Personal From Ministerial and Member Services
We have now begun the countdown to Pentecost!
It was a very inspiring and profitable Holy Day season for Barbara and me—our 43rd as husband and wife! We spent the Last Day of Unleavened Bread at a combined service with the Ann Arbor, Detroit and Flint, Michigan, congregations.
It was very meaningful for Barbara and me, as we lived the vast majority of our first ten years together near Grand Rapids, Michigan, and attended services there. We would often make the trip to Ann Arbor for youth weekends and we have many friends in the state, several that we were able to see on this trip.
The Last Day of Unleavened Bread was a very encouraging day of healthy spiritual food and fellowship as approximately 120 members gathered together at the historic Hartland Music Hall in Hartland, Michigan. When I heard the attendance figures, I couldn’t help but think about and draw comparisons to the 120 followers of Christ who gathered together on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them and many others whom God was calling at that time. Much has happened and centuries have passed, but God’s delivered word of hope and salvation remains the same.
All the messages were encouraging and uplifting, despite the difficult times in which we live. Like you, I am truly hopeful we have seen the worst of the pandemic and its affect will continue to lighten progressively. I suppose we might be a bit naïve to think we are completely past any significant issues with COVID-19, but certainly things have greatly improved. I know we are all truly thankful to God for this relief. It is very good to see more and more people physically returning to church services and to fellowship with our brethren.
As I listened to the offertory and to special music, I was struck by such a wonderful legacy that is being carried on by adults, young adults and children within the Church of God. So many children have been born into the Church of God over the past 70 years, and many remain to carry on the rich heritage that their parents have passed along to them.
We also enjoyed a lovely Sabbath in Ann Arbor with the brethren there and fellowshipped for a couple of hours after services while enjoying a variety of delectable treats. The brethren seemed to genuinely love each other and didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave!
That evening, all the elders from the three congregations and their wives met at Mike and Laura Phelps’ home for a very enjoyable evening together. It was wonderful to see Keith Haab, of the Ann Arbor congregation again, as he reminded me of the time we sat at the scorer’s table at a Y.O.U. basketball game nearly 40 years ago! Keith lived on the other side of the state from me and was ordained an elder in 1984. I was ordained an elder in 1985, so we go back a few years! I thought a great deal of Keith back then and even more so now as I consider his longevity and faithfulness.
It was really great to see Steve and Evelyn Shafer, two more long-timers, and to catch up and share experiences with them. We were able to get to know Chris and Deborah (Steve and Evelyn’s daughter) Shude much better and I greatly appreciated hearing about how God called Chris initially, through his wife’s example. Chris was ordained an elder in 2016 and serves in the Flint congregation along with the Shafers.
Another elder from the Flint congregation is Brian McGuire. Barbara and I greatly enjoyed becoming better acquainted with Brian and his wife, Laurie, who is Larry and Karen Walker’s daughter. Larry is a retired elder and he and Karen continue to serve in central Oregon. Brian was ordained an elder in 2013. I am continually impressed and encouraged by the elders I am getting to know better and better as I see God working in them to serve His children humbly and effectively. This is certainly true of Mike and Laura Phelps, who lovingly care for the brethren with whom they are entrusted.
It was truly wonderful to spend some quality time with Mike and Laura, and with their daughter Kelsey (not to mention their elderly dog, Champ, and their cute little puppy, Sadie). God has richly blessed us all and it is truly a great honor and privilege to have these close relationships with one another and with our loving God and His wonderful Son!
I want to conclude by asking for your faithful prayers for the Council of Elders as they consider and determine who to appoint as United’s next president. Let us all pray that God will be directly involved and will guide this selection. It has been a real privilege for me to serve with and to learn from Victor Kubik and I look forward to having a similar relationship with the new president.
Wishing you all a very meaningful and inspiring Sabbath!
