Happy Friday church family!

As we look forward to a weekend of celebration and thanksgiving for God granting us 100 years as a church family, I am reminded of two particular events in scripture – the dedication of Solomon’s temple in 1 Kings and the rededication of Israel to God in Nehemiah.

In 1 Kings, Solomon dedicated the completion of the temple by highlighting what God had done – His faithfulness and goodness. Solomon’s prayer focused on the perseverance of the people in their faith, acknowledging that everyone will fail and fall at some point – “there is no one that does not sin” – and asking God’s grace in the redemption and restoration of His people when they do fall.

In Nehemiah, we read of just that: the restoration of the nation of Israel to its home and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple. Once the walls were rebuilt, Israel celebrated with a great ceremony. It began with a reading of the Word of God and was followed with a mixture of mourning in repentance and great celebration of music and feasting.

This weekend as we celebrate, we acknowledge that over this time, we have at times failed as well and we ask for God’s forgiveness. Let us pray for the years ahead of us that God would lead us to effectively share the Good News with our community and that we would follow Him as we ought!

-- In faith, Pastor Eric

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:4-7 ESV