SPOTLIGHTS
Pastor's Message
November 2019
Jolene was only 8 years old and lived with family in the country with her parents and brother. Consequently, they did not often have visitors from the city. One day, Jolene's mother said that father was bringing two guests home for Thanksgiving supper. After they had enjoyed the turkey, Jolene went to the kitchen to help her mother, and proudly brought in the first piece of pumpkin pie and gave it to her father. He then passed the plate to a guest. When Jolene came in with the second piece and gave it to her father, he again gave it to a guest. This was too much for Little Jolene, who blurted out, "It's no use, Daddy. The pieces are all the same size." Recently, James Wade's devotional talked about the parable of the vineyard workers in Mathew 20. I used this excellent illustration to teach him about God's fairness, generosity, and grace. This parable is worthy of our attention at this time of year. It is a wonderful reminder to be thankful for our relationship with God -- the access we have to Him because of Jesus Christ. And, whether you accept that in your heart as a young child or senior adult, as long as it is a genuine feeling, we all get the same size piece of the Kingdom of Heaven pie prepared for us!
God's Blessings, Rev. Russell Williams
October 2019
♪♪ Getting to know you, getting to know all about you ♪♪
♪♪ Getting to like you, getting to hope you like me ♪♪
(Please forgive me if that song is now stuck in your head.) Whichever version of the song you prefer (whether from the movie or Julie Andrews' version from the 90's), its chorus sings exactly my intentions for the next year with you as your pastor. My favorite part of the ministry is visiting with members of the congregation. To be welcomed into your home or just be welcomed into your daily agenda means a lot to me. It doesn't just mean a lot, it helps me tremendously to be the best pastor I can be for you. As your pastor, I want to walk with you along your spiritual journey. I want to be there with you, rejoicing over a prayer of praise. And, I feel called to be there with you when you are voicing a prayer of lament. Wherever your journey with God takes you, my hope is to be an adequate shepherd to guide you along the way. All that said, don't be surprised to receive a call from Janet or me to set up a visit soon. My goal is to get to know every one of you, so I'm hoping to take some time each week to visit our church members. I am happy to visit you at your home, entertain you in my office (you'll get to sit in my $6 comfy, colorful chair!) or meet for lunch. Wherever and whenever we can get together will offer me a blessing as your pastor. I look forward to getting to know you and getting to like you. Hopefully, you'll like me, too!
God’s Blessings, Pastor Russ Williams
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