March 17, 2021

Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I trust you are doing well and rejoicing in the Lord daily. God is so good! There is much to be thankful for and as Christians, we have a living hope that cannot be denied us (1 Peter 1:3-5).

Over the past couple weeks, the weather has definitely turned and spring is just around the corner. Sometimes as I think about the changing of the seasons I think of the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. If you are familiar with
the story, you will remember that it was “always winter and never Christmas” under the rule of the White Witch. Perhaps some of you have felt that way over the last year. As Christians, however, we have a hope that always transcends the circumstances of life. That hope is
rooted and grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13). My prayer for PGAC is that we would abound in hope. Yes, the world is in rapid moral decline, and evil is being embraced like never before (Romans 1:18-32), but we have a steadfast, enduring hope. As the prophet Isaiah puts it, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Amen!

Our annual meeting last week went very well. There was strong attendance and a good spirit. I think everyone understands that there has been a lot of change over the past year, much of it unplanned and simply in response to COVID. All in all, I was very encouraged. As Paul
writes to the church in Philippi, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (Philippians 1:3-5).

Moving forward, we are aiming to embrace a “simple church” vision for Pine Glen.
This includes striving to becoming:
1. A Worshipping Community
2. A Discipling Community
3. A Caring Community

I believe those three priorities encapsulate the biblical norm for a healthy church. At the heart of it all is a desire to fulfill the great commission (Matthew 28:16-20) and make disciples of Jesus Christ. To be sure, much work remains, but our great God is working mightily in our midst, and using us to fulfill His Kingdom purposes.

I have so enjoyed seeing many of you back in church of the past few weeks! Nothing compares to the fellowship that we enjoy in the Lord and with one another. In speaking of our Lord, Paul writes, “who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God
is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:8-9). Be encouraged Christian! God will sustain you to the very end as you run the race that is set before you (Hebrews 12:1-2). Lean deeply into the Body of Christ and keep turning your back on the false promises of security and satisfaction that this world continually offers.

Lastly, Easter is just around the corner. We are excited to be doing a joint service with our sister church, Lewistown Alliance. That is scheduled for April 2nd at 7pm (Good Friday). Easter (Resurrection) Sunday will be held April 4th at 10:15am, and we will also be celebrating
the Lord’s Supper that Sunday. Be sure and invite a friend, neighbor, co-worker, or family member to these services. I would also encourage you to spend time reading the four gospels during the lead-up to Easter. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach more about the sufferings, death,
and resurrection of Christ our Savior through the Holy Scriptures. Pine Glen Alliance Church family, know that you have an unspeakably high calling. You are, “loved by God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). Live in light of that calling and trust the Lord in everything.

Until next time, your affectionate pastor,
Dan