Well I have not written a blog in some time so let me jot down a few thoughts of how thankful I am for how God has blessed me here at Calvary.
First of all I would have everyone know that that I am thankful we have completed the remodel work on the sanctuary. We not only completed it, paid for it, but also had enough funds left to begin purchasing the needed sound/video system. The media team has purchased a new projector and computer for the new sound booth. I am excited that we may finally be able to buy some new speakers.
Let me tell you about my wish list for the church and school concerning the sound system. With all the school plays, concerts, and the church activities, it would be extremely helpful to have cordless microphones. They keep telling me that good ones are expensive but my God is able to provide above what we can expect.
I am also thankful this year for the growth we have seen both spiritually and numerically. With the huge increase in attendance and so many joining the church we have been in a revival type mode. I cannot remember a time when I have felt such a warm spirit in a church body. I sat and spoke to a new couple last night at the annual Thanksgiving banquet. They told me they had been all over town looking at churches. They said that here at Calvary they had found a loving, warm, welcoming, Christ centered group of people, or something like that. Anyhow it was very positive and uplifting to hear. Along those lines I could not help but be moved as one of our college age men stood and testified that at his ‘Bible College’ where he attends, that most of his class mates say they can not stand their home church. The reason broke my heart. He told that his peers were disillusioned by the lack of genuine Christianity in their home churches. That they came to Bible college only to find that their church had not prepared them. I was so proud of the testimony he gave concerning Calvary. That the folks here lived their faith and that they had prepared him by giving him a solid foundation built on the Word. I hope anyone who reads this and is looking for a church home such as ours will come and worship with us. We are not perfect but I am thankful that we strive to be like Christ in all we do.
I am thankful for the opportunity to lead the body into small groups starting at the first of the new year. I was very pleased with the small group training this past Saturday. We will be having sign-ups during the month of December.
I am thankful for my family. And especially for my wife, Priscilla. She is a constant help and prayer warrior. She gives of herself until she collapses as she did last night after we returned home from the Thanksgiving dinner. We had rose early on Saturday for the small group training and returned home late. Rose early on Sunday morning in order for her to prepare things for the children’s department to sort the Thanksgiving baskets we were to give out this week. She worked in our kitchen yesterday and last night at church. She helped cleaned up after the meal was over. Went home to a mess we had left after cooking and carving two of the turkeys for the dinner. I truly love my wife and am truly thankful for how she loves God first then how she loves me, and how she loves the members here at Calvary.
I am thankful for all the things in my life at this time. I have three children and two son-in-laws who are Christians,a fine grandson, good health, a place to call home, a car that goes down the road, good friends, many people who love me and support me with acts of kindness, and a wonderful church family. My prayer for all who read this blog is that God will become the center of your life in a way that will enrich you throughout this next year. Pastor Steve