“One way that I saw God this year at summer camp would be throughout the time of worship. I think this because God really spoke to me and my friends throughout this time that we can be calm through the chaos especially in school. This influenced me because in school we can stay calm and trust in God even when we are having a rough time.”

Before I met Jesus my life was falling apart.  I was angry and sad because I lost a lot of my family through different circumstances.  When my Gigi went to heaven, I felt happy for her because I knew that she was in a better place, but I missed her a lot. I cared a lot about what my friends at school thought about me and the things that I wanted more than anything else. I hid a lot of my feelings inside because I was scared of what people would think of me.

My parents have brought me to church my whole life, and I have heard about Jesus since I can remember. I was only 1 week old when they brought me here for the first time.  I remember learning about Jesus’ love for me in Preschool Praise with Mrs. Clampitt every day in preschool and on Sundays too.  I came to VBS every summer and heard about our Great God and His love for us each year.  I was challenged during this time to ask myself “Do I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior?” My heart said “Yes! And I know that Jesus can help me through all the hard times.  He loves me and He will never leave me.” I prayed a prayer with my mom and asked Jesus into my heart because I wanted Him to be my best friend.

This year, my faith has grown deeper as I keep learning more about his perfect love for me with Mrs. Flanagin. I love getting to sing and praise God in Kids Church each week. I also praise Him through my actions and my words everywhere I go. I realize that walking with Jesus means that I don’t have to be concerned with what everyone else thinks.  The thing that matters most is that I believe in Jesus as my Savior. I trust God’s plans for my life and that gives me peace and I feel safe in His arms. Today, I am getting baptized to let everyone know that I have accepted Jesus into my heart. He is my Lord and Savior and my very best friend.

At the age of 33, I invited the Lord into my life. For three years, I served Him wholeheartedly. Then, I was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison — but even there, God never left my side. In fact, those months became some of the most joyful times in my life. I felt so close to Him and had the blessing of sharing Christ with other inmates.

After I was released, I went astray. For the next several years, I chose my own path and drifted away from God. But in December of 2021, while lying in a hospital bed for three weeks, I had plenty of time to reflect on my life. It was in that quiet, difficult place that I asked Jesus back into my heart — this time, fully trusting and believing in Him for everything.

Since then, the Lord has brought me through open heart surgery, more than ten leg surgeries, and the challenges of diabetes, which has even affected my eyesight. But through it all, I praise Him. I trust Him with everything.
I want to thank Don Garde and Dan Bixler for being there for me — and this church family for never giving up on me.

My name is Caleb Reust, I’m 19 years old and have been attending HNAZ for my entire life. For as long as I can remember church was just somewhere I went on Sundays. I would go to church, catch bits and pieces of the sermon, and leave without really learning anything. Growing up I could see that my older sister, Madeigh, was very strong and confident in her faith and that was something that I always admired but never acted on myself. I always knew who Jesus was and had a good idea of what it meant to be a Christian, but I never really thought much about it outside of church on Sunday’s or when I would pray about something that I wanted.

As I grew into my older teenage years I started to care less about going to church and it began to feel like a chore. I started dealing with stronger feelings of depression and anxiety and was further from Jesus than I ever had been. This went on for a couple of years until this winter on one random evening in December I told my parents that I wanted to transfer colleges and be on a track team. It was something that had been an underlying thought, until that evening something clicked inside me and I knew that I had to. I also had this internal feeling that it had to be Spring Arbor University, a Christian university that I had visited a year earlier. Six days after this conversation with my parents, I signed to Spring Arbor University.

Adjusting to the new campus and lifestyle came surprisingly easy even with the challenges and adversity I was met with. I decided I was ready to start taking my faith seriously and almost instantly I started seeing God in ways I never had before. One of my first weekends on campus, a teammate of mine invited me to a Bible study with a group of guys and told me we’d be looking at Daniel chapter 4. I took out my Bible that Pastor Scott gifted me last year after I graduated high school and decided to find that page so I’d be ready for the Bible study. After a few seconds of flipping through the pages, I found that Daniel chapter 4 was exactly where I had left my book mark, from the one time I had randomly opened up this Bible looking for inspiration before a track meet last May. I instantly got chills through my body and this was the first time I had truly felt the presence of The Holy Spirit.

Several weeks had gone by and I was really starting to fall in love with learning about God. This is also when I started having thoughts about being baptized and taking that next step in my faith. I had been trying different churches every week around school to decide where I wanted to attend regularly. One week I asked one of my friends if we could go to her home church, over an hour away. We went to that church, three days after I shared with her that I was thinking about being baptized, and that day at church the sermon was about Jesus’ baptism. Right there was when I knew I wanted to be baptized.

 Not only do I feel ready to take this next step in my faith but I feel so excited. I have learned to no longer be ashamed of my past self and actions, but to learn from them and learn that I am better now. I used to be afraid to talk about my faith and feelings with my friends and family, but I’ve learned the value of it and some really great things from sharing my feelings and questions with my friends. I’m so thankful to finally see what The Lord has done for me, and am excited to see what He will continue to do in my life. In Romans, Chapter 6 it says “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death… We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin… So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus… For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I choose Jesus Christ.

My name is Jeni Yarger.  I am a wife, mother, sister, friend, daughter, aunt and educator.  I am so excited to get baptized today as a symbol of my continual growth in following Jesus, relinquishing control to him, and putting him first in my life.

Growing up, my family attended church and while we believed in God, having a relationship with Him was not a priority.  I didn’t talk to God outside of Sunday mornings and instead, I tried to handle every difficult life situation on my own.  Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with obsessive compulsive disorder which has been very debilitating during some of my deepest valleys.  While I would be embarrassed by my obsessive tapping and counting, without a relationship with God, I didn’t know how else to handle and control my anxiety.

When I met my husband at the age of 17, I quickly learned of his relationship with God.  He didn’t worry about things and seemed to have a sense of peace in all aspects of his life.  Kevin has always been the “calm to my crazy” and my grounding force.  He has so patiently loved me through some of my worst fears.  I can never thank him enough for loving me like Jesus and slowly and patiently teaching me about God!

When we became parents, we did not initially make going to church a priority.  Our children attended Growing Place Preschool here at HNAZ and it wasn’t until they asked us “When can we start going to church?” that we made it a habit.  We have been attending HNAZ ever since and I officially became a member in 2022.  Little do my children know that I needed church as much as they did!

Last year, I read through the entire bible for the first time, and I learned so much about God and his character.  I began praying every morning, telling God that I was handing things over to Him, so that I didn’t have to worry as much or try to control everything.  Now, when my anxiety creeps in, I pray and read Philippians 4:6-7 which says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need and thank him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  Getting baptized today is my proclamation of placing my trust in God, knowing I don’t have to handle things on my own.

My name is Pat Irick, I am 34 years old, and I was born and raised here in Huntington. I have been married to my wife Liz for almost 7 years, and we have quite possibly the cutest 10 month old girl who’s ever lived, Ruby Grace. We have attended HNaz for almost 3 years now, and I have never felt more connected or invested in a church community than during our time here.

I grew up in a family that believed in God, and were part of a few different congregations during my childhood, but regular church attendance was not always a priority in our house. At Camp Cotubic in 2001, I accepted Jesus into my heart during worship night. I felt like God was calling me to a life with Him and that I was old enough to know that I needed Him in my life. That fire for Jesus led me to attend youth group and Campus Life in middle school, but I never really felt that “click” with the leaders or other kids there, and so that fire slowly began to fade and my old habits of skipping church and missing youth group came back.

By the time I got to high school, I was used to using the excuse that I was too busy or tired from marching band, Varsity Singers, or spending time with friends to give up my Sunday mornings or Monday evenings.
In college, I began attending church again, but used it more as a check box for what you’re supposed to do at a Christian college, and never took it seriously enough to allow God to transform my heart. Out of college, and into grad school, I fell out of the habit of being involved in a Christ-centered community and thought I was old enough and wise enough to handle life on my own. That led to a first marriage where God was not a priority in either of our lives, and two proud people who thought we could do it on our own. That marriage ended in a bitter divorce and sent me further away from God, as I couldn’t understand why that had to happen to me despite my faith in Him being as small as it had ever been.
But God, in the way only He can do, brought me out of that season of darkness and into a new and light-filled relationship with Liz. Her faith, her support, her consistency, and her incredible patience with me over the last 9 years together has been the biggest and most influential part of my faith growth and journey. She has shown me grace when I fall short, and willingly let me lead us to a new church (HNaz) when I felt like my faith was stagnant at our old church. It was one of the best decisions we’ve made as a couple.

Furthermore, through a life-altering career change at 30, and a long and difficult fertility journey that ultimately gifted us our Ruby, God has shown his faithfulness to me in ways far beyond what I can see or count. Now, as a dad to a little girl, I feel God has placed it on my heart to get baptized to be able to serve as a spiritual leader in her life alongside Liz, and to take the step of faith I have been too nervous and proud to make on my own for her sake. It is my greatest hope that Ruby grows up to know, love, and serve the Lord, and I know it is imperative that my faith is firmly rooted in Christ in order for hers to prosper. So today, I happily surrender to God’s command to be baptized into the body of Christ.

Before I met Jesus, I didn’t really know what was important in life. I was mean with my words a lot of times, and I didn’t have a lot of friends because of it. I never really thought about God at all because no one ever told me about him. I was just living for myself.

My life wasn’t very good until right after I turned four years old. It was at that time that I began to live with my forever family and my life began to change. I heard for the first time about Jesus from my mom and dad. No one had told me about him before that! We did the Resurrection Eggs together because it was right around Easter when I came to live with them.

I also began to go to church with my parents, and I came to know that Jesus is a real person who died for my sins because he loves me. Just like my mom and dad chose me to be their daughter, I understood that Jesus also chose me to be his daughter! And because he chose me first, I could choose him! One Sunday when I was in first grade, during the children’s worship service, I went to the altar. I knew Jesus died for me and rose again. I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and invited him into my life.

Since then, I want to be more like Jesus with my life. I want him to be in charge. He’s helping me to be more kind through my mom and dad, teachers at church, through the Bible, and because he lives in me. With his help, I want to continue to grow and have more and more of the fruit of God’s Spirit. I learned the Fruit of the Spirit song in children’s church, and that is how I learned my favorite Bible verse. It is from Galatians 5:22-23 and says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

I love Jesus and want everyone to know that I follow him!

Before I truly started following Jesus, my life was defined by people-pleasing and confusion. I felt like I was constantly losing pieces of myself, trying to be someone different for every person I encountered. I was desperate to belong, to be accepted even if it meant being someone I wasn't. I was consumed with pain and drowning in it whether I was at school, at home or just walking down the street.

I grew up in church so I've always known Jesus but church felt more like playing dress up and calling myself a Christian was just another meaningless label to me. Deep down, I was empty. I was chasing approval, trying to keep everyone happy, and in doing so, I ended up in situations and relationships that drained me and left me feeling even more lost. I was aching for love and stability, but looking for it in places that left me more broken.

I started to see that I needed Jesus because I was completely lost in who I was and who I was living for. Everything around me was crumbling- friendships, mental health, family. I couldn't keep pretending I was okay. It was in that brokenness that I began to truly see how deeply God loved me. He surrounded me with people who showed me what his love actually looked like - steady, honest and unconditional. Through them, I had realized I had been chasing the approval of others while ignoring the One who had already fully accepted me. Jesus wasn't waiting for me to clean up my mess or have it all together-He was right there in the middle of it. For the first time, I saw that I didn't have to earn His love, it was already mine.

Everything began to shift when I stopped treating God like an afterthought and started making him the center of my life. My priorities changed- Jesus became more than a name I just believed in; He became someone I wanted to follow daily. My heart's desire is no longer to gain the world's approval, but to live in a way that honors and reflects Him.

Because of Jesus, I've found strength I didn't know I had. I feel grounded, hopeful, and no longer weighted down by the pressure to be everything for everyone. I want my life to be lived with purpose-to be rooted in God's truth and open to wherever he leads me. If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that even in the darkest places, God is there, and He's always working. The girl who I used to be is not who I am anymore-and that change is all because of Jesus.

Before I accepted God into my life I was lost in the darkness of the world. I was using a flashlight of worldly things to shine a light through the darkness that surrounded me. I was involved with bad influences, and I was using any other negative outlets to cope with the pain I was feeling. I was very depressed, and I found myself lost in life. I was stuck trying to imagine a future with me in it. My surroundings and the people I surrounded myself with only darkened me and made me worse. I was trying to control every aspect of my life, I but know now that’s not how this goes. In Romans 9:20 it says "You are only a human being. Who do you think you are to talk back to God? Does the clay say to the potter, "why did you make me like this?""

         My eyes were so used to the flashlight that when it had finally burned out, I was blinded by the darkness surrounding me. I saw a light in the corner that helped me realize I needed to get my life together to be close to it. I was so comfortable in the darkness, until I realized that I had more comfort going towards the light. I dropped the negative people in my life, I found better friends. The friends that I met last year would slowly drop little hints of God, which overtime helped me realize God was the light. I started to crave that light more than ever before.

         I decided to do a complete 180 and work for it. I knew of God, but I didn't know God. This made me want a relationship with Him. God heard my cries and saw me finally ready to open my heart to him. He found me talking and doing things that I used to do before I knew Him. He saw me and pulled me out of it. The day I understood God was very real and very intentional, I was having terrible anxiety. I had tried every worldly way to get rid of it, until I just prayed. I prayed to him to give me a sign, any sign, to close a door to one of the last poor influences I had. He answered. He gave me a sign, and I have never felt so much relief when I finally let him in. He took away the anxiety, and proved he was there and he loved me. After that, I worked and worked for over a year and a half to get to know him, and let him heal my heart. I've had my ups and downs, and then I found this church. This church was the next step in my journey.

         On Sunday, February 9th, my second time here (and my second time crying at the altar) I gave my life completely to Christ, surrounded by people who are so loving. Since that moment, my life has definitely changed and improved. Even though I still have my hard moments, I know he is still here and with me every step of the way. His presence has made my journey through life so much easier. God came into my life and completely reformed it. I'm not the girl who wanted to set the world on fire, ready to leave with it, I am now the girl who knows what love truly is and wants to share this wonderful blessing with everyone who will listen. God found me in a dark spot and led me to the light, and I am forever thankful for Him and the people he led me to.

         If you're sitting here today finding yourself lost in the darkness and feeling as if you don't know how to get out, I promise you it gets better. Use me and the others as an example that things do get better, God is here with you even if you don't feel like it. My favorite verses are Psalms 34:18 which says "The LORD is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." And Psalms 6:9 "The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. "'I think these verses relate to me and most people today. If you feel as if your heart is broken, as it says in the Bible, he is with you. At the end of the day God didn't promise you an easy journey, he promised he would walk with you every step of the way.

My name is Cooper Jackson and I am 8 years old. I am from Huntington, Indiana. I have been attending HNAZ for about 5 years that I remember and I attended Growing Place preschool for a few of those years.

The most important thing in my life was Mom. I did not believe God was alive. I did not want to go to church. Instead, I wanted to stay home and watch Ninjago on TV.

When I was five, I started to like going to church and seeing my friends. I started to see that I needed Jesus because he helped me stay safe. I remember this one time we were at Great Wolf Lodge and I didn’t want to go down the big slide because “I do not want to die today.” When we were almost at the end of the slide, water started to get into my eyes. Then, I realized I can do hard things. God helps me do hard things by always keeping me company and listening to my prayers.

Now, when I go to church on Sundays, I like to sit in the sanctuary with my family. I love sitting with my family and listening to worship music. I also like to help my dad and grandpa do security to help keep others safe.

All of the Bible verses are my favorite. Thank you Tyler for singing and showing me how to play the piano.

My name is Mia Jackson and I am 9 years old and I have been attending HNAZ for my whole life.

I thought God was a fake person because he was not helping some people. One example is when my dad got sick with cancer.

God can do amazing things. I know this because he is healing people and giving them medicine. He has been along side my dad during his treatments. God can keep my dad safe and well enough to go to work.

Now, I want to tell people about the good things God can do. He can help us do hard things, scary things, and things we do not want to do. I did not want to go down a big slide. But, I tried it once with God and liked it. So, I went again. And, again.

Now, I like to help my grandma in the nursery at HNAZ. When I am a mommy, I hope to have a job at the veterinarian office and have kids. God will help me go to college and have children and be apart of HNAZ.

My name is Karl Burhorn, and I have been attending HNAZ for a year now.
I grew up in the Presbyterian church where my father was a minister and like many others slowly fell away from God. For 50 years I have lived a life filled with worldly things, chasing possessions. But something was always missing.

God brought me to HNaz and slowly but surely softened my heart. I realized through Pastor Scott’s messages that what I had been missing all these years was a true relationship with Jesus. After giving my life to Jesus I find myself asking the question WWJD! Something that in the past I had never considered. While I still struggle daily I find great peace knowing I am no longer alone.

In Ephesians 5, Paul writes, “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light…Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

I was born into a life of chaos, but God sent me an angel in the form of my grandmother. She was my calm in life and really loved Jesus. She would pick me up on Sunday and I grew up loving Jesus, but never felt like I was worthy or understood how Jesus could love someone like me.

I was very comfortable to love from a distance. In my 20’s I met some amazing people that showed me that I could come out of the shadows and love Jesus out loud and He would love me back even louder. That started my journey that has led me to HNAZ to take this next step in my amazing journey with Jesus.

Hi, my name is Lilly McFadden. Before I knew Jesus Christ as my Savior I was broken and out of control. Growing up I knew about Jesus, but if you were to ask me if I believed in Him I’d probably say it was like believing in Santa. I really wanted to believe in Him but it all seemed too good to be true.

Throughout middle school I completely lost myself plus so many friends who were just trying to help me. Everything I was doing just left me feeling more empty and helpless. That is until the beginning of this school year, when I started to not only watch my brother find his way to Christ but also when I started holding myself accountable for the mistakes that were hurting the people around me.

I would say though that Go Mad last winter definitely gave me a better understanding on Christ and what it is to have a relationship with God. I have always had support growing up, but I thank Liz, Tyler, my best friend Caitlin, and my older brother Rhyder for helping me find my way to God and being there for the times I just needed to be reminded to not give up on my journey with God.

 A couple weeks ago we were praying at church and I could feel His presence. Later that day my mom brought up baptism and I realized that was my next step in my journey. I am getting baptized today because I have been made new and everyone should know it. I look forward to continuing to grow in my relationship with God and give people some support like the support I have.

Hello everyone, my name is Kinzie Cobbs. I’m from Huntington, Indiana, and I’m a senior in high school. HNAZ has been my home church since the day I was born, and it holds such a special place in my heart. Today, I just want to say how truly thankful I am to be baptized, and to have this chance to share my testimony with all of you. This moment means more to me than words can express.

God has always been part of my life. I grew up in church, and for as long as I can remember, it’s what I’ve always known. Sundays were for worship, prayers were routine, and faith was something I carried—but only on the surface. Looking back now, I realize that for a long time, I was just going through the motions. I believed, I attended, I listened—but my heart wasn’t fully in it.

It was like I was checking all the boxes, doing what I thought a “good Christian” should do, but there was a distance between me and God that I couldn’t explain. I didn’t feel the depth, the closeness, or the fire that I saw in others. I knew about God, but I didn’t truly know Him—not in a way that changed me from the inside out.

Around six months ago, I found myself in the middle of one of the hardest seasons of my life. It broke me in ways I didn’t expect. What I went through left me feeling completely shaken—like the ground beneath me had been pulled away. It shook my faith to its core and left me feeling disconnected from God. The relationship I thought I had with Him didn’t just feel distant—it felt like it was gone altogether, like it had completely fallen apart.

Every single day was a struggle. I was overwhelmed with emotions I didn’t know how to handle—anger, grief, confusion, and bitterness. I wasn’t just broken by what was happening—I was angry. Angry at God for allowing it. Angry because I didn’t understand why. I questioned everything. I didn’t want to pray, didn’t want to worship, didn’t even want to walk through the church doors. The things that once felt familiar now felt hollow. I stopped caring. I was numb. I felt empty… and so incredibly lost.

Even in the middle of all the hurt, I kept showing up to church—more out of routine than anything else. But about a month ago, something shifted. During one of Pastor Scott’s sermons, I felt this undeniable stirring in my heart, like God was speaking directly to me. It was gentle, but powerful—like He was saying, “I’m still here. I’ve never left you.”

Then came an altar call. I had never gone up during one before. Honestly, I was terrified. My heart was pounding, my hands were shaking, and everything in me wanted to stay in my seat. But I couldn’t ignore that tug on my soul. I felt God calling me—inviting me to bring Him all the pain I had been carrying.

So I stood up. I walked to the altar. And with tears streaming down my face, I laid it all at His feet—the anger, the hurt, the confusion, the weight I had been holding onto for so long. I opened my heart to Him, for the first time in a long time. And there, sobbing at the altar, I felt something I hadn’t in months—His presence. His peace. His love. I looked up and whispered my yes to God. My big, surrendered yes.

I still face struggles, but now I face them with the certainty that I’m not alone. My relationship with God is no longer distant—it’s real, personal, and vibrant. I talk to Him throughout the day, lean on Him when I’m weak, and trust Him in ways I never thought I could. I no longer feel like I’m walking through life on my own.
His Word has come alive to me in a way I never expected. It’s not just words on a page—it speaks to me, it gives me clarity, and it strengthens me when I need it most.

Worship has taken on a whole new meaning for me. It’s no longer just something I do out of habit—it’s a chance to connect with God, to open my heart, and to experience His presence in a real way. When I worship now, it’s more than just singing; it’s a conversation with God, a moment of surrender and love. God has taken my brokenness—my pain, my anger, my confusion—and is slowly, but surely, rebuilding me from the inside out. I’m no longer the person I was before. I’m becoming who He created me to be.

And as I look back on where I was and see where I am now, I can’t help but
be in awe of how far He’s brought me. This is just the beginning. I know God isn’t finished with me yet. He’s still working in me, teaching me, and leading me closer to Him each day. I said yes to Him, and He’s been faithful, guiding me, loving me, and giving me the strength to walk through life with hope and trust.
I’m deeply grateful for the support of my family, my church family, Tyler and Gracia Gates, Liz Irick, Pastor Scott, and Pastor Roman. Their encouragement, prayers, and presence have meant so much to me as I’ve grown in my walk with Christ. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without their guidance and love.

As I move forward, I hold onto the truth of Isaiah 25:1: “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.”

I know that God’s faithfulness has carried me through every trial, and He has been with me every step of the way. He has worked in my life in ways I couldn't have imagined, and I trust Him for all that’s still to come.

Reflecting on my journey, I am also reminded of the lyrics from Maverick City Music's song "To You": "I hear the song you're singing. Crying out 'Run child run. Father I am returning, and I'll stay where I belong.”

These words resonate deeply with my experience—feeling God's call to return and finding my true place in His embrace. Embracing His presence has become a source of unparalleled peace and fulfillment, guiding me through life's challenges and filling me with unwavering hope. I am committed to staying where I belong, in His presence.

I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that with God by my side, I will keep saying yes. I’m ready to walk this journey with Him, trusting that He will lead me, guide me, and use my story for His glory.

"Last week we celebrated the victory of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. How appropriate for us!

Who is leading our congregation? We are shepherded by a faithful God who tells us in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Our LORD has been walking with us through the changes we, as a church family, are experiencing.

In Ephesians 1:11 we are told God, “works all things according to the counsel of His will.” This time of transition is not happening outside of the will of God. God is working according to the counsel of his will. So the question is not, “Who is in control?” God is in control. The question is, “Will we rest in him and trust him?”

I love our church family. We fall down, and we lift one another up. I see the LORD everywhere in our church body. I recently had an eye surgery and the Women’s Group brought me a blanket and comforted me. I see Jesus in Marlene when she comes in to update our Food Pantry, in Lynn as she leads Growing Place Preschool, in Tyler as he continues to grow our worship team through music, in Christi and Stephen’s faithfulness in their respective ministries with children and visiting members of our congregation, in Pastor Gary as he guides us through this transition, in our Board, folks who continue meet and pay the bills and make decisions, in our Facebook prayer group. I saw God this week when Ray came in because the large freezer broke down and his assistance was needed. I see the love of Jesus as Glenda helps our youth provide a dinner for us after church today. He’s in our Sunday School, He’s in our Bible studies, He’s in HERE RIGHT NOW. Father, Son and Holy Spirit! We are experiencing a resurrection as a congregation and what a sweet victory that is!

James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” This morning, let’s praise and worship God together and acknowledge that we are a blessed people who can feel the encouragement and hope of the victory of Christ’s resurrection!"

"In my adult life, Bible studies have probably been the single biggest factor to keeping me accountable and growing in my relationship with God. When life gets tough, being in Scripture, and community with others helps get me out of my own head. Life is not meant to be lived alone, I need accountability as well as support. Bible studies, and the women in them, are key factors to helping me live with hope and a deeper faith."