|
The month of July is when we celebrate our country's birthday. If we were to do a study of how our country came into existence, you would quickly discover that our founding fathers relied heavily upon God for guidance in laying the foundation of our nation. The Bible played a major role in molding people's lives, both in the private and public sector. History has shown the accuracy of the claim that "God sifted the finest wheat of England so that He might plant the best seed in the New World." The Bible reading populace expected, even demanded, that officials on all levels be men of God. They were expected to follow closely in the footsteps of the great men of the Bible as they led the new nation through some trying times.
Education was not neglected by America's earliest settlers. New England towns established schools for the training of the young. At all levels the Bible was revered, read, and studied. Harvard and Princeton were founded so that ministers would be trained with a solid understanding of Scripture. Home life was a model for living a Godly life. In those simple and rugged suroundings, fathers drilled their children in the virtues and blessings of a Bible honoring life. Our heritage was not born in radicalism, unless wholehearted belief in the Bible is radical, but in that righteousness exalted a nation.
In the last century of America's history, new and mighty Niagaras of religious forces and debates erupted. This battle continues to rage. A main problem has been one of interpretations, whether the Bible should be taken literally or otherwise. But all of the groups have claimed the Bible as the source of truth and authority. In the last half of the twentieth century a new monster reared its ugly head. The monster of ungodly immorality, anti-Bible living, the license to throw away restraints, laws, and ethical codes. A flood of books have come from the presses, but one book continues to be a beacon of hope. Thousands read the Bible daily and find help for all their needs. The sure revelation of the Word continues even as its enemies mount. Many new versions of the Bible have been published, but the message remains the same. God's Word still provides the truth of salvation, guidance, hope, strength, and a knowledge of sins forgiven and an assurance of an eternity spent in heaven.
No book has so molded the life of a nation as the Bible has shaped America. No other book continues to shine so brightly in the darkening sky of our times as the Word of God. It has been America's hope, its foundation, its molder and character. Let's get back to the basics, and make it a priority to read it everyday.
—Pastor Jeff
|
BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATOR
NOTES
|
During the last presidential campaign an often heard slogan was "Change you can believe in." To my knowledge no one here is running for public office, but we have made several changes to our facilities in the last few months. We believe these changes have resulted in some much needed improvements.
The most recent change, and probably the most obvious to the majority of you, is the resealing and striping of our parking lot. The casual observer probably would not have noticed that the parking lot was beginning to show some significant cracking. These cracks needed to be filled and the asphalt resealed in order to protect our investment and prolong the life of the parking lot. A side benefit is that the parking lot now looks very nice and makes a good first impression when someone drives up to our church.
Another recent change has occurred in our nursery area, which occupies the oldest portion of our building. New carpet has been installed, the walls painted, the lighting updated, and new room added to the nursery. Replacement windows have also been ordered and will soon be installed. With that installation we will actually be able to open and close the windows in the nursery. We are very grateful to the leadership of Norma and Bill Johnson in the nursery, and to Trevor Whetzel and his crew of helpers who did much of the renovation work. If you have not yet seen the fruits of this effot I would encourage you to go and take a look at the pleasant new surroundings now available for the care of the little ones.
A few months ago our Kidz Express (Children's Church) area also experienced a major face lift. This improvement consisted primarily of repainting the rooms in a variety of vibrant colors, adding new wall decorations, and painted logos at each end of the main room. We are very grateful to the leadership of Carla and Matt Reginnello in Kidz Express and to all those who helped with redecorating the room. This is another area of the church you should make an effort to visit if you have not seen it since the changes have been made.
The Administrative Board is dedicated to keeping your church building and grounds in the best condition possible within the limits of our budget. I am currently not aware of any other major changes planned for the remainder of this year. A couple of things on the horizon inlude the eventual development of a picnic and play area beyond the parking lot, and the replacement of our existing message sign with a new LED message sign. Hopefully the changes to your church facility I have described are truly "changes you can believe in." We welcome your comments on these changes, and any others that you think should be considered.
— Steve Parsons
|
