Snow Hill News Blog

Wednesdays Are for Others - Back to Normal Summer Schedule

Last week we adjusted our Wednesdays Are for Others schedule to accommodate Vacation Bible School. This week we are back to normal. Our dinner for those we serve from week to week begins at 5:30 p.m. and the Food Pantry opens at 6:00 p.m.

Our Youth will meet for Inbtween at 7:00 p.m.

Celebrate Communion

Sunday we will celebrate the Lord's Supper, Communion. In preparation you may want to read John 6:24-35. You will notice the text contains one of the "I am" statements of Jesus - "I am the bread of life."

Psalm for the Week

The texts for this coming Sunday point to the ongoing saga of King David and his abuse of power to take Bathsheba and then have Uriah murdered. Challenged about his abuse of power as God's regal representative, David pens a Psalm of repentance.

Take some time this week to read Psalm 51.

Thank You Bob!

Here is Pastor Todd's weekly email about our collective "Thank you" to Bob Johnson.

Time. It can get away from you. Sometimes we cannot find enough of it. Occasionally we have too much on our hands.
 
Jesus remarked to the disciples on one occasion he must be busy about his work while it was day - while the time was good. My friend Ed Stetzer, President of Lifeway Research, recently commented, "One of the greatest sins in the church is we have made it ok to sit and do nothing and call yourself a Christ-follower." Much of what Jesus pointed toward and Ed noted pointedly concerns what we do with our time.
 
It is at this point one expects a pastor to suggest some are not spending enough time in church. Certainly I believe we have missed the point of "gathering." Rather than to get noticed for being in attendance, the writer of Hebrews suggested the "assembling" together is for mutual encouragement to love and good deeds. No one could argue this can be done "outside" of church. The question is never "can it", the issue to ask, "is it." Too often we have asked the question of necessity rather than the question of action. But, really that is not the point of considering what we do with our time.
 
You see, I think we will be scrutinized more for what we do "away" from church. Jesus' ministry was not "in" the Temple. Ed's point is not about volunteering for the next announced vacancy in the organizational chart. No, the matter is really about what are you doing with the time you have living in the reality of the Kingdom of God. Has your imagination caught hold of the mission of God in the world? Carrying on the work of Jesus may be done just as Jesus did it. Not with special nights dedicated to service, but with a life lived in service to those around them.

Learning to Follow, Worship, and Live for Jesus

We continue to enjoy a great week investing in the young people in our community. Learning from the Bible what it means to follow, worship and live for Jesus means getting on the floor.

When we "get in the floor" we are engaging the subject and not just observing from a distance. Randy and Michelle create space for the young people to "put themselves into learning."

Vacation Bible School Begins

Sunday evening, July 19, we will travel the Boomerang Express with children from our community. Exploring God's love and what it means to trust and follow Jesus will the feature of the week. Our children always enjoy helping others and have done so in a variety of ways over the years.

This year their gifts will support projects at Casa Bernabe in Guatemala. Toni Steere, who we help support, serves the needs of children looking for refuge at Casa Bernabe. We will share in a live conversation with Toni on Tuesday evening.

If you are in the area, plan to bring your children for a great week, Sunday evening through Thursday evening.

Psalms for the Week

Consider reading, reflecting and commenting on Psalm 23 and Psalm 89.

Thank You, You Preached Well

Fifteen years ago, July 18, Patty, me, and the girls began our journey as the "Pastor's Family" at Snow Hill. My pastor growing up, Brother Justice, eschewed surprises. He liked to know what was coming and going on. My mentor, Dr. Rick Davis, taught that it was a good idea to keep abreast of things. Surprises can sometimes go south on you. Not so here.

Yesterday, you surprised us. The ploy was not to cover an unprepared pastor. Instead, you preached the message. While many of the words spoken directed attention to some aspect of our time at Snow Hill, the underlying theme for me was the kind of relationship the Apostle Paul described in a number of places in the Scriptures - a loving, growing, mutual relationship of integrity and respect founded on the response to the love of God in Jesus, the Christ and the activity of the Spirit in the life of the Church.

Patty and I will look forward to our trip. The time away will be fun. New places are always intriguing and exciting. We are different because of our time together and the love we share with you.

Thank you Snow Hill.
We still thank God for allowing us to serve with you in the greatest church in the Country.

Pastor Todd and Patty

The Plumbline and the Platter

If you are reading the texts for this coming Sunday, consider spending a extra time with Amos 7:7-15 and Mark 6:14-29. Look for the relationship.

Congratulations Jonathan!

We received word here in the office that Jonathan passed his exams and is a "Fifth Year Med Student." Read "Final Year" medical student. You can read the story here.