The Pastor's Blog
Welcome to The Pastor's Blog! We will present Rev. Ferguson's month messages on this page as they appear in The Meadowlark. All visitors are able to read his messages. Registered users may log in and respond or comment on the entries. Click the "Reply" link at the end of each entry to respond or comment on that entry. We suggest that your "Preview" your posting prior to submitting.
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Dear members and friends,
Now that Memorial Day has passed and summer has begun we would do well to remember a few things. One has to do with our attendance at worship. Of course the summer weather and the end of school for most necessarily means a change of family schedules. The church schedule also changes. Beginning with June 27, we will go from two services to one service that will be held at 10:00 a.m. As we did last year we will be alternating traditional worship and praise services, beginning with praise on the 27th. Sunday School will be held during the summer with the children being dismissed from worship at about 10:15 to go to what we think will be a fun and nurturing program for them. Celia Cummins will lead Summer Sunday School using a curriculum called The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss by Rev. James W. Kemp. Celia writes:
Come one, Come all,
We're going to have a ball!
Reading the stories of Dr. Seuss to please us,
And learning the lessons of Our Savior Jesus.
We'll read, talk, laugh, and have fun,
Being with our friends and following The Son!
It will all happen in the Double Classroom in the education wing. Everyone welcome K-6th grade.
The Christian’s need to worship God and to have Christian education doesn't take time off during the summer. Obviously our schedules have an impact on what we do and where we are but it is important that we give priority to our commitments to God. For the person of faith these ought not to be optional, to be tended to if and when it is convenient. Bearing the cross of Christ is not a matter of convenience but of obedience. Beyond that, we need the ongoing fellowship of being with our church family. Grace Imatha, a Bible teacher at our Annual Conference a few years ago, said, “I am a follower of Jesus because I am free from my time and culture.” What she meant was that, as a result of being a Christian, we are not bound by the influence of the world around us. That includes prioritizing our resources of time, talent, and treasure.
In addition, it is vital that we maintain our giving during the summer. Traditionally, the church experiences a cash flow problem because even though the bills remain constant the giving tends to drop off. In this year when we are trying to eliminate the mortgage, it is important that we not lose ground before September. We hope that you'll be here on a regular basis because that's the most important thing, but when you're not here be sure to keep your giving current. We are making good progress in eliminating the mortgage, but we don't want to fall behind with regard to the budget.
Please keep the Annual Conference in your prayers as laity and clergy travel to Valley Forge June 3 to 5 to worship, tend to the business of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference, ordain and commission new pastors and deacons, and set the course for the GNJAC for 2011 and beyond.
I pray you will have a blessed summer and that we will see you each week (that you’re not on vacation).
Grace and Peace, Glenn Fergson
