WHERE DID THE SUMMER GO?

When I was in school, I always had mixed emotions about the month of August. It was still summer vacation, but seeing the back to school ads in the newspaper reminded me that my days of freedom were numbered. Summer was a precious commodity in Wyoming, and I didn’t want to see it end. When we flipped the calendar to August, I knew the best days of summer were still ahead, but the cold of winter was just around the corner.

August is time of gathering. For many farmers, it is time to begin gathering in the harvest. For families it is a time to gather together for one last picnic or outing before the kids head off for school. For our church family, it is a time of gathering back together after the camp outs, summer camps and vacations.

God has done some marvelous things this summer in our midst. If you missed the report of our M2M (Mission to Mexico) team, I would encourage you to connect with one of the members who went, and visit with them about their experience.

Our Children’s Ministry sent 9 children to summer camp this past month. And we saw a total of 68 kids at VBS. Many of them were new to Fourth Street. I believe God is at work in these children and in their family’s lives as a result.

We have received several resumes for our Youth Pastor position and are in the process of evaluating them. In the mean time, we have a great group of volunteers who continue to meet with our youth and continue to challenge them to grow in their faith. Please pray for God’s direction as we continue our search.

As we get ready to launch into another year of ministry, I look forward to where it is God will lead us. I believe that He has great plans for us in the year ahead. Plans that will stretch us and challenge us in ways we never thought of before.

I look forward to seeing you all as get back together.

Peace and Blessing – Pastor Mike

 

Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)

How Much Do You Care?

“If you care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it.”
— William James, psychologist and author

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS SUMMER?

Life is busy and summer seems to add to that. Here at Fourth Street, it’s no different. Sure we take a break from some of our regularly scheduled activities, but it doesn’t seem that it ever slows down around here. This summer is filled with things like camps and other special activities. And we could not do any of this without your help.

There are so many of you in our church family who volunteer, giving generously of your time, talents and treasures to serve us in many different ways. I want to thank all of you who have given so generously of your love.

The Bible tells us, “For you have been called to live in freedom—not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13, NLT) In this verse we see that to serving one another in love is not an option, rather it is a matter of obedience. Jesus said, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (Luke 11:28, NLT)

God has a purpose for each and every one of us. He created us and He has a plan for us. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV) This is something that we have studied several times, and I know that some of you would like to get involved, but you are just not sure of where or how you can best serve.

Let me offer you a very practical way to get involved this summer in the life of our church family where you will have an opportunity to make a difference. One of the biggest events we are undertaking again this summer is VBS (Vacation Bible School). The dates are from July 24 thru July 28, and there are all sorts of opportunities and a place for everyone who is willing to get involved. And you’ll have a lot of fun in the process. If you would like to know how you can help out please contact Mikki at the church office, 674-2229, or by email at manderson@fourthstreet.org.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Peace and Blessing,

Pastor Mike

SUMMER IS HERE!

One of my favorite people in the Bible is a man whose name we don’t even know. His story is in Mark 9. He came to Jesus and said, “Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

²³“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

 ²⁴The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:22b-24 NLT)

What I really like about this guy is his honesty before Jesus. He had heard and seen what Jesus could do; healing people with all sorts of illnesses and delivering them from the evil spirits that tormented them, and he held onto a hope that Jesus could help him as well.

In this story, Jesus tells us that “Anything is possible if a person believes.” And elsewhere He says, “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” (Matthew 17:20 NLT)

I want that kind of faith. I want all of us to have that kind of faith. I believe that this summer we will have many opportunities to grow in our faith, and to help others grow in their faith as well. That is why everything we do here at Fourth Street Church of God is to direct people towards a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.

Now a dynamic relationship is not static, you can’t stand still and stay where you are at and grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ. Your relationship with God needs to be constantly growing and moving forward; where you become more and more like Jesus every day.

This summer I want to challenge you to continue to keep up with the habits that will encourage your daily walk with the Lord. Continue to grow in your faith and become more like Jesus every day.

Peace and Blessing,

Pastor Mike

GOD IS GOOD

When Jesus fulfilled His promise and rose from the dead on that first Easter morning, He opened an unequaled door of opportunity for all people. He opened the door that enables us to have a personal relationship, a genuine friendship with God. He opened the door of hope. He opened the door to eternal life, and He has invited everyone to step through.

This month, on Easter Sunday, we have an opportunity, perhaps the largest opportunity in years to impact our family and friends lives with the good news of Jesus rising from the dead. God uses this time of year to draw people to himself in much larger numbers than any other time throughout the year. And as hard economic times are upon us, more and more people are searching for real hope. In their search, they are more open to spiritual answers than ever before.

I want to personally challenge you to take advantage of this door of opportunity that Easter provides to all of us, and encourage you to invite your un-churched friends and family members to come to church with you on Easter Sunday.

Jesus told us the reason came into the world. “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Luke 19:10 (NLT) All of us were lost at one time and someone cared enough to invest in us and invite us to meet the best friend anyone could ever have, Jesus Christ. This Easter is a great opportunity to do the same for someone else.

Our services on Easter Sunday, April 24^th, will be the same as our regular schedule, 8:30 and 10:00. Tell those you invite that the service will only be about 65 minutes long. And we will be starting a new series titled, “There Is Hope.” The message on Easter Sunday we will see that We Matter to God, and that He has a plan for us.

Together, let’s fast, pray and prepare for what God wants to do in us and through us as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and anticipate His return once again.

Peace and Blessing,

Pastor Mike

GIVE HOPE!

When Jesus fulfilled His promise and rose from the dead on that first Easter morning, He opened an unequaled door of opportunity for all people. He opened the door that enables us to have a personal relationship, a genuine friendship with God. He opened the door of hope. He opened the door to eternal life, and He has invited everyone to step through.

This month, on Easter Sunday, we have an opportunity, perhaps the largest opportunity in years to impact our family and friends lives with the good news of Jesus rising from the dead. God uses this time of year to draw people to himself in much larger numbers than any other time throughout the year. And as hard economic times are upon us, more and more people are searching for real hope. In their search, they are more open to spiritual answers than ever before.

I want to personally challenge you to take advantage of this door of opportunity that Easter provides to all of us, and encourage you to invite your un-churched friends and family members to come to church with you on Easter Sunday.

Jesus told us the reason came into the world. “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Luke 19:10 (NLT) All of us were lost at one time and someone cared enough to invest in us and invite us to meet the best friend anyone could ever have, Jesus Christ. This Easter is a great opportunity to do the same for someone else.

Our services on Easter Sunday, April 24^th, will be the same as our regular schedule, 8:30 and 10:00. Tell those you invite that the service will only be about 65 minutes long. And we will be starting a new series titled, “There Is Hope.” The message on Easter Sunday we will see that We Matter to God, and that He has a plan for us.

Together, let’s fast, pray and prepare for what God wants to do in us and through us as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and anticipate His return once again.

Peace and Blessing,

Pastor Mike