Weekly Note from Pastor Allan
September 22, 2023
Friends,
It has been a full week! I really enjoyed my time at the CBF Virginia meeting on Tuesday in Richmond. Much of the day was focused on the theme of “Heaven On Earth”. How do we support the mission of God to bring heaven on earth? What can we be doing in our own churches and our own communities to serve the kingdom of God? It was a day filled with workshops, sharing stories about the presence of God in our state, and fellowship with friends new and old. Thank you to those from the MBC congregation who also made the trip to Richmond to participate.
I am also in NC as I type. I was invited to serve on an alumni council at the divinity school I attended, and I participated in meetings all day yesterday, discussing how we, as alumni, could support theological education. Personally, I enjoy mentoring young students and helping them transition from the classroom to ministry roles. Today is an “Alumni Day” filled with workshops, lectures, and worship with school professors.
But have no fear! The meetings end today and I will return home this afternoon. I look forward to being with you on Sunday morning in worship. Having just completed a series on Paul’s letter to the Romans, we are going to look at Paul’s letter to the Philippians over the next 4 weeks. While it is still a letter of Paul, it is a much different letter than the letter to the Romans. In Philippians, Paul is writing from prison, yet he maintains a servant heart in supporting the church at Philippi. Regardless of his circumstances, Paul is faithful in his service to the mission of God. This is a major theme of the letter.
The scripture for Sunday is Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30. The title of the sermon is “From Prison With Love”. We will look at selected verses from each chapter over the next four weeks.
We continue to be busy as a congregation! Remember that Sunday, October 1 is Homecoming. We are moving through fall quickly and preparing for the holidays. More information about mission projects and church activities, such as Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxes and Trunk or Treat, will be shared in the bulletin and during the announcements on Sunday morning.
Blessings,
Allan
