Congregational Prayer Update Recovery for Barb Wilfong’s as her surgery was yesterday (Tuesday). Recovery for Larry Huber (Charlotte’s husband) as his back surgery was this past Monday. Clarity for our search committee as it continues to seek the Lord’s direction for a new pastor. Wisdom for our safety team as it monitors COVID and makes wise decisions for reopening services. Patience for all of us as we are all frustrated by not being able to safely worship together at church. Guidance for parents as they make evaluations as to whether to send their kids back to school or not.

Virtual Communion this Sunday During the worship service this Sunday we will be sharing the Lord’s Table. You can join us as you watch the service at home. Please prepare by having a small cup of grape juice (buy a Snapple at the store) and either a small piece of bread or cracker. Have these with you as you watch the lives stream on the church website.

At the appropriate time in the service, Pastor Joel will lead us as we partake of the elements of communion. Prepare your hearts this week as we look forward to sharing in this meaningful time.

When School starts again… We know that schools will look very different this coming year. As schools begin to unveil their COVID plans for the Fall, remember that we, as parents and grandparents, set the tone. When the plans are announced, read them in private and discuss them with your spouse at dinner, out of the house. Then come back and tell your kids as cheerfully as possible how the Fall will go. Buy or make them a mask that they pick out and tell them how proud you are of them for wanting to keep others safe. Tell them to just try their best. They are watching your reaction and will respond accordingly. As one person stated, “In my opinion, it is fine if you feel angry, sad, or worried. Just fake it so your kid has a smoother start. They don’t need to add your worries to their own. They’re kids.”

Thank you for praying!

This past week Pastor Joel was the morning Bible teacher and evening evangelist at Bay Shore Camp in the thumb of Michigan. There were 300 people in attendance with an additional 900 watching online. Sessions were held in a huge circus tent outside. A number of people made decisions concerning their commitment to Christ and several made first time decisions to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. The impact of God’s Word and the movement of the Holy Spirit at this camp was directly correlated to the prayers of God’s people!

Carrying this “mask” thing a bit too far?

Scott and Tina Miller with some pretty special people. Be sure to email Pastor Joel (Joel4iu@aol.com) a picture of you, your family, or what you are doing this summer.

Church Family Scrapbook

2019: Stay away from negative people. 2020: Stay away from positive people.

Have we tried unplugging 2020, … …… waiting ten seconds, …… ….and then plugging it back in?

It took some adjusting to the communion protocol when public services resumed but eventually it became the new normal.

Timely Words from Pastor Joel Habakkuk 3:17-19 17 Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. The great general Napoleon Bonaparte is credited with saying: “The role of the leader is to define reality and give hope.” While true at all times, this is especially true during times of severe crisis – such as the one we’re currently facing. This is why, as your “pastor” and as a leader, I need to balance realism with optimism. I recently came across a blog by my brother, Dave, as well as a pastor named Eric Garner, in which they offered some great insights on the balance of realism and hope that I thought might be helpful as we go through this prolonged season of challenge. Garner notes that the order seen in Napoleon’s quote is exceedingly important. He writes, “There is a temptation for leaders, in moments of crisis, to jump to giving hope – but doing so fails to meet people in their pain.” These days, such pain is as widespread as it is case-specific. People today are grappling with all sorts of painful realities in this current situation: confusion, disappointment, loss, dejection, and fear. In a word, folks are grieving. To be sure, there are people grieving the loss of a loved one. But grief is broader than that. Folks in our church family are also grieving the loss of relational connectedness, the loss of innocence, the loss of a job, the loss of their savings, the loss of a long-anticipated vacation, the loss of an opportunity (such as playing sports), or the loss of a celebration (such as a wedding, graduation, or memorial service for a loved one). I have talked with several in this past week who are dealing with depression, discouragement, and irritability. All of us are becoming weary of this “new normal” and in our weariness, we all default to some of our weaknesses. If you have a “bent” toward negativity, it will become a greater temptation during a crisis. If you are vulnerable to a critical spirit, toward resentment, toward anger, toward worry, or toward despondency, Satan will use this crisis to leverage that against you. I, for one, can testify to all of those issues! As a leader, I should not ignore such realities in my life or in the lives of others; neither should I sugarcoat them. The reality is that we simply can’t speed through these issues. All of us need to take the time to mourn… and to mourn with those who mourn; in doing so it legitimizes their lament. It demonstrates not only sympathy (feeling compassion or sorrow for the hurts of others) but empathy (identifying with them in their hurt). When we share our own struggle and listen to the hurts of others, such validation allows for our hurting friends and loved ones to give vent to their pain and even their anger. It allows for individuals to pour out their hearts to God confident in the fact that He hears, understands, has tender regard for us in our weaknesses, and is there to provide comfort and help. Fortunately, we can take heart because we see these same feelings reflected by some of the greatest saints in the Bible. The people of God down through the ages have poured out their hearts to Him in such ways. Prophets such as Habakkuk and Jeremiah voiced their and confusion and frustration and were never rebuked for doing so.

Another example is King David. That “man after God’s own heart” certainly knew what it was to lament. Many of his psalms candidly articulate his pain. Take, for example, these words from Psalm 6: “I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping” (Ps. 6:6).

If you have a “bent” …….toward negativity, …,,,,,,,,.it will become a …,,greater temptation …,,,,,,…..,,during a crisis.

Or Psalm 13 where David cries out, How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Ps. 13:1-2)

As with other psalms of lament, David eventually gets to hope; but he begins by defining his current reality. And he does so with utter candor. People long for permission to do this. As a Christian all of us need to give ourselves permission to grieve; as your pastor I need to give others such permission and, indeed, even encourage it. However, just as there are pastors and leaders who will jump too rapidly to “giving hope,” there are others who will loiter for too long “defining reality.” Yes, there is grief. Yes, there is loss. Yes, there is pain. Yes, life is hard now. But if that is all we are left with, we will despair. We all long, even need, to hear that there is hope. Scripture tells us, “hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12). As Christians we must give that hope to one another.

Hope that this painful season will not last forever. Hope that they will in fact get through this. Hope that God is still on the throne. Hope that God is still working out His plans and fulfilling His purposes. And hope for a glorious world to come when there will be no more sin,

no more suffering, no more sickness, and no more death.

What is the balance of defining reality and giving hope? Like with many Christian disciplines, this is much more art than science. And in a global pandemic like this one, we should expect to continually toggle between the two. Meaning that our grieving is not going to be over when we offer others hope. And yet, even during intense moments of defining reality, we don’t grieve as those without hope. Be assured, we won’t always find the balance. But that’s okay. God understands. I found great comfort this week in a passage I had memorized years ago…funny how it takes on new meaning today: Psalm 27:13, 14 13I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD. Rather than wallowing in despair (and watching the news cycle, that’s an easy thing to do), I need to remember the eventually I will see God’s goodness. In the meantime, I wait. I remain strong in the midst of my weaknesses. I take courage. And I wait. Working through this day by day,