The rain just keeps on coming, but I’m thankful that it didn’t stop us from coming to church last Sunday. Linda encouraged us to find better ways to help each other and others in need and urged us to explore the gifts that God has given us. Pastor David showed us that we can find joy in the lord despite the suffering that comes to us. God didn’t promise us a life of ease, but He did promise to be with us.

This Sunday, Linda will lead us as we honor Jerry Patton, who passed on a couple of weeks ago. We are hoping that some of his family may join us. We only knew him for a short time, but he will be missed. One would think our church as seen more than its share of grief. Between us Linda and I counted eleven people whom are part of the church or related to our members in some way who have gone Home just since we have been a part of it, and those are just the ones we are aware of. I didn’t include our own friends and family in that number. It would be more than twice that. Death is a part of life on this earth, and because of the nature of our congregation, we are seeing more of it than most.

Why then are we not broken? Yes, we miss our friends and family. We grieve, but we do not do so without hope. That is the message I want to bring to you this Sunday. If we have our hope in Jesus, we know that our separation is only temporary. Our loved ones have only gone before us like immigrants to a new and much better country. When our time comes, we will join them there. We will rejoice together like never before, because we will not only see each other again, we will all see Jesus! Join me this Sunday as we remember the hope we have in Him.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)

In His love,

Larry & Linda