Pastor Bruce's Message - December 2012

Dear Friends,
I am completely overwhelmed at how fast the Holidays have approached us. It seems to come
faster every year, if that is possible! I noticed that there are many folks that have been putting
something on Facebook every day during the month of November that they are thankful for. I
know I am a little late, but I want to share with you some of the things I am thankful for in
my life and the life that God has given me. (This in no way means that we don’t have challenges
in life or that every day is problem free), but for now we want to focus on the positive.
First of all, I am so glad that I am surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ! I am blessed to be a
child of the King and to be called by Him to pastor the Liberty Street Church of God. This is
an awesome experience and you folks are a great blessing to my family and me. We want to
thank you all for the works of encouragement and also the gifts for Pastor Appreciation. We do
not deserve it, but we are so grateful for all of you and your generosity.
Recently my last aunt passed away. I had eight aunts and uncles on my Mother’s side and only
on Aunt and Uncle on my Dad’s side of the family. My Mother, who is 91 years old, is the
only one of her siblings that is left. During and after this last funeral that I had the honor of
conducting, I am profoundly aware that the generation before me is just about gone and it is a
little unnerving. These are the folks we have looked up to all of our lives and many of them
served as a great example to us. By the grace of God, however, we still have the memories that
will go with us throughout our lives.
This last funeral and family reunion (I say that tongue in cheek because it seems that is the
only time all the cousins get together) has made me appreciate so much more the importance
of relationships and family. Some of my cousins and I, along with my brother and sister were
very close growing up, and even though many of us have lost touch, we seemed to be able to
pick up where we left off.
I want to also express my thankfulness to God for my wife and children and grandchildren. I
can’t imagine where I would have wound up in this life if Judy and I had not gotten together.
It took me many years and struggles to realize that, and today I love her more than ever!
Our children are such a blessing and to watch them grow into adulthood is awesome. Judy and
I love them and their spouses with all of our heart.
Nick and Tiffany are doing well in ministry and are starting into the process of adopting a
child. They need our prayers as they are working through this process and we pray that God
will open the right doors for them.
Josh is the Worship Pastor at the Church of God in Brookville, PA. He is doing a great job
there and he is also in the process of recording a DVD in a studio in Pittsburgh. He does all
the singing of the different parts and also plays all the instruments for the recording.
Blair and her husband Jonathan are doing well with their two little ones. Isabella is two, and
Easton is three months old. We are so glad they are working here at Liberty Street alongside of
us. Jonathan is our Associate and Youth Pastor and Blair works with him and also heads up
our Women’s Ministry. They are both working on the Ordination.
Jessica has been doing well, she is a LPN and she is working in a Golden Living facility in
Murrysville, She is home every weekend and she has plans to go on a medical mission trip to
the Dominican Republic in January.
Sam is going to school in Pittsburgh to be a lineman for a power company. He also cuts trees
and is in the License and Ordination Process to ultimately go into the ministry. His girlfriend
Karla earned her Bachelor’s Degree (in three years) and is planning to go next fall to be a
physician’s assistant.
Caleb is our baby and is now 15 years old. He loves the Lord and he is an all-around boy, playing sports and loves the outdoors and hunting and fishing. He is growing into a young man.
I don’t very often talk about my family, but I never want to take them for granted nor do I want
to not recognize the blessings of God in my life through Judy and the kids. God has been faithful
to us and He has always provided for our needs and He has blessed us in pastoral ministry
beyond words.
Finally I want to recognize the blessing of friends. We have some great friends and we are
profoundly thankful for them.
To the Liberty Street Church of God, we love you and are honored to serve you. I know all of
you can share your blessings and the things you are thankful for, please do so, take some time
to appreciate the finer things in life that God has given us. Sometimes the finer things in life
are not the most expensive things, nor are they based on wealth and materialism, they are
based on our relationship with the Lord and the relationships we have one with another.
(Psalm 69:30 NIV) I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
(Phil 4:6-7 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. {7} And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Liberty Street Church of God Family, thank you for the growth that is happening both in numbers and in your lives. I am so thrilled to see how much you all love God’s church and love people. I’m thankful that you have a heart for the lost and that so many of you are great ambassadors for the work of the Kingdom. God will always honor your heart for people and that is why He is moving in our midst. 
Thank you for loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
God Bless You All, Pastor Bruce