August 30 Sermon and Announcements

WHAT IS THE RIGHT WAY?

ACTS 15:1-35

 

As we continue looking at what was happening in the early church, we see that a debate arose. While the Jewish Christians were excited to hear the Gentiles had received the gospel, they believed there were some things the Gentiles needed to do. Paul and Barnabas had been led by the Holy Spirit to realize God had created a different plan for his church. What God had required the Jews to do had not truly saved anyone. It always depended on faith in God combined with frequent sacrifices to be made right with God in the past. Even then you had to do this over and over again to stay right with God.

 

Paul and Barnabas knew God had created a new plan when Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for everyone’s sins. The old requirements were no longer part of God’s plan. They, led by the Holy Spirit, talked to the leaders in Jerusalem and explained what God had revealed to them. The church leaders in Jerusalem agreed, as the Holy Spirit confirmed everything Paul and Barnabas said. They sent Paul and Barnabas on their way to different places of the Gentiles as stated in verses 22 and 23. They even sent Judas and Silas with them so there would be no question they were in agreement with what Paul and Barnabas had been saying. As I read of this dispute that had started in the early church, I could not help but think of some disagreements that occur in the church today. One of the biggest disagreements is over baptism. The Church of the Brethren believes immersion is what should be used. Other denominations sprinkle or at least something short of full immersion. Is one way more right than another? Some denominations that believe in baptism will not accept anyone’s baptism but their own seen by their own eyes. Does God believe this is something the church should be divided over?

 

My question is why do we cause disputes at times, that create unnecessary obstacles to receive God’s word with fellow believers?  The church at times will question the clothes we wear, the way we look, the things we say and do. While I believe God has clearly stated certain things should not be a part of a believer’s life, it is the Holy Spirit’s leading that helps us understand these things. Yes, we as a church should out of love, encourage one another. At times, even as God’s word says, “Speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

 

I have grown to appreciate the attitude of this congregation that allows us to reach out to God with a degree of personal freedom. While I believe there are certain areas there should be no compromise on, there are many other areas where there should be space given for the Holy Spirit to guide and direct. The church in Jerusalem listened to the Holy Spirit and gave the new Christians, who were Gentiles, space. May we in the church at Cerro Gordo always give the same respect to the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us. There continues to be turmoil and controversy in our nation and world. I believe God is calling the church to be healers to the broken and to those who feel helpless or forgotten. Those feeling this way are feeling this way for many different reasons. We should show God’s love and compassion for all who feel left out. There are those in this community that need to know God loves them and cares about what is going on in their lives. When we see a need for love and compassion, God is calling you and me to be available to bring hope, not condemnation. As we continue to seek God and his direction for our lives and our church, may we be like the church in Jerusalem. May we embrace one another out of love. May the message we send be like the one sent to the believers in Antioch.

 

May all who know God, recognize God’s hand on our lives as his representatives here in Cerro Gordo and beyond. That should be our passion and our goal, to encourage all to receive everything God has for us, leaving no one behind and never making things harder than they must be. May we capture the spirit of the early church having as our main desire to serve God to the best of our ability, to bring hope to the hopeless and God’s love and compassion to all who will be open and receive. 

Larry

Announcements:

 

Every Tuesday 9:30 Bible Study—beginning a study of Acts with Larry Solomon leading. All are invited to attend.

 

Sept 9 Board Meeting: 6:15 executive committee; 7:00 commissions; 7:30 board meets together

 

A monthly newsletter will start in September. Please give Carol any news or articles you would like to have in it by Sept 1.

 

No Women’s Fellowship in September.

 

New Upper Room and Daily Bread issues are available.

 

Please place your offering in the plates at the back of the sanctuary or mail in to PO Box 45, Cerro Gordo.

 

Thank you for wearing masks and helping contain the spread of the virus. Extra masks are at the back of the sanctuary if you don’t have one. Remember: the cloth masks are washable.

 

Donation Box: AC bills

 

--Don’t forget to check mailboxes.

 

Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362

 

To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:

Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by clicking link on left side of page.

District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link)

Our pages: cerrogordocob.com (printed sermon, announcements, & calendar) and on facebook

 

 

Keep in Your Prayers

Evelyn Eads; Mike Gentry; Anna Gentry Thompson; Junior and Evelyn Traxler; Larry Cripe; Arnold Schultz; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Barb Baker; Kim Lehmann; Dylan Junior; Doug Fansler; Liam Martina; Jeff Sawyer; Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Gary Jesse; Norm & Marge Starr; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo Hanaver; Zola Copeland and family; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 180,000+ people who have died from COVID-19; the unemployed; school teachers, staff, and students

 

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

Our Mission Statement:

Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.

August 16 Sermon and Announcements

 

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

MATTHEW 6:16-18

 

Last Sunday we saw that Paul and Barnabas were sent out by their Christian brothers and sisters to take the gospel to the Gentiles. We saw that after they had been praying and fasting about what they should do next, that is when the Holy Spirit led them to go to Cyprus. It was only after they had prayed and fasted before God that they felt led to go. Last Sunday I said we would possibly look at this more today and that is what we are going to do. I am pretty sure most all of us in our own way pray on a regular basis to God as we feel led, but I wonder how many have felt led to use fasting as a way to find peace or answers to big problems or questions we have?  I do not want you to raise your hands or anything like that, but how many have or do use fasting as a way to seek God? In the verses we read this morning, we see Jesus said not “if you fast” but “when you fast.” Jesus clearly believed it would be part of what God’s people would do as they would seek God’s wisdom and answers to things we would deal with during our lives. In the Bible, fasting is mentioned over 70 times in scripture, so clearly it is something that is mentioned more than a little in the Bible. By the same token, prayer or praying is mentioned almost 400 times in scripture, so obviously the prayer life of God’s people is emphasized far more than the need for fasting. So, what should we in the church today do? I will ask again and do not want you to truly signal, but how many of you have done fasting in the past? For those of you who have, and maybe it is all of you, why did you do it?

 

I will admit I fasted on especially one occasion, but it was a long time ago. In fact, it was when I was doing the 3-year course (with Mary Jessup from Decatur Church of the Brethren) to grow spiritually that I felt led to do this. I was hauling to St. Louis a week at a time, leaving on Monday and coming home on Friday. The Lord led me to seek answers to what the Lord would want me to do and I felt led to fast for three days. For me, the most difficult day was the first day. I believe if we commit to fasting, there should be a real purpose for it. Why would we fast? What is the purpose of it? As we read in Acts 13 last week, the apostles were looking for direction. There is a reference to prayer and fasting in Mark 9 regarding a boy who is said to have an evil spirit living in him. We see in both Acts and Mark there is a specific purpose for fasting.

 

So once again, what about us in the church today? Does God want and expect us to use fasting now? To go back to our scripture in Matthew, Jesus clearly says “when you fast” not “if you fast.” I cannot speak for anyone here, maybe all of you have had fasting as part of your relationship with the Lord. I, however, must admit I have not used fasting for a long time. While I believe the Lord wants us to use fasting, no one should fast because a minister, a Sunday school teacher, a wife, a husband, a son, a daughter, or anyone else says you should. Each person should only do things as the Lord through the Holy Spirit directs them. That being said, what has this congregation been doing in regard to prayer and fasting? If that has not been part of our walk with the Lord at all, maybe that is what is holding us back. Maybe as individual Christians and as the church, we need to commit to seeking the Lord on a more regular basis with both prayer and fasting. Fasting is not like giving up something for Lent. It is not a diet plan, although the Lord may use it to help us keep our bodies more in check. I am convinced fasting is most effective when used to seek specific answers to questions or problems we just cannot seem to get a handle on.

 

I believe God sees a determined focus by his people to seek his guidance, wisdom, and our understanding, and it mobilizes God’s power in ways that simply will not happen otherwise.  In Mark 9, Jesus told his disciples you will only find this answer through prayer and fasting. Is God going to beat us over the head if we do not fast? Of course not! However, I believe fasting is one more tool the Lord has given his people to win battles over Satan in a variety of ways and situations. Fasting is not a one size fits all thing either. The Lord may lead you to fast for one meal, one day or maybe more. It may not even be about food. The Lord may direct you to purposely give up something else that you either enjoy or feel is important to you for a period of time. There should be a plan, though, to use the time you would normally use for that activity to seek direction or answers from the Lord for whatever it may be. We should never do any spiritual activity just for the sake of doing it or because someone told us we should. As is true of everything, our relationship with the Lord is a personal journey. Yes, the church should be an important part of our journey, yet it still comes down to us individually and the Lord, which leads us back to what the sermon title asks—WHAT SHOULD WE DO? The answer is –whatever the Holy Spirit leads us to do. God only wants the best for us. Part of that is the strongest, deepest relationship we can have with God, using everything he puts at our disposal is always going to be in our best interest. For those of us who have fasted in the past, did we see answers or direction we were seeking? If the Lord is leading you to fast again, maybe we should consider partnering with others to seek answers for our lives or for our church. All God is asking us to do is seek him with all our hearts. Gods wants to help us face whatever challenges we face. He just wants to remind us to use everything he has made available to us. We will find victory when we use those tools God has provided us.

Announcements:

 

Every Tuesday 9:30 Bible Study

Please do not bring any more donations for the Kentucky Mountain Mission. This fall’s trip is cancelled and there is no room for more items. We will let you know when donations can be taken again.

A monthly newsletter will start in September. Please give Carol any news or articles you would like to have in it by Sept 1.

Women’s Fellowship is collecting monetary donations for health kits. $15 will buy a kit through Church World Service. If you have already put together some kits, bring them to church and we will mail them. Donations will be collected through the month of August. Give donations to Carol or Nancy F.

Kevin Kessler is retiring as our District Executive on Dec. 31.

Please place your offering in the plates at the back of the sanctuary.

Thank you for wearing masks and helping contain the spread of the virus. Extra masks are at the back of the sanctuary if you don’t have one. Remember: the cloth masks are washable.

Donation Box: AC bills

Don’t forget to check mailboxes.

Pastor Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362

Larry and Cathy’s address: 2642 CR 600 E, Lovington, IL 61937

To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:

Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by clicking link on left side of page.

District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link)

Our pages: cerrogordocob.com (printed sermon, announcements, & calendar) and on facebook

 

Keep in Your Prayers

Evelyn Eads; Mike Gentry; Anna Gentry Thompson; Junior and Evelyn Traxler; Larry Cripe; Arnold Schultz; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Barb Baker; Kim Lehmann; Dylan Junior; Doug Fansler; Liam Martina; Jeff Sawyer; Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Gary Jesse; Norm & Marge Starr; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo Hanaver; Zola Copeland and family; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 170,000+ people who have died from COVID-19; the unemployed; school teachers, staff, and students

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

Our Mission Statement:

Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.

August 9 Sermon and Announcements

Our congregation is pleased to announce that we have called Larry Traxler as our pastor.

We are looking forward to working with Larry as we minister to the community.

GO TO THE PEOPLE!

ACTS 13:26-49

The continuing growth of the church and its spread throughout the region now shifts to the direction of Paul and Barnabas. Although we did not read that verse, Saul begins to be called Paul starting in verse 9 of chapter 13. These two men are the first to be sent out with a specific mission to take the message to the Gentiles. While Gentiles heard and received the message of Christ in earlier chapters, we read in Acts 13 today that the message is now going to them with real purpose. These two men give such an incredible sermon to those who are listening. As I read it this morning, I can still feel the power of this particular message all these years later. Once the Gentiles heard this message and knew they were now included with no strings attached, it is hard to imagine how they felt. For centuries they had been treated by the Jews as outcasts unworthy of God’s message. Now it is just as available to them as to anyone else. God’s message of salvation and redemption is really for us, they might have been saying to one another. How incredible it had to make them feel.

 

In the world we live in today we face many obstacles. Sadly, belief in God is under attack from many different directions. Unlike the Gentiles that were not worthy or God’s message for so long, we have different challenges in our world today. They were hungry for the opportunity to be included in God’s plan of salvation. However, more and more people in this nation and around the world do not believe there is a God and if there is one, they believe he doesn’t really care. These are the things that challenge those of us who not only believe but more precisely know there is a God. So, the challenge for us is how do we get the message of salvation and redemption to make sense to a world that needs this message more than ever? We must find a way to have the passion and purpose Paul and Barnabas showed to those they spoke to.

 

In verse 44, we read how after the message Paul and Barnabas had delivered the previous Sunday, the WHOLE city came out to hear them. We also read, though, not quite everyone was excited about the message. The Jewish leaders were badmouthing Paul and Barnabas every way they could, but we see it did not stop them. They even pointed out that they first took the message to the Jews but when YOU rejected it, they went to the Gentiles. What exciting and challenging times they lived in. For multiple reasons, we live in equally challenging and yes, in many ways, exciting times as well.

 

In the verses we read for our call to worship in Acts 13:1-3, we see Paul and Barnabas began this journey with prayer and fasting. I have heard more and more pastors recently challenging their congregations to pray and fast for this nation and the world. In our world today, is this how God wants his church to ignite the fire that may change our town, our county, our state, our nation, our world? Are we serious about seeing those in Cerro Gordo and surrounding areas come to a better, stronger relationship with God that can change hearts and minds? What are you and I willing to do to be used by God to see this happen? When I read about Paul and Barnabas and how powerful their message was and how it was received, I wonder, can that happen right here in our community and our nation today? This is what is before us, to find ways for God to use us in ways maybe we haven’t done before. The way we begin is to continue to show love to one another as we read in John 13:35. Not only those in the church but share that love everywhere we can. It can be difficult, not everyone is ready to receive God’s love through us. We must keep hanging in there and be persistent, just like the widow we talked about last week. We may be called to be more focused personally. God may want us to do what Paul and Barnabas did—not only pray but also fast. The prayer and fasting must be targeted, though, with a purpose. We may look at that a little more next week.

 

God wants us to be honest and real, recognizing our shortcomings as well as our strengths but as important as anything else is a willingness to say to God, “Here I am, use me.” I know many of you have done many things for this church and in the community for years and for that I say, “Thank you.” In whatever ways we can, though, God still needs us. Our message title today is “Go to the people.” God still needs some good men and women to make themselves available. May God show each one of us what we can do to help change our world, starting right here. God does not want you to do more than you can do, but he wants us to do everything we are ready and able to do. 

Larry

Announcements

 August: We will worship in the sanctuary at 10:00 for those who feel comfortable coming. Physical distancing must be maintained and the wearing of face masks, please. We will also continue the facebook live service for those who wish to stay home. Adult Sunday School is at 9:00.

 Every Tuesday: Bible Study 9:30

August 12, 7:00 p.m.: Executive Committee

Please do not bring any more donations for Kentucky Mountain Mission. This fall's trip is cancelled and there is no room for any more donations. We will let you know when we can start collecting again.

 NO Women’s Fellowship meeting in August. We were going to collect supplies for health kits, but in view of our circumstances right now, the co-presidents decided it would be more feasible to collect monetary donations from our women/congregation toward making them. We will send these donations to Church World Service which can then purchase the supplies for the kits themselves. The kits are always made on behalf of CWS and shipped out from our own Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, MD. $15 will purchase a kit; please give your donation to Kathy Gentry, Carol Kussart, or Nancy Fansler by the end of August. If you are writing a check, make it out to Women’s Fellowship.

 

Offerings are collected in the back of the sanctuary. We are thankful to all who are faithful in bringing them or mailing them. (PO Box 45)

Please remember to lock the doors when you are the last one to leave the church. We have found unlocked doors on occasion in the past month or so.

If you have copier issues, please let Carol know.

Masks are still available at the back of the sanctuary if you need one. Remember that the cloth masks are washable.

 

Upper Room and Daily Bread: issues available in the back of the sanctuary

 

**************************

 

First Sunday of the month: Food Banks

Food needs: boxes of cereal, boxes of prepared foods, such as soups, potatoes, rice, mac & cheese, peanut butter, jelly. NOTE: The Lord’s Storehouse can particularly use peanut butter and jelly. They are hard to come by for them and jelly is expensive for them to purchase.

Donation Box July and August: AC bills

Keep up on denominational happenings at www.brethren.org and district at www.iwdcob.org

 

Larry Traxler’s phone number: 217-454-2362   

 

Our district disaster services coordinator, Loren Habegger, has recently provided the following notice for the next disaster ministries service opportunity: 

Our district is scheduled to provide 8-10 volunteers for a new rebuild project near Dayton, Ohio, the week of November 29 through December 5, 2020. We anticipate that this location closer to the District will encourage potential volunteers that were somewhat reluctant to make a trip to previous more distant project sites such as in North Carolina.  The volunteer assignment will again be shared with South/Central Indiana.

If you, or members or friends in your congregation think serving on the Ohio project this winter is a possibility, please contact me as soon as possible. If you have questions/concerns regarding volunteering, BDM leadership is wanting to help in any way they can and has taken many steps to ensure that the health & safety of volunteers is a priority during the pandemic. -Loren Habegger

Ilwi.ddc.lh@gmail.com 

 

 

Keep in Your Prayers

Evelyn Eads; Anna Gentry Thompson; Mike Gentry; Larry Cripe; Arnold Schultz; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Barb Baker; Kim Lehmann; Dylan Junior; Doug Fansler; Liam Martina; Jeff Sawyer; Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Gary Jesse; Norm & Marge Starr; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo Hanaver; Zola Copeland and family; Jennifer Like; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 156,000+ people who have died from COVID-19; the unemployed; the family of Ali Bryant; teachers, staff, and students as school starts up again

 

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 2 Sermon and Announcements

I apologize for not getting this sermon on the web site Monday morning. I have been gone a few days.

August 2, 2020

 

I DON’T BELIEVE IT!

ACTS 12:1-19

We see that God is moving in a powerful way through the apostles. Today we read, however, a mixture of how things are going in the early church. King Herod is playing politics with the Jews. He sees that arresting these Christians, even having some put to death as was the case with James, is making the Jewish establishment happy. These early Christians do not have any clout with Herod so persecuting the Christians for the Jews seemingly is strengthening his position in this area. So, this is what is now going on. Even though the Church is gaining strength, they are also seeing continual persecution, which leads us to what happened to Peter. Herod, I am sure, knew Peter was one of the original followers of Jesus, which made him a valuable person to arrest in the eyes of the Jews. However, it was time for Passover at the time of his arrest. No official business could happen in the Jewish province until after the Passover, so Peter was simply put in jail at this time. While in jail awaiting his trial, members of the church, who knew he had been arrested, are praying for him. The day before his trial, an angel comes during the night and wakes Peter up. We read that he is being well guarded. Herod does not want anyone helping him to escape. We read that four squads of guards were used to make sure he did not escape. We see though Peter, once awake, saw the chains that had secured him fell off. The angel and Peter then proceeded to walk past all the guards who were supposed to make sure he went nowhere. They ultimately came to the iron gate that was locked at the entrance of the prison and it opened all by itself for them. As they continued walking into the city, Peter looked to talk to the angel who had led his escape, but the angel was gone. Peter was convinced at first that he was dreaming, that he was just seeing what he wanted to happen, but it was not real. However, once on the street all alone, he decided it must be real, an angel of God really helped him to escape.

 

As I read this, I found myself thinking of dreams I have had in the past. In all honesty, I do not often have dreams that I do remember but every once in a while I will find myself in the midst of a dream and during the dream itself I have found myself wondering if I was in fact dreaming. My dream seemed so real and often I would wake up just before I would see how things were going to turn out. When I did then wake up, I would find myself wondering how things might have turned out.

 

I cannot help but think this is what Peter at first thought was going on. He might have been saying, “This must be a dream. It cannot be real. Things like this just do not happen.” However, amazingly he found out it was not a dream. It was in fact real. He then immediately went to the place where he knew many Christians would go to be together to pray. We read earlier in these verses once the Church realized Peter had been arrested, they began praying for him. When Peter knocked on the door, they immediately opened the door and welcomed him in, knowing their prayers had been answered, right? The fact is that the girl who went to see who was knocking was so surprised she did not even open the door to let him in. I am sure they were keeping the doors locked knowing King Herod was looking for Christians to arrest. Peter kept knocking and finally they let him in. Now their reaction was to tell Peter and to say to one another, “We knew God would answer our prayers and set you free.” Is that what they said? No! Basically, they said, “I don’t believe it.” Despite the fact this is what they had been praying for, when the answer was standing right in front of them, they could not believe it. How often have we seen some similar answers to prayer and were amazed when they actually were answered?

 

As I thought about this very thing, I was reminded of a story a minister of the word I heard early in my walk with the Lord told. His name is Anthony Campolo. He was a guest speaker at one of the annual conferences that Cathy and I attended for The Church of the Brethren. In this story, he received a call from a friend or family about his dad. Anthony was apparently speaking somewhere away from where his dad was. Right before his dad passed away, his father accepted the Lord as his Savior. Anthony had been praying for years for his dad to come to Christ, but it had not happened. When he got the mixed news that his dad had passed away and had received Jesus as his Savior, what do you believe Anthony’s response was? Did he say, “I knew it would happen!” or “I knew God would answer our prayers.” No, this tremendous man of God, this man of faith said, “I don’t believe it!” How often do we miss the full blessing God has for us because we fail to accept and recognize what God is doing? I am convinced there are prayers being answered every day. Sometimes we get frustrated to the point of giving up on our prayers, because we do not see an immediate answer.

 

Peter and the Church on this occasion saw an almost immediate answer because it was necessary, but sometimes we need to be like the persistent widow who just kept asking and believing. God is still in the business of answering prayers. It is up to us to recognize the answer when it comes and give the proper praise and glory to the Lord he deserves. May we get better at saying, “Thank you God for your faithfulness!” instead of saying “I don’t believe it!”

Larry

Announcements

Every Tuesday 9:30 Bible Study

August 9: Special Council Meeting after worship

August 12: 7:00 Executive Committee

 

Women’s Fellowship is collecting monetary donations for health kits. $15 will buy a kit through Church World Service. If you have already put together some kits, bring them to church and we will mail them. Donations will be collected through the month of August. Give donations to Kathy, Carol, or Nancy F.

 

Please place your offering in the plates at the back of the sanctuary.

 

Thank you for wearing masks and helping contain the spread of the virus. Extra masks are at the back of the sanctuary if you don’t have one. Remember: these masks are washable.

 

Pick up your copies of the Daily Bread and Upper Room.

 

First Sunday of the month: Food Banks

Lord’s Storehouse has particular need of peanut butter and jelly

 

Donation Box: AC bills

 

--Don’t forget to check mailboxes.

 

To keep up on Church of the Brethren news:

Denomination: www.brethren.org/news Sign up for Newsline by clicking link on left side of page.

District: iwdcob.org (click on newsletter link)

 

Larry Traxler- (217) 454-2362

 

Keep in Your Prayers

Mike Gentry; Anna Gentry Thompson; Junior Traxler; Larry Cripe; Arnold Schultz; Clyde and Nancy Fansler; Adiline Young; Barb Baker; Kim Lehmann; Dylan Junior; Doug Fansler; Liam Martina; the family of Ali Bryant; Jeff Sawyer; Liza Yore; Candy Dobson; Anna Rose Larrick; Gary Jesse; Norm & Marge Starr; Shawn Cain; Robert Cripe; Mayo Hanaver; Zola Copeland and family; Jennifer Like; Patty Cripe; Lauren Gross; Stacie Warren; Nancy Gorrell; many unspoken requests; Coronavirus crisis; healthcare workers and first responders; the families of the 152,000+ people who have died from COVID-19; the unemployed

 

Military and Other Services and their families

Brethren Volunteer Service workers; Disaster project workers

Our Mission Statement:

Love God, grow with others, serve faithfully, reach the lost, find peace.