate." So when something is sanctified, it is separated from a common use to a sacred one. In the Old Testament, we are told that the Lord sanctified a number of things: He made the seventh day holy, set side the Levite tribe as priests, and even consecrated places like the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle (Gen. 2:3; Num. 3).
The Lord still sanctifies people today. Before a person receives salvation, he is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-3). What's more, Romans 5:10 tells us that before we come to faith, we're actually enemies of God. Yet the moment someone trusts in Jesus as his personal Savior, his sins are wiped away, and he is adopted into the Lord's family. That individual is then set apart and a child of God for a sacred purpose. This means believers are not here simply to chase after personal gain. Rather, they are to serve God and bring Him honor and glory.
As members of God's family who are called to reflect His glory, believers are referred to as "saints." This word shares a root with sanctification. We are referred to this way, not because we live sinless lives but because we live a life consistent with the One we represent.
God's grace and blessing, Pastor Todd
The Lord has a grand plan for the life of every person, and it can be summed up in a single word: sanctification. If you are scratching your head about what that term means, you are not alone. Many people - even some longtime Christians - do not know its definition. However, believers should see to it that they acquire that knowledge because it's an important word, and it defines them.
In its verb form - sanctify - the term means "to make holy" or "to separate." So when something is sanctified, it is separated from a common use to a sacred one. In the Old Testament, we are told that the Lord sanctified a number of things: He made the seventh day holy, set side the Levite tribe as priests, and even consecrated places like the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle (Gen. 2:3; Num. 3).
The Lord still sanctifies people today. Before a person receives salvation, he is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-3). What's more, Romans 5:10 tells us that before we come to faith, we're actually enemies of God. Yet the moment someone trusts in Jesus as his personal Savior, his sins are wiped away, and he is adopted into the Lord's family. That individual is then set apart and a child of God for a sacred purpose. This means believers are not here simply to chase after personal gain. Rather, they are to serve God and bring Him honor and glory.
As members of God's family who are called to reflect His glory, believers are referred to as "saints." This word shares a root with sanctification. We are referred to this way, not because we live sinless lives but because we live a life consistent with the One we represent.
God's grace and blessing, Pastor Todd
Friday, April 5, 2013
Upcoming Events
Sunday April 7: SKIDs and TIDs from noon until 4pm
Saturday April 13: The youth pick up trash along Freemason Run Road
Saturday April 13: Clean up at the church
Sunday April 28: Annual Homecoming Service with lunch to follow
Saturday April 13: The youth pick up trash along Freemason Run Road
Saturday April 13: Clean up at the church
Sunday April 28: Annual Homecoming Service with lunch to follow
Pastor's Penpoint - Now, the Hard Part - April 2013
"Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. Matthew 27: 62-66
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Waiting is the hardest part ..."
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
The chief priests and the Pharisees were in a serious jam. The crowds whom they had worked into a frenzy, and whom they had hoped would witness Jesus being exposed as a fraud, instead witnessed the sun being eclipsed and the earth shaking; rumors about the temple curtain being torn open were flying around Jerusalem. The event they had hoped would make them religious heroes had backfired big-time. And the crisis wasn't over... Judas had told them that Jesus had spoken of being raised from the dead on the third day. Jesus was dead and in the tomb for now, but if they were going to maintain control of the people, they would have to make sure Jesus stayed there.
The hearts of the Pharisees and priests were hardened beyond the point of seeing God's power at work. Instead of spending the Sabbath meditating on Scripture and resting as God commanded, they spent it plotting to keep the tomb sealed. They were breaking the same commandment that they had tried to trap Jesus into breaking so many times. The disciples, in the meantime, were hiding out in the upper room, observing the Sabbath more out of exhaustion and fear than out of reverence for God. They had forgotten that Jesus had told them he would rise again on the third day.
The Pharisees thought they could keep the Son of God behind a rock by sealing it with wax and posting a guard. They dreaded Sunday because they feared Jesus would somehow come back. The disciples, on the other hand, had forgotten that it was the Son of God behind the rock. They dreaded Sunday because they feared he was not coming back.
Now, the hard part ... we must neither fear nor forget that Jesus is coming back. Fear means we either do not believe, or are unsure we will be prepared. Forgetting means we have either taken him for granted or underestimated him. He promised his disciples that he would rise again, and he did; he promised us he will come again, and he will.
~ Pastor Todd
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Pastor's Penpoint - Looking Forward - March 2013
"Whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day, and follow in my steps." Luke 9:23
March is a special time for many reasons this year. We see the clocks spring forward, which means longer evenings to enjoy the sunlight that will most certainly be ushered in by the return of spring. It is also at the heart of Lent and self-denial - a time when we consider not only Christ's sacrifice for us, but what we would and are willing to give up as a tribute for His suffering and passion. This will ultimately end with Holy week, our Maundy Thursday service where we will celebrate the Lord's Supper and finally the biggest and most celebrates day on the Christian calendar, Easter Sunday! ... where our faith and hope were secured with the news of an empty tomb and a risen savior.
Nowhere near as important, but noteworthy, is the return of the Lilley family to Mt. Olivet after a much needed and appreciated sabbatical. This has been a time of intense focus as I helped plan the capital campaign at Bridgewater Retirement Community. At my leaving BRC, the campaign had raised almost 60% of their goal and are poised to continue on with a successful campaign. Also during sabbatical, I had to make one of the most difficult decisions to date with regards to my career. That was the decision to leave all I knew at BRC and accept a position at Bridgewater College. Those conversations stretch way back to May of 2012 - and the final decision was not made until the first week of January 2013. I was happy to offer BRC seven weeks' notice, and officially began my new position at the College on February 25, 2013. It seems transition is a familiar friend of mine!
I want you to know that this sabbatical was also a time for me to look deeply at myself - our family plan, my motivations, faith and all the other little thing that made sleep difficult for several months. Far from figuring it all out, I am returning with a clearer picture of at least the direction I am heading and how that will impact my family, church and career. So you see, it was not just time off ... it was time focused. My deepest appreciation to Pastor Dan, the administrative board, the PRC, Sunday School teachers and everyone who has stepped up and filled in the gap during our absence. I pray God will bless you as you have so blessed His church.
At the writing of this article, I have prepared sermons through the end of June, and will hopefully add a few more by our return on March 17th. After Holy Week, we will begin a month long series in April entitled "Be Thou My Vision" which is based on the life and ministry of Nehemiah in the Old Testament. Truthfully these sermons are a bit heavy on Scripture and less on stories - but this was a series that I needed to consider in my own life, and hope you will find it helpful as well.
We look forward to March 17th and appreciate your continued prayers as we let the dust settle and hopefully return to a God inspired routine.
God's grace, peace and love, P.T.
March is a special time for many reasons this year. We see the clocks spring forward, which means longer evenings to enjoy the sunlight that will most certainly be ushered in by the return of spring. It is also at the heart of Lent and self-denial - a time when we consider not only Christ's sacrifice for us, but what we would and are willing to give up as a tribute for His suffering and passion. This will ultimately end with Holy week, our Maundy Thursday service where we will celebrate the Lord's Supper and finally the biggest and most celebrates day on the Christian calendar, Easter Sunday! ... where our faith and hope were secured with the news of an empty tomb and a risen savior.
Nowhere near as important, but noteworthy, is the return of the Lilley family to Mt. Olivet after a much needed and appreciated sabbatical. This has been a time of intense focus as I helped plan the capital campaign at Bridgewater Retirement Community. At my leaving BRC, the campaign had raised almost 60% of their goal and are poised to continue on with a successful campaign. Also during sabbatical, I had to make one of the most difficult decisions to date with regards to my career. That was the decision to leave all I knew at BRC and accept a position at Bridgewater College. Those conversations stretch way back to May of 2012 - and the final decision was not made until the first week of January 2013. I was happy to offer BRC seven weeks' notice, and officially began my new position at the College on February 25, 2013. It seems transition is a familiar friend of mine!
I want you to know that this sabbatical was also a time for me to look deeply at myself - our family plan, my motivations, faith and all the other little thing that made sleep difficult for several months. Far from figuring it all out, I am returning with a clearer picture of at least the direction I am heading and how that will impact my family, church and career. So you see, it was not just time off ... it was time focused. My deepest appreciation to Pastor Dan, the administrative board, the PRC, Sunday School teachers and everyone who has stepped up and filled in the gap during our absence. I pray God will bless you as you have so blessed His church.
At the writing of this article, I have prepared sermons through the end of June, and will hopefully add a few more by our return on March 17th. After Holy Week, we will begin a month long series in April entitled "Be Thou My Vision" which is based on the life and ministry of Nehemiah in the Old Testament. Truthfully these sermons are a bit heavy on Scripture and less on stories - but this was a series that I needed to consider in my own life, and hope you will find it helpful as well.
We look forward to March 17th and appreciate your continued prayers as we let the dust settle and hopefully return to a God inspired routine.
God's grace, peace and love, P.T.
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