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Take a Moment Prayer: Week of Nov 26

Look for this prayer each week. Take time to pray it each day and know that your church family is saying this prayer too.

Blessed Jesus...sent to us by God, I lift my heart and voice in praise to you. Savior of All, I humbly bow before you and offer my confession of sin and thank you for your saving grace. Compassionate Healer, I cry out to you my deepest concern and prayers for your healing and comfort to be upon those who are ill and grieving. Wise and Guiding Teacher I seek your inspiration and empowerment as I strive to be faithful in word and deed to your call to help build God's Kingdom. On this day and everyday I want to fulfill my purpose, which is to walk in the light with you, my Friend and Brother. Amen.

The Pastor's Pen - November 2023

When November arrives, many of us start to think about Thanksgiving. Our thoughts bring to mind things like: family gatherings, turkey and stuffing, pumpkin pie, days off from work or school, pilgrims and things that we are thankful for in our lives. The idea of thankfulness is the key point about Thanksgiving that is pushed at us as the day approaches.

The Pastor's Pen - August 2023

I planted a garden again this year. Before I planted my seeds, I thought about what I wanted to use the produce for when I harvested it. I planted cucumbers with the hope that I could can some sweet pickles for Don. Years ago, I did a lot of canning. I always canned seven-day pickles and lime-water pickles. This year I only want to can the seven-day pickles.
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The Pastor's Pen - July 2023

I am writing this while we are in the midst of our Vacation Bible School ministry; and my heart is singing praises to God for the good things that I see happening. On the first night we had fourteen children and two of them were from our neighborhood. Last night, we had twenty-four children with several more coming from the neighborhood.

The Pastor's Pen - June 2023

I am writing this Pastor’s Pen following a week of vacation. We decided to get away from the daily routines of life by going to our family camp in Union County, PA. Our home for the week was well off the beaten path. There, surrounded by tress, a cool breeze, blue skies, the sound of birds singing, made it an excellent place to find refreshment and peace.

The Pastor's Pen - May 2023

With the arrival of warmer sunny days, I find myself thinking about fun things that I enjoy doing outside. I enjoy gardening, walking, swimming (when I have the chance), going to the beach and the occasional motorcycle ride. These activities are relaxing forms of play for me. This brings to my mind once again, a theme from an earlier time in my ministry at HCOB. It was a time of transition in pastors at the church and I was serving as your interim pastor. Transitions can be difficult; and can create some anxiety about the unknown of the future.

The Pastor's Pen - April 2023

At the front of the sanctuary in the church that was my mother’s home church, the East Fairview Church of the Brethren, there is a large mural of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. I always loved going back to that church to worship because I got to see that powerful mural again. Seeing the mural gave me feelings of comfort and hope because it reminded me that Jesus had dark moments as he walked this earth.

The Pastor's Pen - March 2023

Recently I read this illustration written by H. Norman Wright, in his book “The Perfect Catch”:

“There is an old legend about three men. Each man had two sacks, one tied in front of his neck and the other towed on his back. When the first man was asked what was in his sacks, he said, ‘In the sack on my back are all the good things friends and family have done. That way they’re hidden from view. In the front sack are all the bad things that have happened to me. Every now and then I stop, open the front sack, take the things out, examine them, and think about them.’ Because he stopped so much to concentrate on all the bad stuff, he really did not make much progress in life....

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The Pastor's Pen - Feb 2023

As I was out and about in some stores yesterday, I could not help but notice all the Valentine items for sale that we usually see on store shelves each year. I’m sure it has been out long before now, but I guess I did not pay much attention to it before this. I know I should not be surprised by this. It is February…the time of the year when we give specific consideration to loving others.
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The Pastor's Pen - January 2023

Time has brought us around to a New Year--2023. We usually think that a New Year means we are given a clean slate…a chance for new beginnings. A new year can mean that if we make choices to change something about ourselves or the direction of our lives. But, in reality, isn’t the new year a continuation of our life journey? We don’t move into 2023 and leave everything…or things of our choosing…behind in 2022. We instead learn from our mistakes, build on our successes, try new things and take advantage of fresh opportunities.

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