Dear MLEPC Members and Friends:

 

Instead of using this space to write solely about the theme of this coming Sunday's sermon or another Christian living subject, I want to mention a series of items for your information, prayer support and involvement, as God guides.

 

Father's Day/Trinity Sunday Worship. We look to continue our current sermon series entitled God in Three Persons, with our attention focused on God the Father for Father's Day. He is our "ultimate God-Father," in quite the antithetical sense from the one depicted in a series of famous films. As we have come to faith in Jesus through the Spirit, God becomes "our Father who art in heaven," who cares for His children with blessings of faith, hope, and love. Perhaps the warmest image for this care in the Bible is "adoption." Our Father makes us His sons and daughters, welcomes us into His family, and endows us as heirs to His glorious riches. Our key text is Galatians 4:1-7. For those who attend the Contact service, we look forward to the baptism of Jonah Luft, our third consecutive Sunday with a child receiving this sign and seal of God's covenant keeping love. How fitting for Father's Day!

 

Evangelical Presbyterian Church General Assembly. Our new denomination will hold its annual national gathering of ordained pastors (Teaching Elders) and lay leaders (Ruling Elders) at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, next week from Wednesday through Saturday. I'll be traveling to GA to represent our church and ask your prayers for my travel and involvement. To give a flavor for the event, the entire daytime agenda for Wednesday focuses on a series of seminars geared to help grow healthy, loving, outward reaching congregations that build Christ's kingdom in their area. Sounds a lot like what we already are seeking to accomplish here at MLEPC! Six times of worship are planned with a number of nationally known preachers, featuring Tim Keller, Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Within the last three years, we've used two of Keller's books (Prodigal God, The Reason for Marriage) for Christian growth among our adults. The EPC did a lot to help us with our transition out of our old denomination. Let's pray and seek to return the blessing to our EPC friends locally, nationally, and even internationally.

 

Vacation Bible School. Let me put it out there: Our VBS is the best one I've ever seen. An adult friend of our church commented to me just this week, "If I were a kid, I'd sure want to go to the [MLEPC] VBS. Your people do an amazing job of reaching and connecting with kids." Of course, our goal is to connect with kids for Christ. We are not interested in running a top rate VBS just to be cool; no, we want lives to be changed among the children who come. And we believe that this life change can spill over into their parents and families, as well. Don't forget, the majority of kids who come to our VBS are guests who do not regularly attend MLEPC. That means VBS is a key opportunity for outreach and evangelism in our community.   We now are less than two weeks away from VBS. Time to pray for the kids who come, for their families, for our small army of volunteers, for the leadership coordinating team, and for our Children's Director, Ashley Gardner.

 

Mission Possible 7 (MP7) and Three Rivers of Hope (TRH). We held Sign Up Sunday on June 1 for MP7 which is scheduled for July 12-20. While many came and committed to be involved in one or more of the many fantastic ministry projects, there still is plenty of room for everyone to participate. Please check out the options on the clipboards in the hallway adjacent to the Drive-Thru Lobby. Do a little, do a lot, but by all means sign up to do something as we reach outward in witness and service to the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Also, the TRH festival featuring Franklin Graham is coming to town, August 15-17. Let's be praying for many people to come to Christ through the event, and I encourage us to pinpoint 3 or 4 people in particular to bring before God. Let's consider how we can help get them to TRH where they can hear the Good News, asking the Holy Spirit to bring them to faith during those days. If you want to know more about TRH, please speak with Youth Director Andy Hromoko or Pastor Steve.

 

Let's be active and involved for Christ and His Kingdom this summer!

 

Pastor Tim

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