Weekly Greeting - October 27th, 2023
Dear Bethlehem Family,
About 20 years ago while I was at a conference at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina I heard a pastor quote John Ortberg. I immediately fell in love with his writing. Since that time, I have read several of his books. Many of our small groups and Sunday school classes here at Bethlehem have studied curriculum written by Ortberg.
I just recently came across a quote from him that speaks powerfully and truthfully to so many of the situations we are facing in the world and, unfortunately, even in the church.
“Peace doesn’t come from finding a lake with no storms. It comes from having Jesus in the boat.”
—John Ortberg
It’s hard to open a newspaper, or turn on the news or your computer these days without being flooded with stories about political and social division.
We may not be able to find a lake with no storms, but the good news is we can invite Jesus to be part of our every journey. We may also discover Jesus has been with us even when we thought we were all alone.
This is a great time to be a part of the church and to help others experience the peace that Jesus brings us that the world can’t give or take away.
I am so grateful for God sending Jesus into our world and for the peace he brings when we invite him into our lives.
Blessings,
Craig
We are exploring how our membership vows relate to following Jesus in our current worship series, “Beauty from Ashes. “This week we will be celebrating God’s presence in our lives with special music and exploring what Scripture has to say about the importance of coming together in worship. Our text is Hebrews 10:19-25. Please join us as we worship God and encourage one another to live as part of the family of God here at Bethlehem.