August was hard for many in our congregation. We held Celebration of Life services for three people who have loved ones in our church family. While the services are over, we still need to continue to pray for the families of Ruth Spooner, Lillian Knight, and Elaine Smith as they learn to live with the changes that come once a loved one’is reunited with our Heavenly Father.
As for the life of the church, we have had a recent change to take place. Since March 2015, Levi Evans has served as Youth Coordinator. On August 24, 2018, Levi resigned from this position. Fortunately for him and his family, Levi received a promotion at his full-time job a few months back. Unfortunately for us, that promotion requires more of his time. Therefore, he felt it was in the best interest of the children and youth to resign as Youth Coordinator. When you see Levi or Mindy, please thank them for the time they devoted during his time in this position.
In addition to these changes, we have joined with Flora Presbyterian Church for Oasis. Oasis is a youth ministry for ages Kindergarten through 12 grade that has been running for seventeen years. We are excited to provide this opportunity for the youth of FCC and Flora. This will be a time of growing in Christ and in fellowship with other believers in the community.
All of these changes have reminded me of a scripture that is often shared during funerals but applies to all aspects of life … as individuals and as a church … Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot” (v. 1-2).
We have experienced “a time to die” in the life of the church more than we have wanted during the month of August. We have experienced “a time to uproot” with the change in the Youth Coordinator position. And we are taking part in “a time to plant” as we begin working more in-depth with our young people through Oasis,
In all these things, remember verse 11:
- “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
None of us know what will come from what has happened this past month. None of us “can fathom what God” has done before or what God is doing now. But, there is one thing that I can promise you – in His time everything will be made beautiful. Through it all, we rely on Him, we trust where He is leading, and we follow obediently.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Kim