What do you do Saturday afternoon when you know your laryngitis isn’t going clear up by Sunday morning, and you have to teach Sunday school, run a worship service, and preach a sermon? You send out word to all your usual pulpit supply contacts for backup. But what if they all have prior commitments and can’t fill in, or don’t see your desperate communications in time?
That was the situation this past weekend as the countdown to Sunday morning grew shorter. I happened to mention the challenge to my daughter Bethany by text, and she said, “Maybe Micah could do it. He’s been working on a message.” Long story short, I took her up on the offer. Micah did a Maundy Thursday devotional at our church a few years ago, and it was very well done. I’ve also been in enough Bible studies with him to know how well he handles the Word.
So, my son-in-law Micah White preached his (first ever) sermon at Christ Community Church yesterday. It was wonderful. He also played the guitar in our Praise Team since our regular guitarist was on vacation. He just slipped right in there like he’s always been part of the team.
It seems like this multi-talented man is always saving my bacon, in more ways than one. While it may be true that I recently graduated from “mechanical idiot” to “mechanical novice,” I still need Micah’s help from time to time when it comes to assorted issues with my car, lawn tractor, electricity, etc.
He’s extremely well rounded, and he always helps out in a kind a gracious way, never making me feel ridiculous because I don’t know how to fix something. It’s truly amazing how many gifts God has given this young man. Maybe even more amazing is the fruit of the Spirit he so consistently display.
Micah’s sermon was titled, “Bad Gardener, Gracious God,” and it traced the major occurrences of garden imagery in Scripture, front to back. His approach was what we practitioners call “biblical theology,” and he did it extremely well. He asked for feedback early Sunday morning on his manuscript, and I didn’t have much to offer since he covered all the bases so well.
Best of all, Micah loves Jesus, takes care of my daughter, and is knocking it out of the park when it comes to the fathering the two most adorable munchkins on the planet, Samuel and Levi. How blessed we are to have Micah be part of the family.
Here’s how we opened our Easter service this morning at Christ Community Church in Myerstown, Pennsylvania. As has become our tradition, it’s a dark-to-light presentation that culminates in a choir processional of exuberant voices declaring the joy of Christ’s resurrection, with the congregation joining in on the last verse. This year’s presentation was called “His Only Son,” from Genesis 22 and the Gospels. Enjoy.
Click on the image to access the video:
His Only Son
An Original Production by Christ Community Church
Written by Tim Valentino
Narrated by Ken Hunkins
Produced and Edited by Tim Valentino
Artwork by Maureen Logan
Choir Directors Sonya Valentino Shirley Long
Processional Christ Community Church Easter Choir
Jen Danielson, Lisa Dreibelbis, Stacey Espenschied, Kaye Focht, Marcy Garman, Shawn Garman, Ginny Hauer, Ken Hunkins, Faye Hipkiss, Bonnie Hunkins, Carol Keller, Kirby Keller, Maureen Logan, Shirley Long, Claude Petrie, Jan Petrie, Dawn Sharp, Pat Shroff, Sonya Valentino, and Tim Valentino.
—
Music by
“Adagio for Strings,” String Quartet, Op. 11 by Samuel Barber, performed by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Bernstein, Sony Music, 1971.
“Prelude” by Scott Brasher and J. A. C. Redford on Unveiled Hope by Michael Card, performed by the London Session Orchestra, featuring Hunter Lee, conducted by J. A. C. Redford, Myrrh, 1977.
“Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” lyrics by Henry Van Dyke, music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Ode to Joy: from Symphony No. 9, performed by the Grace Community Church Orchestra, Sun Valley, CA, 2024.
Video by
His Only Son, directed by David Helling, starring Nicolas Mouawad as Abraham, Sara Seyed as Sarah, Edaan Moskowitz as Isaac, and Dan da Silva as the Lord, Angel Studios, 2023.
Jesus of Nazareth, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Robert Powell as Jesus, Olivia Hussey as Mary, Yorgo Voyagis as Joseph, and Michael York as John the Baptist, ITC Entertainment, 1977.
The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson, starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus, Icon Productions/Newmarket Films, 2004.
Risen, directed by Kevin Reynolds, starring Joseph Fiennes as Clavius Aquila Valerius Niger, Antonio Gil as Joseph of Arimathea, and Victor Trapani as Nicodemus, Affirm Films/Columbia Pictures, 2016.
Licensed By
Christian Copyright Licensing International No. 21229380
Christian Video Licensing International No. 21-03851831
Passion Week (or Holy Week) can be one of the most significant times in a believer’s worship year. During these days, we clear our calendars to focus exclusively on the events of Jesus’s suffering, death, and resurrection, which are at the heart of our Christian faith. Our attention during this special week is directed toward the person and work of Christ as:
the triumphant yet humble King of the universe who is Israel’s promised Messiah (Palm Sunday);
the servant of God and mediator of the new covenant (Maundy Thursday);
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Good Friday);
the Last Adam resting in a deep sleep to give birth to his bride, the church (Great Saturday) and
Christus Victor—the risen Savior of the human race (Easter Sunday).
Holy Week itself grew out of the simple observation that 28 of the 89 chapters in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)—32 percent—are devoted to the period of time between the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and his ascension into heaven. Yet this period is less than one percent of Jesus’ entire three and a half years of public ministry.
In terms of literary style, then, such space allocation suggests that while the birth, life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus were important to the authors, it was the passion of Christ and his resurrection from the dead that were centrally important to their purpose in writing. It’s almost as if each of the four Gospels is a Passion Narrative with an extended introduction!
By way of analogy, modern writers and filmmakers often arrange for the action of their stories to slow down when they reach their most critical moments, using techniques such as freeze frame, slow motion, and extended coverage. The technique of slow motion is used, for example, in the important race scenes in the movie Chariots of Fire, where the director captures and accentuates each runner’s agonized expression before the finish line. The impact is significant.
The amount of application of such techniques in storytelling is proportional to the importance of any given scene to the larger work. It’s no exaggeration, then, to say that the Passion Narratives present to us the incomparable love of God in slow motion. Believers seek to revel in that love during Holy Week, changing up our routines and realigning our schedules to Gospel-centered considerations.
Our church doesn’t offer a Great Saturday observance yet, but we’re working on it. This year, Passion Week in our neck of the woods is as follows:
My son Andrew is getting married two months from today. It’s been a joy having him live with us for the past couple years as he was rebooting his life from photojournalism to tech support for Christian musical theater. Not only is he enjoying his career at Sight & Sound, but he met his fiancé there as well. He also appeared in their second film, A Great Awakening. So, it’s a time of much joy as we celebrate God’s goodness to him and prepare for the big day.
Since Drew will be leaving us soon, I decided to do this year’s Easter opening entirely myself. I’ve been far too dependent on him over the years for video generation and editing. So, I forced myself to learn three new apps for making soundtracks, storyboards, and video compilations. This year’s production is based on the Akedah, the Binding of Isaac in Genesis 22. It’s a heartrending story that leads to Jesus, and my well of tears has been thoroughly drained during the preparations. Drew said, “Now you know how hard it is to edit through tears.” Exactly right.
Let’s just say I have a newfound respect for my son’s skills in this area. He really has a gift. The last two weeks have been nonstop and intense. Part of the challenge has been learning the software and then using it for editing video clips and audio tracks—something I’ve never done until now. I can usually craft a story and conceive the look I am aiming for, but Drew has always been the one to bring it to life. This time I flew solo.
So, I was eager to get his feedback on my first project. He loved it! He said I have some good editing instincts and conveyed the message well. Were he to give me a grade, he said it would be about a 92-95. Not bad for the first try! Since he has a Film and Media Arts degree from Temple University, I really value his feedback. He gave me a few ideas for tightening up the final edit, and I’ll be doing those over the next few days. I’ll post the final version here after the Easter Sunday worship service.
He’s still my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. That’s one of the reasons it’s been such an emotional month. As I’ve pondered Genesis 22 for the Good Friday service and Easter Sunday opening, I’ve been wrecked afresh by the deep and profound love that God has for his creation. For you. For me. For all of us. The hardest thing God could ever ask of us is the very thing he did for us—he gave us his only son. “I scarce can take it in.”
Drew promises to come back for our weekly movie night. (He’s only moving an hour away.) In fact, right now we’re watching Galaxy Quest because we wanted to watch something campy and fun. The cast is quite good—Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, and Tony Shalhoub. But the company is better. Thanks for being my movie man, Drew. You will always be loved.
His Only Son
An Original Production by Christ Community Church
Written by Tim Valentino
Narrated by Ken Hunkins
Produced and Edited by Tim Valentino
Artwork by Maureen Logan
Choir Directors Sonya Valentino Shirley Long
Processional Christ Community Church Easter Choir
—
Music by
“Adagio for Strings,” String Quartet, Op. 11 by Samuel Barber, performed by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Bernstein, Sony Music, 1971.
“Prelude” by Scott Brasher and J. A. C. Redford on Unveiled Hope by Michael Card, performed by the London Session Orchestra, featuring Hunter Lee, conducted by J. A. C. Redford, Myrrh, 1977.
“Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee,” lyrics by Henry Van Dyke, music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Ode to Joy: from Symphony No. 9, performed by the Grace Community Church Orchestra, Sun Valley, CA, 2024.
Video by
His Only Son, directed by David Helling, starring Nicolas Mouawad as Abraham, Sara Seyed as Sarah, Edaan Moskowitz as Isaac, and Dan da Silva as the Lord, Angel Studios, 2023.
Jesus of Nazareth, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Robert Powell as Jesus, Olivia Hussey as Mary, Yorgo Voyagis as Joseph, and Michael York as John the Baptist, ITC Entertainment, 1977.
The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson, starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus, Icon Productions/Newmarket Films, 2004.
Risen, directed by Kevin Reynolds, starring Joseph Fiennes as Clavius Aquila Valerius Niger, Antonio Gil as Joseph of Arimathea, and Victor Trapani as Nicodemus, Affirm Films/Columbia Pictures, 2016.
Licensed By
Christian Copyright Licensing International No. 21229380
Christian Video Licensing International No. 21-03851831
Local friends, the Christmas Eve candlelight service at Christ Community Church (Myerstown, PA) is one of the highlights of our church calendar. Our theme this year is “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” from Luke 15:11-24. The service will be held at 7:00 p.m. and will feature traditional Christmas carols, a brass ensemble, a holiday message, and the lighting of candles during “Silent Night.”
A nursery will be provided. Plates for a benevolence offering will be available at the back of the sanctuary to help needy families in our community. Invite a friend to come find hope and encouragement in the good news of Jesus Christ at Christ Community Church.
I just found out that I’ll be taking Samuel to Saturday morning swim lessons at our local YMCA. The 30-minute classes start later this month and go through early June. The best part is that I’m allowed to go in the water with him to help him work on his skills!
I’m beyond excited to spend some quality aqua-time with this little guy. He already loves the water with the protection of assistive flotation devices, but now it’s time for him to learn how to swim. Maybe someday he’ll take up the sport and swim competitively like yours truly. But whatever he and his brother get into, I’ll be in the stands cheering them on.
Below are a few recent pics. Some are from our church’s Easter Egg Hunt, some are from the birthday bash we had for Andrew last week, and some are from the current parking lot renovation project at our church. Enjoy!
Samuel and his daddy at the egg hunt.Samuel likes the fancy ones.Sonya helping Levi.“I can do it myself, Gaga.”Assessing the haul with daddy.Samuel won the top prize at his church’s egg hunt.The boys and I checking out the construction project. Do you like our matching Phillies hats?Let’s make it a picnic.Little boys love dirt.And little boys love construction vehicles.I tickled Samuel all night at Tino’s Texas Roadhouse birthday dinner.Did I mention that little boys love dirt?
Local friends, the Christmas Eve candlelight service at Christ Community Church (Myerstown, PA) is one of the highlights of our church calendar. Our theme this year is “Now in Flesh Appearing” from Hebrews 1:1-3. The service will be held at 7:00 p.m. and will feature traditional Christmas carols, a brass ensemble, a holiday message, and the lighting of candles during “Silent Night.”
A nursery will be provided. Plates for a benevolence offering will be available at the back of the sanctuary to help needy families in our community. Invite a friend to come find hope and encouragement in the good news of Jesus Christ at Christ Community Church.
Much of my time involves trying to paint pictures with words. Such is the nature of sermon writing—and even certain kinds of academic papers. But I also get to help generate flyers, postcards, PowerPoint slides, and other printed or digital material with graphical components. The mix is enjoyable, and I love being able to do both in my line of work.
For the past couple months, I’ve been collaborating with a few artistic folks in our church to create a float for the upcoming holiday parade in our town. It’s a simple Nativity scene design, but it’s one that will rise to about 11 feet off the ground—12 when it’s placed on the trailer.
Jesus said when he is lifted up, he would draw all people to himself, which is why we’re doing this in the first place. We want our neighbors to come to know him. His life-changing love is for everyone. The irony is that the float will be lifting him up at the moment of his shocking descent, which we call “Christmas,” when the second Person of the divine Trinity stepped across the stars of the universe and enfleshed himself to become one of us. It’s the miracle of all miracles, and it is as disarming as it is profound.
The sides of the elevation platform will feature signs with our church’s name and public tagline, “Christ Community Church: A Place to Hope, a Place to Heal.” Walkers will be passing out candy canes to the crowd, with invitations to the Christmas Eve candlelight service, my favorite worship experience of the church year.
Today we started the painting phase. All components have been primed, and tomorrow we will try to add the colors. Our small team of “elves” is having a blast. As we work, I silently pray that Jesus will do some widespread “drawing” on parade day, Saturday, November 30. Atter all, the greatest Christmas present people could ever receive is Jesus himself.
Float creation in the church garage.
Progress Update
My friend Dan is helping with the carpentry.
Totally unrelated: I may need to post a picture of myself (which I hate to do) because I grew a goatee for No-Shave November. Most people are saying I should keep it. Maybe I should take an online poll. 🙂
Yesterday I forbade any reference to—or celebration of—my birthday in the morning. It was the Lord’s Day, not mine. More than that, it was Easter Sunday. I wanted the focus to be completely on Jesus and what he did for us on that most central day in the church calendar.
My family and church family mostly followed that counsel. During the pre-service church breakfast, somebody started a spontaneous round of “Happy Birthday.” I’m told they just couldn’t help themselves. After breakfast, we went to the sanctuary and had a truly special time of celebrating the resurrection of Christ with a whole lot of people in attendance—more than ever before in our church’s history. But it was moving to be there and rejoice in the empty tomb regardless of how many came.
Fought the fight, the battle won. Alleluia—the line we were singing as my mother-in-law went home to be with the Lord last December. It was tough to sing those beautiful words this year during the Easter service.
Anyway, not to be outdone, Samuel wanted to sing “Happy Birthday” to me, too, and his mommy caught part of his rendition on video. I was charmed, to say the least. We had a nice relaxing birthday celebration with family (and some friends who stopped by) early evening and into the night.
Given the precarious situation involving my conception and delivery, I’m just glad I was ever born at all. And because of Easter, I was born again.
Given the special days we’re celebrating this time of year, you may have thought the title of this post had something to do with Judas’s kiss of betrayal. But no, the kiss I’m referring to involves Samuel and Levi trying to show a measure of affection to each other. The result of their clumsy attempt at a brotherly smooch is quite adorable.
In other news, our church recently got our new pew cushions installed, just in time for Holy Week. They look good, and they feel great. But there might be a fear afoot that the pastor will think he can preach longer sermons. Uh oh!
Seriously, it’s been a deeply meaningful week for all of us, and the turnout for the Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday services has been wonderful. We’re looking forward to a great celebration tomorrow at the Easter service.
I think I’ve done more sobbing during preparation this year than previous years, and that will probably continue tomorrow. After all, my mother-in-law passed away right as we were singing, “Fought the fight the battle won.” Maybe this dynamic comes with age, but, thankfully, the gospel story never gets old to me.
May it be fresh and new for you as well tomorrow as you rejoice in the empty tomb of Jesus.
Local friends, the Christmas Eve candlelight service at Christ Community Church (Myerstown, PA) is one of the highlights of our church calendar. Our theme this year is “Christmas Right on Time” from Galatians 4:4-7. The service will be held at 7:00 p.m. and will feature traditional Christmas carols, brass, an inspiring message, and the lighting of candles during “Silent Night.”
A nursery will be provided. Plates for a benevolence offering will be available at the back of the sanctuary to help needy families in our community. Invite a friend to come find hope and encouragement in the good news of Jesus Christ at Christ Community Church.
Note: On Christmas Eve morning, there will be no Sunday school classes, only the 10:30 a.m. worship service and the 7:00 p.m. candlelight service.
Join us online or in person
CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH 121 S. College Street (Route 501) Myerstown, PA 17067 (717) 866-5353
’Tis the season to be grateful. Actually, gratitude is a year-round virtue, isn’t it? But it’s nice to have a special day of focus. Cicero, the Roman philosopher and statesman said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” Orrin Woodward, NYT bestselling author on Leadershift, said, “Ingratitude produces pride while gratitude produces humility.” And G. K. Chesterton, the English writer, literary critic, and Christian apologist, said, “When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” We have much to be thankful for, even though life has been challenging lately.
One. My mother-in-law continues her steady decline. She’s now on hospice, and we’ve had to learn how to use the equipment necessary to take care of her in (what appears to be) her final months. It’s been a real challenge, and that’s one of the reasons I’ve been so slow to post lately. I really do want to finish sharing those summaries on the book of Daniel. It was such a rich, encouraging, and eye-opening study, and it was hard for me to bring the series to a close. The book is timely as well as tremendous in its own right. I also have a backlog from the “Carved in Stone” series on the Ten Commandments. It just hasn’t been a good year to stay up on these kinds of tasks. I’m pretty sure my life is going to get a significant realignment in the New Year, as my health and sanity will require it.
Two. The boys continue to be a supreme blessing to me in these days. I never realized the joys of love could run this deep, but they do with these two munchkins! They are beyond adorable. When asked what the days of the week are, Samuel says, “Monday, Tuesday, Papa, Thursday….” (Yes, we keep the boys on Wednesday) 😊 That makes me want to melt into a puddle of gooey milk chocolate on a hot gas stove. Below are a few recent pics. We get to host them for Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday; otherwise, it’s a low-key weekend in our house, which is fine by me. Only after Thanksgiving do we start putting up Christmas decorations. That’s carved in stone, too. 😊 Next week we celebrate Samuel’s second birthday.
Three. Speaking of stove, our kitchen renovation project is nearly complete. We’re just waiting on one final cabinet and the new backsplash. The transformation has been amazing. I can’t remember if I mentioned this before, but by securing and managing the subcontractors ourselves, and helping where we can, we’re saving about $20,000 over the estimate we received a couple years ago when we first started kicking the tires on this idea. Given the horrendous inflation over the past several years, that probably translates to about $25,000 today. Happy dance. Even though I can’t dance.
Four. My yearly Advent sob-fest has begun already. This one took me by surprise. I was doing some worship planning recently and wound up listening to the Tabernacle Choir’s rendition of “Lo! How a Rose E’er Blooming.” For some reason, it hit a tender spot, and the floodgates opened, perhaps because the load is quite heavy right now.
True man, yet very God, From sin and death He saves us, And lightens every load.
I’ll post the song below.
Five. COVID killed our wonderful choir, but I wouldn’t mind seeing it resurrected in due course, especially since our church is getting a new organ this week. (It’s a gently used though lovely Rodgers organ from Ephrata.) A few of us have been crawling around the organ chambers over the past several days, cleaning things out and getting ready for the new installation. We’re all a bit stiff and banged up from that venture, but I’m ecstatic that it will be operable in time for Advent and Christmas. I’ll also post our church’s Advent letter and lineup in case anyone is interested.
Six. My dissertation is trucking along, but it’s taking longer than it should. Even I—yes, I—am starting to drift into the “Let’s get this thing done, already,” mode. It’s just so tedious to write at this level and do a thorough job of engaging all the heavy hitters who’ve written on my topic over the past two millennia. At last count, I’ve gotten up to 19 languages, and that’s more than enough, don’t you think? Still, I love the research. It’s the academic writing (i.e., being precise, anticipating objections, making and defending an argument, documenting everything, etc., etc.) that’s so time consuming. All in good time, though, right?
Seven. By the time I publish this post, it will be November 22, 2023, the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I wasn’t born yet when that awful tragedy took place, but I became fascinated by all aspects of it when I was in elementary school. And, yes, I’ve done an awful lot of reading on this subject over the years, keeping up with old details and major developments in the case. I had hoped to write more extensively about it on this anniversary, but that’s just not possible this year. Maybe someday. What do I think happened? Let’s just say, “Things aren’t settled until they’re properly settled.” And this crime was never properly settled. Enough said?
Eight. In the spirit of JFK (who died on the same days as C. S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley), let’s end where we began—gratitude. It was President Kennedy who said, “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” In my case, that would take a whole lot of time. And it would include you, the readers of TNL. Thanks for stopping by.
Oddly enough, today I’m thinking about the death of another larger-than-life personality, Princess Diana. Last night I finished watching episode 3 of the final season of The Crown, so it’s fresh on my mind. And it’s stirring up in me the loathing I already had for the media. I’m sitting here wondering if the paparazzi have learned their lesson, or if they’re still greedy, corrupt, and dangerous.
We sang a lovely new (for us) song yesterday in church. It’s called “By Faith” by Keith and Kristyn Getty, which came out in 2009. (How did I miss that one?) We didn’t try to replicate the Irish pipes in the intro, but we did the rest as written. It’s structured like a hymn, but it feels more like a contemporary praise and worship song—my favorite combo, though I appreciate many kinds of music styles.
Currently we sing at least two organ-led hymns every Sunday with piano, flute, and trumpet accompaniment. We also sing at least two worship songs led by a piano, keyboard, flute, cahon, and two vocalists. We’re looking to add a guitar in the near future, and maybe some more vocalists. So, it’s an “ancient-future” approach to worship that we’re practicing these days.
Even when we add a second service, which will likely be band-led instead of organ-led, we’ll still retain the richness of our hymn heritage, albeit with some updated sounds. Regardless of music style, however, robust worship is an act of rebellion against the powers of darkness. That’s why we look for the meatiest stuff out there. What do you think of “By Faith”?
Yesterday we also sang Kari Jobe’s “Forever,” which always sends my spirit soaring. And, since we had a guest speaker from Gideon’s International, we also sang “Ancient Words” by Lynn DeShazo, a simple yet profound piece about the power of God’s eternal Word.
Whatever worship styles we use in the future, our church will always give significant time in the morning worship service to lectionary readings. As Paul said, “Devote yourself to the public reading of scripture” (1 Timothy 4:13). Too many churches read a short passage of Scripture before the sermon, and that’s it. But that’s not enough for our spiritual nutrition, IMHO.
Our two hymns yesterday: “God Hath Spoken by His Prophets” and “Take Time to be Holy.” It was a marvelous time of worship, and the congregation got a much needed break from me. 🙂
1. We’re praising God that Samuel’s nephrology appointment yesterday resulted in an “all clear” report. He presently has no discernible stones or calcium deposits in his kidneys! The only thing that remains is for him to be tested to see if he has a genetic predisposition toward kidney issues. As a closed-adoption adoptee myself, I have no knowledge of any family medical history that I can add to the discussion, so I’m hoping the genetic test is conclusive. I’m going to miss him over the next 10 days as he took his parents to the Outer Banks for vacation. He promises to FaceTime me once in a while. 🙂
2. My summer camp speaking tour was exhilarating, even if tiring. All told, I had the privilege of sharing 20 messages at 3 different camps over 19 days. These messages included:
Three Hearts on Calvary (Luke 23:32-34, 39-43)
As Secure as You Can Make It (Matthew 27:62-28:16)
Our Father, Who Art Incredible (Isaiah 55:6-9)
Bride Life & the Church (Gen 2:18-24; Eph 5:25-33; Rev 21:1-5)
Negaholics & Complainiacs (Philippians 2:14-18)
The Leading Edge of Love (1 Corinthians 13:4a)
David’s Prayer for Mercy (Psalm 51)
Abandon Ship (Luke 5:1-11)
Yom Kippur, Part 1 (Leviticus 16:21-23)
Yom Kippur, Part 2 (Leviticus 16:21-23)
A Life That Counts (John 12:26b; 1 Cor 15:58b; Heb 6:10)
As I noted a few days ago, all three camps went well, and I appreciated those who prayed for me, as well as for those to whom I was blessed to speak. God was at work all over the place! As a mostly left-brain kind of guy, I don’t typically emote during messages, but I lost it several times during a 2-part sermon on Yom Kippur at the one camp. All seven feasts powerfully point to Christ and what he has done for us. I may eventually turn that study into a book. I also deeply appreciate the wonderful staff and volunteers I have who kept things running while I was away. What a blessing to serve on this team!
3. I haven’t gotten to spend too much time landscaping this summer, or posting pictures of our efforts, but the yard still looks decent. My new Japanese maple is doing well. So are the geraniums and the marigolds. A little bit of (post-dissertation) shaping and pruning next year will likely make things look even nicer. The older I get, the more I enjoy this kind of cultivation. Alas, the baskets are subpar, and my cherry tree is not healthy for some reason. Win some, lose some.
4. Speaking of dissertation, I had the privilege of chairing a ThD dissertation committee for a student who successfully gave his oral defense on Thursday afternoon. His accomplishment was remarkable in that English is his third language! The title of his dissertation was: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF A LONG-LASTING EVANGELISM PRACTICE IN A MULTICULTUAL COMMUNITY. His ministry context is Toronto, Canada, and his research produced some helpful insights for the church at large. He is going to take a well-deserved break and then consider turning his academic work into a popular-level book.
5. My mother-in-law’s geriatrician informed us last week that Lorena is steadily heading toward Stage 7 of Alzheimer’s disease, which is the final stage. She still knows who we are most of the time, but other than that, she’s in a perpetual haze and doesn’t remember that she lives with us. Her cognition and motor skills are declining fast. The only thing she does well anymore is eat. Extra grace will be needed over the next couple years.
6. The winding down of summer always used to be a sad time for me when I was in school—largely because it meant the end of the outdoor pool season, which I loved. Times change, though, and I now look forward to the unfolding of each new season, especially as we start moving into fall, which is just around the corner. The sights, sounds, smells, and tastes are divine.
7. There are many other joys and tidbits to share, but duty calls, and the pile is high. I’m several weeks behind on sermon summaries, so I’ll be trying to catch up next week. Some of the new friends I met at camp this year have said they would like to stop by from time to time and see where we are in the Word. The more the merrier! 😊
May God richly bless you with an enjoyable weekend!
Our Christmas Eve candlelight service will be held tonight at 7:00 p.m., Friday, December 24, 2021, at Christ Community Church in Myerstown, PA. The worship packet is attached below for those who will be live streaming the service. Contact us if you need connection information.
Whether you join us on ground or online, I hope you will be able to participate in this most beautiful service of the church year. Featuring traditional Christmas carols, Scripture readings, and candle lighting, this worship experience will last about 75 minutes and be held at:
CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH Dech Chapel in Evangelical Seminary 121 S. College Street Myerstown, Pennsylvania 17067
Plenty of parking is available around the building and in the student parking lot. Attendees who are less ambulatory may use the smaller faculty lot along Route 501. The ground floor elevator can then be taken to the chapel, which is located on the first floor.
