June 12-16, 2023
April 4, 2023
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
It is indeed a pleasure to write to you, Pine Glen Church family. I echo the words of the apostle John, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul” (3 John 2). My great desire is that you would love the Lord Jesus with all your heart and grow in grace day by day.
As we look outside, we witness the changing seasons. Winter has past and spring has sprung! We are starting to see budding and blossoming and in just a few short weeks, there will be green all around us. Even in its current fallen state (Romans 8:18-22), God’s creation offers stunning beauty. Just imagine what heaven will be like!
As I’m sure you know, this is Passion Week where we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord. We remember that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The tomb is empty and Jesus is Risen from the dead!
You can be in prayer for a couple things this week. Our Maundy Thursday service will be at 7 pm (April 6th) at the Big Valley Alliance Church in Belleville, 30 South Kish Street. What a blessing it will be to worship with several of the C&MA churches in our region. In addition, our Easter Egg Hunt and puppet show is set for Saturday, 10 am till noon. It is not too late to invite kids to this event. And, of course, we have our Easter (Resurrection) service on Sunday. This is the highpoint of the Christian calendar where we celebrate the triumph of Christ over sin, death, and the powers of darkness. Be sure to invite a friend!
A few weeks ago (March 12), it was my great privilege to baptize three people – Jeannie McCartle, Cari Haubrick, and John Stegeman. As Romans 6:4 says, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” As Jeannie, Cari, and John entered into the waters of baptism, they were testifying to the mighty power of God. Indeed, Christ has saved them from their sins, and it is their desire to know and follow Him for the rest of their days. Praise God!
On March 18th Hearts and Hands hosted another women’s event, which turned out to be a great success. Laura Booz from State College shared with over 90 women from several different churches. If you missed it and would like to listen to her message, it can be accessed here: https://pineglencma.org/laura-booz-refreshed-enjoying-the-god-who-restores-your-soul/
Let’s continue to pray for the many needs of our church. Yesterday Bill Ammon and I travelled to Tyrone to visit with Jerry Koontz. Jerry has had a rough ride with his health these last few months, but he was in great spirits, and it was a joy to talk with him. Continue to pray for his health and that he would soon be transferred to a care facility here in Mifflin County. Continue to pray for our ongoing GriefShare Ministry, and the upcoming VBS, June 12-16. Praise God that we have enough volunteers for this event, but pray that God would bring the kids, and that we would take the initiative to prayerfully invite children and families.
Colossians 4:2-6 says: 2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Brothers and sisters, there is an “open door for the Word” that God has given us. Let’s do everything we can to advance the ministry of the Word and support the work of Pine Glen Alliance Church.
God is at work in our midst! It is a huge privilege to have this partnership in the gospel. Thank you for your service and labor in the Lord. Be assured it is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
May God grant us great endurance and perseverance in the midst of challenging times. May we be about our Master’s service and do all that we can to promote the salvation of souls, to the glory of God alone (Romans 11:33-36). Never forget that in Christ, you are loved by God and called to be saints (Romans 1:7).
With much love and gratitude,
Pastor Dan
