Dear First Church Family,
As I write this on Groundhog’s Day morning, the sun is out… oh goodness, another six weeks of winter!
This past Sunday was our Tara Hatton’s last official Sunday as our Director of Youth and Family Ministry. Tara has done a wonderful job with us and has
become an integral part of our church family and our leadership team. Tara has shared that she will continue to worship and serve with us on a volunteer basis. What a blessing that is! Please remember her in prayer during this transition.
This Sunday after church, I will meet with youth and youth parents to talk about moving forward. I am already making connections with persons who could help us find a new person. Please remember our youth, our SPRC (who makes hiring decisions), and me in your prayers. This, of course, is an important decision.
We continue to support missions in powerful ways. This week, we mailed our $20,000 check to Living Water International to dig/build two wells in Guatemala. The exact community where they will be dug is Escuintla. I will share any picture/news with you as soon as I receive it. And hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, representatives from our congregation will be able to visit the well sites and the persons who will be drinking crystal clear water, because of our dedication to the project.
Yesterday, we delivered a huge load of snacks and “heat and eat” meals to the food pantry at CCC&TI. Thank you for your commitment to that project.
And foods continue to be brought by the church to help persons who come to Yokefellow.
Too, at the end of the year, we mailed a large check to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) to help with the tornado recovery in Kentucky.
And last week, several of us Methodist pastors volunteered at South Caldwell Christian Ministries in Granite Falls, as we often do on the day SCCM receives a monthly large delivery of non-perishable items. We unpacked, sorted, and stacked the foods on shelves, so the SCCM staff can provide them to impoverished families.
Because of your faithful commitment to helping others, our church is making a difference here and around the world. God is good! I pray that you are finding ways to serve Him in and through our church and community.
Blessings,
Pastor Dave