May 27, 2021

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! It is a joy for me to write to you – the people of Pine Glen Alliance Church. “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!” (Psalm 145:3).

I want to begin by thanking you for all the ways you serve. Often these simple acts of service go unnoticed. Not that you are seeking adulation, but I want you to know that your service to the Lord and to this church is greatly appreciated. As Paul reminded the Corinthian believers, “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

If you are not currently serving, there are plenty of ways to get involved with the good work God is doing here at Pine Glen. One of our current needs is that of a sound technician. If you are interested, don’t hesitate to talk to Randy or myself.

I would also like to thank you for your continued giving to the ministry of PGAC. Our church is in good shape financially, but we are reliant on the faithful giving of God’s people.  1 Corinthians 16:1-2 is a helpful passage in this regard. “Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of the week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper.” Give and give generously (2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 9:6-8) and watch how God supplies your need.

As you know, God has touched our church over the last year. We have experienced the loss of brothers and sisters in Christ, and the accompanying sorrow and pain. But we also know that God has used this season of loss to grow and mature us in the faith (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5), and we are grateful for that. Truly, we can say along with Job, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

I want to also remind you to continue in prayer for those who are sick or are recovering. God has answered our prayers for healing time and time again, and we praise Him for that. Let me make special mention of our brother Ken Taylor as he seems to have taken a turn for the worse. Pray for healing but also pray that God would be glorified. Lastly pray for Nancy and the whole family during this time.

I love how Paul puts it 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” What Paul is saying is that as we suffer and experience the comforting touch of our Heavenly Father, we in turn can comfort others in their affliction. God is good! Let’s continue to reach out to one another in love.

Another prayer request is for the ministry of Vacation Bible School, June 16-18^th. This ministry is fast approaching and I can’t say enough about the ladies who have worked hard to organize it. I also want to thank you for all the different ways you have donated and supported this ministry. Let’s continue to cover this ministry in prayer and intercede on behalf of the children who will attend.

Last night at our prayer meeting, we were blessed to have Ross and Elaine Moore with us. As you probably know, they will be with us June 6^th during our Sunday service, but it was great to get a little update last night. Though there are many challenges, God is at work in Mali and is using Ross and Elaine as “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Please continue to pray for them during these four weeks they are Stateside before they head back to Mali.

I want to encourage you with all my heart to love the Lord Jesus Christ. What a magnificent Savior that we serve! Through the gospel (Romans 1:16-17), He has saved us from our sins and continues to save us (1 Corinthians 15:1-2), that we might be conformed to His own image. Through Christ, we have become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4) and have the glorious hope of heaven!

As I bring this letter to a close, let me sum it up by saying, treasure Christ, serve Him all your days, and long for His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).

Love in Christ,

Pastor Dan