Pastor John Writes: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 Ecclesiastes 3 is a passage people often read at the transition from one year to the next, in part because every year, whether we like it or not, brings the things listed in Ecclesiastes: birth and…
In a recent sermon, I talked about how the church is like a Viking Ship. I want to re-visit this concept as we prepare to wrap up 2021 and embark into 2022. Now before Covid 19, I felt like our ship had some pretty good momentum going. But when everything in the world shut down,…
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Pastor John Writes: In 1978, Henry Smith wrote a song entitled, “Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart” which reminds us: “Give thanks with a grateful heart; Give thanks to the…
Please join us Sunday, October 24, 2021 from 3:00-4:00 pm for our drive-thru Trunk-or-Treat in the parking lot next to the sanctuary.
When I lived in Pennsylvania, my wife and I both worked at St. Luke’s hospital, which was named after Luke because he was a physician himself. October 18th happens to be the feast day for St. Luke. “According to Christian tradition, he was a Syrian from Antioch, a doctor by profession and neither Jewish nor…
Pastor John Writes: When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, Jesus said in a parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell…
While I am not usually a big fan of sports, I have found myself glued to the Olympic Games this year. It amazes me that so many people are able to come together from so many different places around the world for a single event. Despite all of the division and conflict we see too…
Pastor John Writes: Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:10 Humility can be defined as “a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness.” The word comes from the Latin word humilis, which may be translated as “humble”, but also as “grounded”, or “from the earth”, since it…
In my office, I often find myself gazing at a picture of the original Friedland church building. I try to imagine the people who built this building. What did they look like? What did they sound like? What hopes and dreams did they have? What did they struggle with? And how did they overcome those…
Pastor John Writes: Philippians 4:8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Near the end of the Letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul provides…