To the Mountain View Fellowship Family
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you in all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 6-1:2
Dear Mountain View Fellowship Family,
This is my final newsletter article as your associate pastor. Any sadness is quickly swallowed up with joy as I reflect on our three years together. Not only have you all loved me and my family well, you have proven to be a people committed to prayer, discerning and doing the work of the Lord together. It has truly been an honor to serve you and be served by you.
I reflect on the profound changes three short years have brought our church family; loss, death, new life, people coming and going. I reminisce of many wonderful worship services together, Bible studies, picnics, together clubs, chicken barbecues when I helped with the early shift before Lee decided he enjoyed being the 5 am Harlow representative, and my heart is deeply moved by the steady rhythm of life in community. I am filled with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel.
Whether you’ve heard the Women’s Bible study group talking about it, or Pastor Wayne referencing it, the book “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan gives us much to consider about what living faithful to Scripture looks like in twenty-first century America. I want to leave us with a few thoughts in that regard.
I recently read a funny story about a pastor enthusiastically telling someone: “You need to join the Army of the Lord!” The person replied, “I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor.” Pastor questioned, “How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?” He whispered back, “I'm in the secret service.”
Chan warns us against consumer Christianity, and in a recent interview with “Outreach” magazine, he addressed how many in our society come to church to see what we can get. Instead, he encouraged, we should all bring something to worship with us, a testimony, a Scripture God has been using in our lives, a song, our burdens to lay before the throne of grace, a smile of encouragement, a listening ear, a caring shoulder, an outreach idea, etc. We already do this in many ways at MVF, but I encourage us all to look at how God might be directing, calling, inviting us to share even more in this community of faith and the building of His Kingdom. Let us not be “secret service” Christians, but those actively living and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
As we look to the future, let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. And I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
In His Name and For His Glory,
Pastor Regina
Dear Mountain View Fellowship Family,
This is my final newsletter article as your associate pastor. Any sadness is quickly swallowed up with joy as I reflect on our three years together. Not only have you all loved me and my family well, you have proven to be a people committed to prayer, discerning and doing the work of the Lord together. It has truly been an honor to serve you and be served by you.
I reflect on the profound changes three short years have brought our church family; loss, death, new life, people coming and going. I reminisce of many wonderful worship services together, Bible studies, picnics, together clubs, chicken barbecues when I helped with the early shift before Lee decided he enjoyed being the 5 am Harlow representative, and my heart is deeply moved by the steady rhythm of life in community. I am filled with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel.
Whether you’ve heard the Women’s Bible study group talking about it, or Pastor Wayne referencing it, the book “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan gives us much to consider about what living faithful to Scripture looks like in twenty-first century America. I want to leave us with a few thoughts in that regard.
I recently read a funny story about a pastor enthusiastically telling someone: “You need to join the Army of the Lord!” The person replied, “I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor.” Pastor questioned, “How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?” He whispered back, “I'm in the secret service.”
Chan warns us against consumer Christianity, and in a recent interview with “Outreach” magazine, he addressed how many in our society come to church to see what we can get. Instead, he encouraged, we should all bring something to worship with us, a testimony, a Scripture God has been using in our lives, a song, our burdens to lay before the throne of grace, a smile of encouragement, a listening ear, a caring shoulder, an outreach idea, etc. We already do this in many ways at MVF, but I encourage us all to look at how God might be directing, calling, inviting us to share even more in this community of faith and the building of His Kingdom. Let us not be “secret service” Christians, but those actively living and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.
As we look to the future, let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. And I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
In His Name and For His Glory,
Pastor Regina