THINGS ARE CHANGING! - BUT THEY ALWAYS DO!
 
Several persons have commented recently, "Too many things are changing too fast!" Yes, we are living through several changes in our world and in our church. Tom Whatley, our church member and a member of the Missions Committee shared with that Committee a devotional on March 23. I have asked his permission to share some  parts of it with you here. He entitled his remarks:
                                             Interesting Times
"I think Dick once mentioned this Chinese curse in a sermon: "May you live in interesting times." Well, our Church is in the midst of some interesting times, indeed. Please let me stop for a minute to consider our past, because our past is a springboard for our future. It's always best to consider who we are, whose we are, and to remember that we were "bought with a price."
 
Our Church was organized 12 years before the Battle of Gettysburg. Four years before that battle, we began to use this ground in the performance of God's mission for His Church. Our mission is to spread the Good News that God loved us so much that he sent His Son to die  an atoning sacrifice for our sins, and to rise again......Since Jesus is standing at the right hand of God interceding for us, who can be against us?
 
The members of this church have been extraordinarily faithful to God's Mission over the years. Because of that faithfulness, we have had the privilege of bearing extraordinary loads of fruits over the past 150 years. Think of the celebrations which have taken place on this property over the last 150 years: baptisms; confirmations; weddings; funerals; commissioning services for mission teams and many other special times. Our Church has endured 2 economic Depressions; countless recessions; 2 World Wars; u-boats off our coast; a burned sanctuary; and a full-blown Civil War. There are young men buried in our front yard as reminders of very troubled times.
 
Yet God, through the faithfulness of our Church members, always provides this place for us to come together - a place where He may begin to heal us. We may not control what happens in the future. The ground may feel like shifting sand beneath our feet. But this place returns us to the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ who is in control of all circumstances.
We have been blessed through Christ. We have been blessed by each other. How many persons would say, for reasons that they cannot fully articulate, something deep inside of them called them to deny themselves, to take up their cross and follow Jesus?" If we are faithful to our Mission, how many more souls will God add to that list?
 
There are persons who have never been in our church who are blessed by our service of Mission and Outreach. Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34) Even I can do that! We all can!
 
The Holy Spirit has given each of us a gift to be used. We pray that God will show us how to use our gifts. And Lord, may all men know that we are your disciples... in these interesting times."
 
Thanks, Tom for reminding us of who we are and whose we are!
                                                                                Dick Reese