So much has happened in September

So much has happened in September…

We began the month with our Associational service at the MAPS museum. What a powerful day of unity and celebration. The combined worship team, including our own worship leader, Mike Lazar, was incredible, the venue was captivating, and the message was powerful. Rev Mark Click spoke from Isaiah 40 and encouraged us to soar on wings like eagles.

On September 14^th, we had Back to Church Sunday, and we were blown away by our attendance and participation that Sunday. The music was perfect, including our choir and a full worship team. Ken Killian and our members provided our lunch. Having lunch on the front lawn, watching the kids in the bounce house, was just a great day. Thank you to everyone who made that day so special. We also welcome our Youth Interns, Landon, Liza, and Heaven. We have already seen seven of our young people meeting with our interns each Sunday.

On September 21^st, we launched our World Missions Offering Campaign. Each of you should have received a letter from me concerning that campaign. If you did not, you can read a copy of it here.

This past Sunday, we kicked off our Jonah Series. And I am excited to see where God leads us in the next few weeks. It was also exciting to see Tim & Stacy Reese on the screen, giving us a video update on their work in the Dominican Republic.

Unfortunately, it has been a season of incredible loss. On September 7^th, we said goodbye to Marian Phillips. On September 13^th, we saw Helen Fox home to glory. And our church has been rocked with the news that we received on Sunday, that our Moderator and beloved leader, John Lamielle, passed unexpectedly this past Sunday, the 28^th.

Calling Hours will be held this Friday, October 3rd, from 5:00-8:00 PM at the church. On Saturday, October 4^th, there will be an additional calling hour from 9:00 to 10:00 AM, followed by a funeral service at 10:00 AM. Then we will make our way to Memory Gardens near the airport for the committal, followed by a meal at the church.

Here are some of the thoughts I shared with our staff and leaders yesterday:

While I knew him well, shorter than most of you, it did not take long for John to make an impact on my life. He played a crucial role in the search process that led me to FBC. Even at the points when that process was rocky and unclear, John led our congregation as moderator through a vote process, followed by a budget process, and a staffing transition that would have been a challenge to any leader. Still, he took it all in stride and guided us with a steady hand. All this was done amidst his love for teaching Sunday School, working with Fellowship Outreach, Stephens Ministry, leading our Baptist Association, and assisting with any other activities that were underway. And somehow, he still had time to work at Giant Eagle, go bowling, and help with Fantasy Football. He was looking forward to retiring and was considering taking on a local pastorate after his retirement. He and Diane are the models of servant leadership and faithful discipleship. Their schedules were full of helping others.

  In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he charges Timothy to ^“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).” This was John, plain and simple.

  While we are shocked and will indeed mourn, we will also celebrate a life well lived. The things we talk about every Sunday need to be true for us on a day like this. We are sad, but we still hold on to hope. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

  This is our hope indeed. We have not lost John, and neither has God. We know exactly where he is. What drives us is the conviction that what John knew to be the truth is the hope for everyone. What John is seeing, feeling, and experiencing at this very moment is my hope for each of you reading this, and the hope we need to share with those around us.

  We will have some discussions as a staff and board over the next few weeks. John’s shoes will be hard to fill, and he was someone who cast a long shadow. We will need to make sure we step into the gaps left behind and help continue things along. But the simple question will be, “What now?” And the simple answer will be, we will continue to follow, trust, and obey.

  So, we celebrate all the good that has come to us in this season, and we also mourn and weep. Paul encourages us that no matter what, we should continue moving forward. In Galatians 6:9, he says, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Pastor David