Pastor’s Pen for October, 2015

Jeremiah 29:11-13: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

God does indeed know the plans for each of us as individuals and for our church.  Our job is to listen, believe and act.  We have an exciting opportunity before us.  I won’t lie and say that it is an easy task that we have before us – it is not.  The most important thing is to continue to pray for God’s guidance, follow the example of Jesus, and be open to doing what the Holy Spirit leads us to do.  We just need to remember that our God is an awesome God who cares for us and about us.
I want to thank everyone for the tremendous outpouring of love that has been felt in our church this month.  I was worried that no one would come to church with the departure of our Pastor.  That was not the case.  I should have had more faith that God would be reaching out to all of us and continuing to call us to him.  I have thoroughly enjoyed leading the worship services on Sunday mornings.  I know that not everyone can make it to services, so I have been sending sermons to people that I think might be interested in reading them.  If you have not been receiving a copy of the sermon you have one of two options: come to service on Sunday morning and hear the real thing or get in touch with me (sunnie.mcphetres@dartmouth.edu or 763-2549) and ask to have one mailed to you each week.
One of the fun parts of the service has been singing hymns that people selected as their favorites.  If you have a favorite selection that you would like us to sing, there is a chart in Steele Chapel where you can list your favorite.
Going forward, it will be very exciting to see where the Lord leads us all as a congregation!
I want to leave you all with the prayer of peace that we have been praying in September when we light the peace candle:
When there is peace in the heart, there is peace in the home;
When there is peace in the home, there is peace in the community;
When there is peace in the community, there is peace in the nation;
When there is peace in the nation, there is peace in the world;
May peace begin right now, in each of our hearts.

Peace in our hearts – that is what our worship services have been all about!  Thank you for sharing in that with me.

May God send His Many Blessings upon Each of You,

— Sunnie