Prayer Concerns - May 2015

Most Recent Concerns
6/2 - Stacey & Jamie Mahle (they attend here) - Jamie's Dad is having heart issues & has been transferred from Clarion Hospital to Butler Hospital this morning - I don't have his name but the Lord knows and hears our prayers
6/1 - Les Aaron (Doreen's Stiglitz brother) - is in the Clarion Hospital 

6/1 - Marylo McHenry - she has cancer

6/1 - Prayers for Paula Dawn Sampson Kahle - she is having difficulties

6/1 - Don Schill in ICU Pres. he is fighting a lot of different things, prayer is the only answer
5/29 - Shirley Reitz - had her surgery this morning/it went well, but she was having a little trouble with her breathing - continue prayers for Shirley

5/29 - Bianca Hooper's Dad passed away - Bianca is new to our church - continue to remember her and her family

5/27 - Susan Harle ( a member of the women's prayer group) - we went to her home several times to pray - her mom died yesterday - they have lived together for 49 years, so this is a huge blow to Susan & she's feeling very alone - please keep her in your prayers - if you would like to send her a card, her address is:  Susan Harle - 435 Hemlock Dr. - Marble, PA 16334 - pray that she will start coming to church - since she was caring for her mother who had Alzheimer's, she was never able to come
5/26 - Josie Davis - is doing much better - Pator & Judy visited her Saturday evening - she was discharged yesterday - she will have a bit of a recovery - as far as we know now, she had a virus of some type but there were not sure what - she does have pneumonia
5/23 - Josie Davis - the Youth Pastor at the Brookville Church of God - is in ICU in DuBois - she is not doing well & being being treated for meningitis
5/22 - Josie Davis (Youth Pastor @ Brookville COG) - has been taken to the Dubois Hospital
5/22 - please be in prayer for an unspoken request for a family that lost a young child
5/21 - Shiley Reitz - going to Wexford next Friday 5/29 for a shoulder replacement - pray for healing & a fast recovery for Shirley
5/18 - Janet Hetrick is having surgery today to remove some more kidney stones - continue to pray for her

5/18 - We would like to ask anyone who wishes to, to please send a birthday card to the following men.  Brighten up their day and possibly their week!!

Herb Burns - % Kim Willouby - 164 Vehner School Road - Zelienople, PA 16063

Dick Smith - 14661 USHNO1 - Lot 68 - Juno Beach, Florida  33408

5/16 - Norman Mitchell (Keith's dad) - fell at Keith & Angela's house today - broke his hip & is in the Clarion Hospital - having surgery in the morning
5/13 -  Mitchell Burch's wife & her mother (COG preacher who has preached at Emlenton Camp Meeting & also Burnside) - was killed in an automobile accident today
5/12 - Craig Rankin's Family - on the loss of his sister, Pam McGinley  

5/12 - Janet Hetrick - is home from the hospital - had a stent put in due to her kidney stone - requesting prayer for next Monday when they go in to crush two more kidney stones

5/11 - Bryan Burkhardt update (Deb Aites' nephew) - had surgery yesterday--he had 6 pins put in his back & has a fractured ankle - Doctor's expect him to make a full recovery within 2-3 months - they had to keep him highly sedated yesterday as he was in so much pain
Please continue to pray 
5/10 - Brian Burkhardt is Deb Aites' nephew. He was in a motorcycle accident last night and is in critical condition. He is in UPMC Pittsburgh
5/9 - Duane and Thelma Miller - Duane is not feeling well and needs a touch from the Lord

5/9 - Janet Hetrick is home from the hospital

5/8 - Janet Hetrick is in the hospital with a kidney stone and infection - she is in alot of pain
5/4 - Cindy Criley (Sharon Frederick's sister) - CT Scan showed 2 lymph nodes to be inactive (which is a praise) & now the other lymph node has some activity - no Chemo right now, but she has another CT Scan July 1st - thanks you for all your prayers from Cindy's family

Prayer Concerns

Burden for the Lost - Our Government & Leaders (local, state, national) -  Donna Oberlander (State Rep) - President of the U.S. - Spiritual Growth for our church family  - The Unsaved - Our Community - Other Churches in our Community - Our Military - Our College Students - Unspoken - Construction workers & Delta Contractors @ Trinity Point - Building the Trinity Point Facility - Special Unspoken (Friends w/Spiritual & Emotional Needs)

DuWayne & Thelma Miller - Evan Miller (MS) -  Dave & Debbie Jordan - Shirley Evans - Don Barger - Jud Graham - Herb Burns - Jared McFetridge - Jessica Henry (MS & Chemo Treatments) - Vonnie Tiley - Mike Roach (cancer Pastor & Judy's brother-in-law) - Kathy Schnell - Jennifer & Les Stephens - Noah Anthony -  Arianna Evans (stroke) - Robin Reed - Cheryl Beveridge - Brad Harriger - Jill Henry - Rev. Dave Bailey - Cindy Criley (chemo) - Skip Rider - Brent Long - Linda Roach - Ann Bailey - Pearl Manross - Mike & Betty Solms 

Missions and Outreach
Whitehall Camp & Conference Center  - AAA Life Services - WPA Ministries of the COG - COG Ministries Anderson, IND - Food For Friends - Koinonia (CUP campus) - Alyssa Cooper Sande (Africa) - Jessica Wilson (Dominican Republic) - Clarion Ministerium - Rebecca New-Edson (WPA COG Ministries Dir.) - Rev. Jim Lyon (Gen. Director Elect) - Leonel (Dominican) Village 51 (Dominican) - Persecuted Christians 

Nursing/Personal Care Home/Rehab Patients
Edna Burford - Golden Living Shippenville
Pearl Manross - Golden Living Shippenville
Mary McGonagel - Golden Living Shippenville
Loretta Wedekind - Golden Living Clarion
Barry Williams - Golden Living Clarion
Sue Foust - Laurel Brook Brookville
Alice Ferguson - Laurel Brook Brookville

Ministries & Leaders of Our Congregation
Children & Youth Ministries - Our Boards & Committees - Sunday School - Sunday Worship Services - Pastor Bruce & Family - Pastor Angela Mitchell & Family Church Staff - Women's Ministries - Young Adult Minisitries

Usher Schedule - May thru August 2015

May - Dave McClaine - Denny Finotti - Mike Bailey - Jill Henry - Mark Hazlett

June - Jerry Conner - Jim Christie - Doug Flickinger - Leonard Garris - Mark Hazlett

July - Matt Lerch - Brian Burford - Shane Kriebel - Mike Stivanson - Mark Gross

August - Mark Griss - John Henry - Rod Jeannerat - Dennis Wingard - Mark Hazlett

Monthly Planner - May 2015

1 - 
2 -
3 - Worship @ 8:30 & 10am - Sunday School @ 9am
4 - Weight Watchers @ 4:30pm - Men's Bible Study @ Joe's Gym @ 7pm - Pastor, Judy & Angela to Fellowship in KY
5 - Pastor, Judy & Angela to Pastor's Fellowship in KY
6 -
7 -
8 -
9 - Child Abuse Training @ 10am
10 - Worship @ 8:30 & 10am - Sunday School @ 9am - Mother's Day (No Gods Squad or Youth)
11 - Weight Watchers @ 4:30pm - Men's Bible Study @ Joe's Gym @ 7pm
12 - Gideons @ 6:30pm - Child Abuse Training @ 6:30pm - Business Dept. Mtg. @ 7pm
13 -
14 -
15 - Parent's Night Out @ 6-9:30pm
16 -
17 - Worship @ 8:30 & 10am - Sunday School @ 9am - Pastor Angela's Installation Service @ 4pm - God's Squad @ 6pm - Solemn Assembley @ 6:30pm - 
18 - Weight Watchers @ 4:30pm - Men's Bible Study @ Joe's Gym @ 7pm
19 - VOTE: Election Day!! - Council Mtg. @ 7pm
20 -
21 - Worship @ 6:30pm
22 -
23 -
24 -  Worship @ 8:30 & 10am - Sunday School @ 9am - No Youth or God's Squad
25 - Memorial Day Holiday - Office Closed
26 -
27 -
28 -
29 -
30 -
31 -  Worship @ 8:30 & 10am - Sunday School @ 9am - Clarion High School Baccalaureate

Bulletin Announcements - May 2015

If you are new to Liberty Street C.O. G. (in your mailbox is a blue sheet with needed family information). Please place these in the secretary's mailbox.  The church mailboxes are located in the Narthex & arranged alphabetically.  Please check your mailboxes for information we may have placed in there.  If you are unsure if you have a mailbox, or you do not have a mailbox & want one, call Tammy @ 814 - 226 - 8672. You are important to us & we need to keep you updated on all activities!

For all that have a computer... go to the Church Blog for your May Newsletter. You can find us @ www.clarionchurchofgod.blogspot.com.  Subscribe to the church blog, & all posts/updates will be delivered right to your email address Inbox.

Also, we have Sunday School classes for all ages.  Nursery , Preschool, K-2nd, 3rd - 5th, Jr. Youth, Sr. Youth & 3 Adult classes... check us out today!

How to go Online to see the Church Directory....
To see the Church Directory online we have to go thru the blog b/c the directory is a PDF file.  First go to www.clarionchurchofgod.blogspot.com & http://directory.instantchurchdirectory.com/73945862/churchdirectory.pdf.   then scroll down until you see the link to the Church Directory.  You will need to call the Church Office @ 226-8672 to get the password.  This is due to your privacy.  You may also load an APP for your smartphone.  In the APP's, search for instantchurchdirectory & follow the instructions to download.  If you wish to have a printed hard copy, contact Tammy in the Church Office.  This is an ongoing process as we add new families weekly.  Please let us know of any updates or corrections.
Update: Church Directory - If you need to update your information for the Directory, please let Tammy know.  We would like to include your family picture & are in the process of setting up a few Sundays to take new or first time pictures.  If you have a photo that you can email to the Church, we will include it in the Directory.

We are offering a "Live Worship Telecast" in the Fellowship Hall to help accommodate the seating needs of our growing church!  Praise the Lord!  Anyone is welcome to check it out & share in this new Worship extension.   With video recording of the service in this way, we will also be able to improve our outreach to our shut-ins by giving them our worship on DVD. Finally, if you are absent from church on Sunday & would like a copy of any of our Sunday morning sermons, please call the church office. We would be happy to send you one. 

WWCH Channel 1300 on AM Broadcasting @ 11AM every Sunday...  The first Sunday of every month a pre-recorded service from Liberty Street Church of God with Pastor Bruce will be heard.  If you are unable to attend church on any Sunday morning, tune in to AM 1300.

WEATHER CANCELLATION -  If we have bad weather (or if it is calling for bad weather), please go to radio station WCCR 1300 AM for church cancellations.  We will also put out cancellations by email.  If Clarion School District is cancelled due to weather, we will be cancelling church activities for that day.  Go to exploreclarion.com for school closings.

Group Activities:

God Squad (4- 6th grade)... Sunday nights @ 6:00 - 7:30PM

Youth Group (7-12th grade)... Sunday night @ 6:00 - 8:00PM

Men’s Group - every Monday night @ Joe's Gym @ 7pm (ends in April/restarts Fall)

Ladies Nite Out - 4th Tuesday of the month from 6-8PM

Parent's Night Out - 3rd Friday of the month from 6 - 9:30PM (ends in May/restarts Fall)

Fellowship Opportunities  & May Special Events - Be sure to check your email & the Church Blog!!

May 7 - National Day of Prayer @ the Gazebo - During this event volunteers from local churches will be present to pray for specific requests from our Community.  

May 9 @ 10am & May 12 @ 6:30pm - Child Abuse Training for all volunteers.  According 

to the laws of the Commonwealth of PA to volunteer you must go through a training session.

May 10 - Whitehall Youth Camp - Summer 2015 -  Youth Camp Registrations are available in the Welcome Center.  We are asking for a $25 registration fee by May 10th.  Please make your check out to Liberty Street Church of God. We will be paying the balance of your camper if they are a regular attender of this church or attend our Youth Group.  This is for 3-5 grade camp, 6-8 grade camp & 9-12 grade camp.  Whitehall Camp has a scholarship fund for amy camper who has financial difficulty attending camp.  Call the office & Tammy can get you that information. Reminder:  you need to have all forms filled out & signed including the health form.

May 15 6-9:30pm - Parents Night Out - sign up in the Welcome Center.  This is the last PNO until next Fall.  Sign up today!!

May 17 @ 5pm - Pastor Angela Mitchell's Installation Service.  Refreshments will follow.

May 24 - we will have photographers @ each of the main doors to take your family pictures as you leave.  We are updating our Directory with new photos.

General Announcements:

Two Worship Services on Sunday Morning - we are offering 2 Worship Services on Sunday mornings.  Worship @ 8:30am & 10:00am with Sunday School continuing @ 9:00am.  Join us in Worship @ either time.

Church Emails - If you are not receiving emails from the Church Office, please let Tammy know.  We may not have your email address in our system.   
Church Announcements - All Church announcements need to be into the Church Office by Wednesday @ Noon to guarantee that they will make the upcoming bulletin.  
Church Meetings - Reminder - if you are using the church for any activity including meetings, please have the date & time & location within the building on the church calendar.

Tithing Envelopes - If you are in need of tithing envelopes please see Diane Gross or call the Church Office @ 814-226-8672.
HELP WANTED:  The Growth Dept. will be making a float to advertise the new church @ Trinity Point.  If you would like to help w/this adventure, we will have more information & sign-up sheets in the near future.  Some of the areas where help will be needed... designing, building, painting, walking in the parades,  & old photos of the current facility.  Parades include ALF, Peanut Butter Festival & etc.
Calling  All  Graduates - if you are going to be a 2015 High School or College graduate, please contact the Church Office by May 1st.  We will need pictures of each Graduate from young to present age for our slide presentation.  Please give your pictures to Kim Callender as soon as possible.
VBS - important info....
We are in need of some items for decorating for VBS.  Hiking, camping, outdoor stuff, tents, chairs & etc.  Also, mark everything that is your.  Please bring it to the church by the beginning of June.  If you are helping with VBS, we need your shirt size.  We are wanting to order the shirts very soon. 

The Fruit of the Spirit Food Pantry... Needs Your Donations!!!  It takes a village:  We can have a mission service right here in our own community!  Help! To make the Fruit of the Spirit Food Pantry happen the following needs to happen...  Collection of the following items: (**in need of )

Cannned meats-tuna, chicken, salmon, stew, chili, etc.

**Canned soups, ravioli, spaghetti

Canned fruits, and vegtables

Peanut butter and jelly

**Pastas to include macaroni and cheese, hamburger helper, rice dishes

**Pasta sauce

Bisquick and other mixes

**Healthy cereals and instant oatmeal

Non food items: deodorant, soap, laundry detergent, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes

**Monetary donations to be used for food vouchers at Comet

Drop off items in the church garage.  Prayers are appreciated.  We want to show the community that we serve with the fruits of the spirit.  The pantry will be available to anyone in the community anytime the office is open.  We would like to staff the pantry with volunteers in the evening, so the community  has contact with children of God! Anyone wanting to decorate the garage with the fruits of the spirit is welcome. It is currently being cleaned out and set up.  If you are called to give, a suggestion would be to place an item or items each week on your own grocery list or donate monetarily a set amount in your budget (even if it is a dollar...there is a box for this either in the office or at the welcome table).

Please forward this info to any family or friends you feel would want to serve as well.This does not have to just be a church mission, but a community one!!!!!  A big special thank you already to those that have helped get to this point... The Council, Pastor, Laura, Jenna, Clyde,  Kay, Comet Warehouse, and God!

Comet will be monitoring the vouchers and reporting any misuse.

Thank you in advance. May God bless this ministry if it is His will.

Please address questions to Tracy Miller - tmhm72@yahoo.com

The Library has a lot if duplicate books.  If you would like to check the book truck in the Library to see if there are any you want, please help yourself.  More will be put out over the winter.
If you are interested in being in a Women's Prayer Group, there is a sign-up sheet in the Welcome Center.
Are you looking for a Ministry to be involved in?? - We are in need of men & women that would be interested in transporting elderly to appointments occassionally.  Sometimes they may need to go to Pittsburgh.  Please let the Church Office know if you would consider being on a list of names for us to call when the need arises.

Attention: Teachers, Nursery Workers & Volunteers -  If you have received your Child Abuse Clearance in the mail, please bring it to the church office ASAP. Watch fort updates & events on the Church's or Youth Group's Facebook page http:www.facebook.com/groups/173856376044348 -- Liberty Street Church of God Youth Group. AAA Life Services... AAA Life Services has been so blessed with the Financial support from Liberty Street Church of God. Our Congregation participated in the Baby Bottle Boomerang   fundraiser. We are very pleased to inform you that our church family has graciously given $954.02 through the fundraiser.  We thank you for your generous hearts.  We are a proud monthly tithe supporter of the AAA Life Services. We are in need of additional: 1) Nursery Workers - We are so blessed with lots of babies that we need more adult help.  Please see Michelle Aites if you are interested in helping w/Sunday School Nursery or Worship Nursery. 2) SonShine Club Workers - We are being blessed with more children in our Sonshine Club Ministry!  We are asking that anyone willing to come out of retirement (teaching Sonshine Club) or looking for a new ministry (teaching Sonshine Club) , please see Hayley Jeannerat. You can call her @ 764-5390 or the church office @ 226-8672 or email her @ hayleydj@windstream.net.   If you are already on the schedule, Hayley will need to know your intentions for the upcoming year. There are 2 groups - Younger (3yr. - Kind.) & Older (1st - 3rd gr.).  Because of age, helpers are placed with the younger group.  No need to worry about preparing a lengthy lesson.  Hayley makes a 6 month rotation schedule & currently teachers are teaching every 5 - 6 wks., but if there were more volunteers you would teach less often.  What a blessing to see children learn of our wonderful Savior.  God Bless you all for your help and we look forward to adding  additional teachers to our schedule.  (New Teacher on board: Kalee Ferguson- Thanks Kalee for your servanthood.) 3) Welcome Center Volunteers - Please see Tammy Lerch or call 226-9680 if you are interested. Coming Up… Whitehall Youth Camp - Summer 2015 Youth Camp Registrations are available in the Welcome Center.  We are asking for a $25 registration fee by May 10th.  Please make your check out to Liberty Street Church of God. We will be paying the balance of your camper if they are a regular attender of this church or attend our Youth Group.  This is for 3-5 grade camp, 6-8 grade camp & 9-12 grade camp.  Whitehall Camp has a scholarship fund for amy camper who has financial difficulty attending camp.  Call the office & Tammy can get you that information. Reminder:  you need to have all forms filled out & signed including the health form. 7/6 - 7/11 --- Vacation Bible School - July 6-11. We would love to see your kids @ VBS.  We are in need of some items for decorating for VBS.  Hiking, camping, outdoor stuff, tents, chairs & etc.  Also, mark everything that is your.  Please bring it to the church by the beginning of June.  If you are helping with VBS, we need your shirt size.  We are wanting to order the shirts very soon.

Birthdays & Anniversaries - May 2015

Birthdays

5/ 2 Bonnie Collier

5/ 3 Jenna Miller

5/ 4 Levi Bates

5/ 7 Faith Atherton

5/ 8 Hayley Jeannerat, Maci Thornton & Sam Wilson

5/ 9 Stephanie Christie, Jacob Conner & Lynn Walters

5/10 Jim Dolmovich, David Ferguson & Gabe Johnson

5/11 Lauren Emings

5/12 Bonnie Ferguson

5/13 Herb Burns

5/18 Jim Christie

5/19 Jason Edmonds, Diane Gross & KeLeigh Schimp

5/20 Mary Boozer, Jeff Hartle & Beth Henry

5/21 Wendy Stivanson

5/22 Nathaniel Lerch

5/24 Riley Burford & Rory Vickers

5/25 Rob Schimp & Jaelynn Girt

5/26 Matt Johnson

5/27 Brooke Allen

5/28 Ann Bailey, Jess Cosby & Keith Mitchell

5/29 Nicole Allen & Pat Long

5/30 Bonnie Dunkle, Andrew Henry & Dave Martin

Anniversaries

 

5/1 Jim & Kim Dolmovich

5/12 Diane & Jerry Conner

5/13 Deb & Terry Aites

5/16 Don & Alesia Barger

5/25 Judy & Leonard Garris

Youth News from Pastor Angela - May 2015

Youth News

Fourteen of our teenagers just participated in a 24 hour famine this past weekend.  The famine was to help bring home the reality of how many other teens in this world live without knowing whether or not they will have anything to eat from day to day.  During the famine, we did a Service Scavenger Hunt, Visited a few shut-ins, and cut out pieces of jeans to be sent to Sole Hope to be made into shoes for children in Africa. 

This seemed to be a powerful activity as we discussed in the end what it was like and our young people are very grateful for the food that is so readily available to them.  The teens also had people sponsor them to do this activity.  The money brought in will go to the Appalachian Ministries in KY.

We wrapped up our Easter Candy Fundraiser where we raised $1,577.35.  We’d like to thank each of you who supported our teens in this endeavor.   The teens and/or their parents worked hard at this event.

We also baptized 2 of our teens, Joel Ferguson and Hollee Workman.  And this past weekend had another teen accept Christ as her Savior. 

Please continue to pray for our teens as they are surrounded by temptations.  Pray that they can stand firm when no one around them does.  Pray they will find joy in the Lord and not turn to the world for their affirmations. 

We will be having a DU on May 17 and June 5-11 we will be making our way to our work camp in KY.    We will be ministering to Appalachian Children and their families in KY.   

It is my hope that each of you will do as Paul did for the Colossians:

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father. . .”

Please make this your prayer for our teens. 

In Christ alone,

Pastor Angela

Pastor Bruce's Messaage - May 2015

Hi Folks,

I ran across this article and thought I might share it with you. I hope it encourages you and that you will ponder it in your heart.

The other thought that I wanted to share with you is that there seems to not be much interest in the Newsletter. There are only 33 people from the church signed up on the blog to read the blog information and the Newsletter. We put a lot of time and effort into putting a Newsletter together and I would encourage you to get it and keep up with what is happening in the life of our congregation.

God bless you and enjoy A.W. Tozer.

PURSUING GOD

By A.W. Tozer

RECEPTIVITY IS NOTA single thing; rather, it is a compound, a blending of several elements within the soul. It is an affinity for, a bent toward, a sympathetic response to, a desire to have. From this it may be gathered that it can be present in degrees, that we may have little or more, depending upon the Individual. It may be increased by exercise or destroyed by neglect. It is not a sovereign and irresistible force which comes upon us as a seizure from above. It is a gift of God, indeed, but one recognized and cultivated as any other gift if we are to realize the purpose for which it has been given.

Failure to see this is the cause of a very serious breakdown in modern evangelicalism. The idea of cultivation and exercise, so dear to the saints of old, has now no place in our total religious picture. It is too slow, too common. We now demand glamour and fast - flowing dramatic action. A generation of Christians reared among push buttons and automatic machines are impatient of slower and less direct methods of reaching our goals. We have been trying to apply machine age methods to our relations with God. We read our chapter; have our short devotions and rush away, hoping to make up inward bankruptcy by attending another gospel meeting or listening to another thrilling story told by a religious adventurer lately returned from afar.

The tragic results of this spirit are all about us: Shallow lives, hollow religious philosophies, the preponderance of the element of fun in gospel meetings, the glorification of men, trust in religious externalities, quasi-religious fellowships, salesmanship methods, the mistaking of dynamic personality for the power of the Spirit. These and such as these are the symptoms of an evil disease, a deep and serious malady of the soul.

For this great sickness that is upon us no one person is responsible, and no Christian is wholly free from blame. We have all contributed, directly or indirectly, to this sad state of affairs. 

We have been too blind to see, or too timid to speak out, or too self-satisfied to desire anything better than the poor, average diet with which others appear satis­fied. To put it differently, we have accepted one another's notions, copied one another's lives and made one another's experiences the model for our own. And for a generation the trend has been downward. Now we have reached a low place of sand and burnt wire grass and, worst of all, we have made the Word of Truth conform to our experi­ence and accepted this low plane as the very pasture of the blessed.

It will require a determined heart and more than a little courage to wrench ourselves loose from the grip of our times and return to biblical ways. But it can be done. Every now and then in the past Chris­tians have had to do it. History has recorded several large-scale returns led by such men as St. Francis, Martin Luther and George Fox. Unfortunately, there seems to be no Luther or Fox on the horizon at present. Whether or not another such return may be expected before the coming of Christ is a ques­tion upon which Christians are not fully agreed, but that is not of too great importance to us now.

What God in His sovereignty may yet do on a world scale I do not claim to know. But what He will do for the plain man or woman who seeks His face I believe I do know and can tell others. Let any man turn to God in earnest, let him begin to exercise himself unto godliness, let him seek to develop his powers of spiritual receptivity by trust and obedience and humility, and the results will exceed anything he may have hoped in his leaner and weaker days.  Any man, who by repentance and a sincere re­turn to God will break himself out of the mold in which he has been held, and will go to the Bible it­self for his spiritual standards, will be delighted with what he finds there.

Let us say it again: The universal Presence is a fact. God is here. The whole universe is alive with His life. And He is no strange or foreign god, but the familiar Father of our Lord Jesus Christ whose love has for these thousands of years enfolded the sinful race of men. And always He is trying to get our attention, to reveal Himself to us, to communi­cate with us. We have within us the ability to know Him if we will but respond to His overtures. (And this we call pursuing God!) We will know Him in increasing degree as our receptivity becomes more perfect by faith and love and practice.

A Message from Pastor Bruce