Pastor's PenPoint - "Just You Wait" - December 2014

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait for the LORD." (Psalm 27:4)

"Now without faith it is impossible to please God for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

What's the longest you've had to wait for something? I imagine almost everyone has a memory of Christmas Eve as a child; squeezing your eyes shut, trying with all your might to go to sleep on Christmas Eve. For those of you with traditional parents, you knew that even opening one present before Christmas morning was the same as high treason. And so you counted sheep and waited.

Waiting is still difficult. We expect everything to be at our fingertips the moment we have the desire for it. It's a world we're growing into and it's addicting. We live in a world of downloads, high-speed email, on demand, and Hot Pockets. Yet God finds ways of making us wait. Waiting and faith go hand-in-hand.

• We wait for the baby we've dreamed we'd hold in our arms.
• Some wait for a prodigal to come to the end of himself and return home.
• Some are waiting for the phone to ring so we can return to a job with a normal salary and benefits.
• Others are waiting for a spiritual breakthrough that will open our eyes. Waiting is the embodiment of faith.

Advent is about faith and waiting. What are you waiting on God for this year? Remember the years of silence as God's people waited for the Messiah. Take time today, right now, to reflect on the fact that God's timing is quite different from ours. The story of Jesus' birth gives us assurance and joy because even though the waiting lingered for decades, God broke through at just the right time.

Are you struggling with a lack of faith? That's OK. It doesn't take much faith to get God's attention. Jesus encouraged his frustrated followers this way: "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20).

Most of us try to grow a forest in one day. Jesus, however, invites you to begin with a tiny seed. Watch it grow and wait for it to become all that you dreamed it would be.

• An entire nation waited centuries before their eternal King appeared.
• Mary wasn't given a full-grown son.
• The wise men from the East didn't see the Messiah appear at their front door.

Are you willing to plant faith and wait upon God? Nothing seems to be appearing on the horizon today, but just wait! God always keeps His promises, even to those who have little faith. Just wait.

~ Pastor Todd

Pastor's PenPoint - "Give Thanks" - November 2014

"Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." (Matthew 6:32-34)

It's that time of year again. Each fall we stop and think about the harvest and all we have to be thankful for. The farmers always stopped and looked at the bountiful harvest at the end of the long summer and gave thanks to God for helping them.

We too need to stop and five thanks to God for all He has given us. We are blessed. Everything we want may not be in our houses, but we need to be thankful.

David said in the Bible:

"I will thank you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous

things you have done. I will be filled with y because of you.

I will sing praises to your name, O Most High" (Psalm 9:1-2).

 

God loves to hear from us. He takes great pleasure in receiving our thanks and our love. He cares so deeply about everything that affects our lives. So, we need to talk to Him and tell Him whatever is on our heart. He understands and wants to meet our needs.

 

I read a story the other day written by a mother. It went like this:

"One day my daughter asked for me to clean a special outfit for her to wear to school the next day. I took the time and made sure it was ready for her. As is sometimes the way with busy tens, she did not say thank you. When I mentioned it to her, she seemed surprised. She felt it was my job as her mother to have her clothes ready. I was really hurt. I was expecting a "thank you."

 

I believe God feels the same way when we don't stop and show a grateful heart for all He does for us each day. He wants us to be thankful. W should not look at Him and expect that it's His job to bless us without a thank you in return.

 

Just like that daughter who needed a reminder to appreciate the things she has, the family she is blessed with, and to be thankful for the loving heavenly Father who watches over her, we too need to be reminded.

 

How great is the Father's love for us. How awesome are His deeds, Let us rejoice and be thankful to Him and bless His name. Give thanks to God for He is good and His mercy is everlasting. Great is the love of our God. Let's give thanks.

 

~ Pastor Todd

Food Boxes for Kentucky

The MMI is collecting donations for Thanksgiving food boxes for Laurel Mission in Kentucky. Each box is $20 and will provide a meal for a family of 6. The goal is 75 boxes. If you would like to donate, please see Kevin Lam, MMI treasurer.

Upcoming Dates to Remember

Oct. 19: Election of church officers

Nov. 5: Commission meetings planning for 2015 and Administrative Board meeting, beginning with a meal at 6pm.

Nov. 8: Ladies Inspirational Fellowship Time at the Sangerville Towers Ruritan building. Registration at 9am. "Super Potato & Salad Bar" provided by the Master's Men International of Mt. Olivet.

Nov. 16: Thankoffering Service with Rev. Denis Casco as the guest speaker. He is Bishop of the United Brethren Church in Mexico.

Pastor's PenPoint - "God's Colorful Autumn" - October 2014

Winter, spring, summer, and fall are God's seasons. I have always been a big fan of spring and fall. Not too crazy about summer and winter due to temperature extremes! Fall is certainly my favorite. My father used to call it "sweater weather." I think it is something about those leaves of red, range, yellow, and burgundy that fall from the trees. I fell as if I have noticed them for the very first time.

I like driving and seeing people setting out pumpkins in the yard with hay bales and planting mums in the yard. Dona just planted mums and pansies ... and added a few pumpkins and gourds for decoration around the front of the house.

The other day, I went to visit a lady who had volunteered for over 10 years at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. She is now 84 and has been ill. She stepped out on the porch and noticed many yards on her street decorated for fall. She said, "I don't remember seeing this too much in the past. Maybe I missed this season all these years, or is it just that as I get older I appreciate Bod's world just a little more?"

The latter was what I felt was the case. The Bible says, "This is the day that the Lord hath made, and I will rejoice in it." Each day He has given me beauty to enjoy, so I think I should sit back and take in this glorious creation.

God is the best artist in the world, for only He can create such different themes. We see many artists that try to capture the seasons on their canvases by painting what they see around them, and they do a wonderful job. However, neither picture or paint could ever replace the real thing splashed across the sky and spilled over the earth like the Master's display of His finest artwork.

When people say there is no God, I know they do not see with eyes like mine. They must see a plain, write canvas or a black drop cloth and not the blue skies that fade into light pink in the evening over Round Hill in Bridgewater. Nor do they see the flowers that no paint on any artist's palate could attempt to match or the trees that were each given a certain color leaf to change into when autumn arrives. "No God?" - could it be that they don't know the Master of the seasons, the One who has created such magnificent displays of perfect art.

We too are part of that Master artist creation. As we assume our place within the beauty of His seasons, we need to see ourselves as God sees us. A masterpiece!

Blaze on God ... blaze on!

~ Pastor Todd

Busy Summer at Mount "O"

Yes, this has been a busy summer at Mount Olivet. In June and July, 14 youth and children went to Rhodes Grove Camp during 3 different weeks.

Also in June, the UB sponsored medical team held medical clinics near Masaya, Nicaragua. They were able to treat over a thousand patients over a several day period.

 

 



During the June VIBES meeting of the youth, they worked on cutting plastic shopping bags to be used by "New Life Handbags", a UB family run business in Honduras. The family crochets the plastic strips into various types of handbags to sell for extra income. The plastic strips were delivered in July and 25 newly made handbags were brought back to Virginia to sell.

 

 

 



In August, a group of 23 from Mt. Olivet travelled to Laurel Mission in Kentucky to serve for a week. They scraped, stained, painted, mulched, drywalled, underpinned, stapled, sorted clothes, insulated, ran electric and rode 4 wheelers to see horses and elk on top of the mountain. The youth from our group also enjoyed meeting with Rockhouse Youth Ministries.

 

 

 

The youth led 2 worship services this summer, on Father's Day and on August 3. The girls led worship through dance.

 

 

The guys performed a skit called "The Heart Patient".

 

And McKinsey preached on the subject of "idols".

 



 

The summer ended with a wonderful and relaxing church picnic at Oakdale Park. Now we are ready to jump into Fall.



Pastor's PenPoint - "Too Little, Too Late" - September 2014

It's always this weekend, Labor Day weekend that I get startled awake. It's similar to the week between Christmas and New Year. During that week, I reflect back on the resolutions I made ( the typical ones like losing weight, getting more exercise, etc. ) and realize just how short I have come of my goal.

It's the same this weekend. Around May or June, Dina and I sat at the dinner table after our meal one evening and made out a summer "To-Do List". Included was everything from mulching and staining the deck, to doing some painting and planting grass seed.

We got off to a great start. The mulching was done, yard shaped up and even the deck has been finished. Unfortunately many walls are left unpainted, the bare spots in our yard are still bare and all the items on the list after that remain untouched. Bummer.

I guess time keeps moving, and even though I had the best of intentions, I did not get the work done because I did not stay at it.

Over the last month or so in worship, we have been focusing on Jesus' perfect gift of sacrifice and the plan of salvation. We'll continue that theme for a couple of more weeks before beginning our countdown to fall.

Although I have enjoyed preparing the messages and learned a lot myself, I am clear that I am far behind on my spiritual "To-Do List". I am still seeking more time in prayer and meditation, discerning God's call and daily leading in my life. I still grumble too much instead of counting blessings. I choose my own path instead of God's.

But there is good news for me ... and for you if you are experiencing the same feelings of things left undone. Lists can always be updated!

Our tasks, and our spiritual walk, cannot be completed at one time. Nor should they be. Attempting to may lead to rushing, frenzy and exhaustion. In the end, the result will not be at the level we expected, which is all the more frustrating.

As it relates to your spiritual walk, the Lord calls us to spend time in prayer and meditation, studying His word and in listening for His voice. If there are things in your spiritual life that are still undone, this is the best way to continue working on them.

I can't offer advice on your task list ... mine continues to grow! But together let's all focus our energies on the Lord, and He will renew our strength.

~ Pastor Todd