This Sunday in worship, we are going to be traveling to Jacksonville Beach Florida. We are continuing with our sermon series entitled "Lessons from the Road" and I am looking forward to introducing two women to you. When I was at Beach United Methodist Church in August, I was invited to a special baptism service. After the regular Sunday morning worship, the church left the sanctuary, walked two blocks, and prepared for a baptism service at the beach for 72 people!
As we were making their way to the water, a huge thunderstorm broke loose. The beach patrol closed the beach and we all went running back to the sanctuary in pouring rain. The church had to postpone the baptism for two weeks, but that gave me the opportunity to listen to some incredible stories. As it poured outside, for three and a half hours, I met with Liz and Kelly in the church youth room. They told me of painful childhood stories, but how in their later years, their faith pulled them through. In those early years, seeds of faith were sown that came to life years later. Today, the two of them are leading an incredible and transformational ministry with children in poverty.
Time spent with them was a reminder that we need to pay attention to the children. Seeds sown now form little lives and even sprout to make fruit in the decades to come.
Sometimes we get so busy, we simply drift through our time with the children. This weekend, as we look to the Scriptures and as we listen to miraculous stories from Florida, I pray that all of us can remember that time spent on the children, is spiritual time well spent. See you in worship!
Pastor Pete
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