July 8, 2021

Dear Pine Glen Church family,

I want to begin this letter by sharing with you some exciting news from our family. Last week we made an offer on a house and just a few days later the owners agreed to our offer! Everyone in our family is pumped about moving into this new home, even though we have also enjoyed our current living arrangements – a farm on Anderson Road.

I am not going to recount how everything came together, but I will say that it was undeniably the Lord’s provision. In this kind of market, to say we were surprised to find something would be an understatement. But that is how God often works. We plan on moving in late September and the nice thing is that it is not too far from where we currently live. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever” (Philippians 4:19-20).

I hope you had a nice holiday weekend and got to enjoy some of the 4^th of July festivities. Our family took the time to attend fireworks last Friday night, and they were pretty spectacular. God has blessed us in this land of freedom, prosperity, and opportunity. We have much to be thankful for, but let’s continue to pray for our country. Pray for our governing authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-2) and that the gospel would continue to advance and take root in the hearts of all God’s people (Ephesians 3:14-19).

Another cause for rejoicing is that we are having a baptism service this Sunday evening. I do hope you will take the time to join us at 6pm at 100 Taylor Lane in McVeytown as we celebrate the saving work of God in the lives of four individuals. Anna Stegeman, Elizabeth Stegeman, Sherri Bickert, and Zack Bickert are all getting baptized.

What is baptism?

I won’t give you a book-length explanation, but I will say that baptism is a symbol of the new birth (regeneration). It is an outward sign of an inward transformation. It is a public declaration of one’s union with Christ. Baptism is not necessary for salvation, but it is an ordinance done in obedience to Christ’s command (Matthew 28:19) and is a time for great joy and celebration. As Wayne Grudem explains, “The amazing truths of passing through the waters of judgment safely, or dying and rising with Christ, and having our sins washed away, are truths of momentous and eternal proportion and ought to be an occasion for giving great glory and praise to God.” The apostle Paul puts it best, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).  

 It would be great if our whole church family could be there for this baptism service. God has been so good to us! Remember to bring a lawn chair for everyone in your family and a snack to share after the service is over. And we will pray for good weather Sunday evening.

Pine Glen Church family, you are never far from my heart. My hope and prayer is that you continue to grow in the Lord (2 Peter 3:18), minister to the needs of one another, and that you labor and toil for the furtherance of the gospel.

All for Jesus!

Pastor Dan