From the Pastor’s Desk,
Thank you, thank you, and thank you for the wonderful welcome in July. Barbara and I both feel so loved and appreciated. We look forward to many years together working in ministry and serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The St. Paul opens his letter to Philippi saying, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you!” Know that Barbara and I thank God every day for your wonderful help and support at the Community UMC. You are indeed Saints!
As we begin our relationship together I want you to know that I am here to serve you and not necessarily to be served, so please do not hesitate to let me know how I can help. You can reach me at the office, at home (209- 772-0795) or on my cell (661-319-2290 – I am in the process of having this changed to a local number). Please do not hesitate to call me at any time and leave a message if I do not answer right away. As you know A.T. & T.’s coverage in Valley Springs is very spotty.
My plan right now is to leave everything in place that my predecessors started. Like the Tuesday Sermon Study at 12:30 p.m., the Tuesday night Bible Study at 6:00 p.m., the Upper Room Bible Study Wednesday’s at 10:00 a.m., etc.
We are also excited about adding some new opportunities to help the church grow in August and September.
First, starting Sunday, August 29 th and continuing for the next five Sunday evenings we will be having a dinner and discussion of Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Bishop Robert Schnase. The evening will start at 5:00 p.m. and should conclude by 7:00 p.m. Barbara and I will prepare the dinner and we will ask for a $5.00 donation to help cover some of the cost. It is suggested that you read the chapter in Bishop Schnase’s book before attending the discussion, but that is not an absolute necessity. We would like for everyone to join us for a delicious dinner and lively discussion about how we can do a better job serving God and our community. So mark your calendars every Sunday night starting August 29 th from 5:00 to 7:00.
Second, starting on Sunday, September 5 th at 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. I will be holding a “New Members” class for the four Sundays in September. New members can join the church on Sunday, October 3 rd . (We will also do this in November 2010 and January 2011). The class will focus on the
book The United Methodist Way – Living Our Beliefs. Those who are already members and would like to know more about our denomination and faith journey are also invited to join us. Please let Donna our wonderful secretary or the Pastor know if you are interested in joining this four week study and the necessary material will be provided. There is no cost to this opportunity. Missing one or more classes will not hinder your ability to join the church.
Third, “No Rules” Church will continue and all are encouraged to join in this unique and wonderful worship opportunity the first Saturday of the month at 4:30 p.m. If you have to work on Sunday, will be out of town, playing golf, having company this is a great way to still fit worshipping God into your schedule. On Saturday, August 7th we will be discussing John 3:16 – the Bible in miniature Luther called this passage of scripture. On Saturday, September 4th the discussion will focus on “The Lord’s Prayer.” Please mark your calendars and join us.
Fourth, Barbara and I are also planning to be as active as possible with the youth and young people, so be looking for exciting events coming up in August and September. We are planning a bar-be-que and a night at the movies sometime in August. We want our youth to feel like they are a vital part of our congregation!
Finally, know that as your Pastor I am open to hear about your plans for ministry and for helping our church to have a wonderful impact on our community. Our goal should be to be so important to Valley Springs and the surrounding community that they would greatly miss us if we were not among them.
Know that I look forward to serving God with you and that God loves you and I love you!
Pastor Brian
