March Pulpit Schedule
3rd – Write It Down! – Proverbs 7:1-4; Jeremiah 36 s.v.; Luke 1:1-4; John 19:19-22
We ought to consider more carefully the great legacy of literacy. Having written language is a game changer. God took care to write things down. Some things He wrote in stone – hello, Ten Commandments! Moses smashed the first copy of the Commandments. In today’s text, God commands Jeremiah to write down all the prophecies he’s spoken. Guess what? When they’re read to the king, he burns them! Like the Ten Commandments, God has them written down, again. Luke and Pilate also write some things down. As it turns out, both write under God’s inspiration.
6th – No Blushing Here – Proverbs 15:8; 25:26; Jeremiah 8:4-12; Romans 1:18-32
This is Ash Wednesday. We want to consider the ability to blush during this service of worship. It is a blessing from God to be able to blush because of shame. Of course, it also is humiliating, embarrassing, and painful. But, what are the other options? Our texts from Proverbs give good insights about that. There are those who call evil good, while calling good evil. Such a nation or person, according to Proverbs, is like a polluted fountain. The classic text that speaks of this is Romans 1. Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry accused the Jews of not being able to blush.
10th – Can People Change Gods? – Proverbs. 3:1-12; Jeremiah 2:1-13; John 19:13-16
People are very forgetful. In times of great abundance we tend to forget what it was like to count our pennies. When we are healthy and well, we don’t remember what it was like when we had that bad head cold. In a similar way, as a society grows more sophisticated, more learned, more affluent, there is a tendency to forget the truths by which our lives were formerly ordered. God makes such a charge against the Israelites. They have switched gods! Pilate’s judgment seat shows Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day doing the same thing. How about us – what have we forgotten?
17th – This One and That One – Proverbs 17:15; Jeremiah 26 s.v.; Acts 12:1-11
God promised Jeremiah that He would be with him, that He would deliver him from his adversaries. There were many adversaries as it turned out! Today we look at one instance to get some idea of the deadly intentions leading figures had toward Jeremiah: they want to kill him! Jeremiah was not the only godly prophet ministering among the people of Jerusalem at that time. A fellow named Uriah had a similar prophetic ministry. Guess what? That man was killed by the king, personally! Why Uriah and not Jeremiah? Likewise, why James and not Peter in Acts 12?
24th – Roadways and Boundaries – Prov. 16:17; 22:28; Jer. 6:16-17; 31:21-26; Matt. 11:28-30
Maps are wonderful. Without them folk can get hopelessly lost. One of the main prophetic insights given to Jeremiah was the value – indeed, necessity – of accurate maps. The maps referred to are not the ones we see on our GPS machines or that come up on Google maps. Instead, the maps Jeremiah references lay out the way folk should live. We need directions! The life that is directionless is frustrating and fruitless. Even worse are maps the give wrong information. Life can be wearying using the wrong maps. Jesus speaks to this issue in our gospel text.
31st – Fishermen of God – Proverbs 10:4; 13:20; Jeremiah 16:14-21; Luke 19:11-27
This is the final Sunday of Mission Month. Something special is in store for us. You’ll notice that our gospel text is from Luke 19. That should ring a bell for some of us. “Didn’t we do some sort of program that was named The Luke 19 Project?” Yes, we did, and today we’re going to launch another Luke 19 Project. Jeremiah has intimations of such a project when he prophesies of fishermen and hunters! We want this project to enable us to engage in some fishing and hunting for the Lord down in the country of Colombia. Come and receive the means to do some fishing.
From Pastor to Youth & Children
As this is only my second year at Leidy’s Church, there is still a lot of her history I do not know. As a result, I am nearly always learning about how people came to the church or learned about Jesus in a particular Sunday School class. In fact, for the past week I have been looking at old photos that range from the old, old sanctuary across the street to the groundbreaking ceremony of our new building. Throughout all of the pictures, there is a close connection between the individual people and the church as a whole. It is evident that throughout the history of the church, the people at Leidy’s Church have been working to help build (literally) and grow the church. I pray that the Lord continues to use the people of Leidy’s Church for His glory for many, many years to come.
Though our new church building is complete, there are still ways that we can make a physical impact around the campus. The Christian Education committee, in partnership with the Property Committee, has put forward a beautification project for our kids and youth to undertake. Starting later this spring we will have our first Block Party. A few times each year, our kids will be invited to come and paint a cinder block in the educational level of our church. Lord willing, over time we will see not only beautiful pictures emerge, we will also give some of our younger people the satisfaction of knowing they continued the tradition of the people of Leidy’s Church working to build up and establish the physical building as well as the spiritual health of God’s people.
Lest you think that we are going to turn the kids loose to paint whatever they want, there are going to be some specific guidelines. First, the kids will be allowed to paint a square if they have completed milestones. For instance, if kids memorize the books of the Old Testament, New Testament, Lord’s Prayer, and Apostle’s Creed, they will be allowed to paint a square. In addition to that, if anyone learns some way of sharing their faith with others, they will be invited to paint a square. Finally, if anyone memorizes a chapter of God’s Word, they will be invited to paint a square.
As a note to the parents, we intend to give you plenty of advance notice of an upcoming Block Party. In this way, you will not be surprised to find paint on your kids clothing. Further, we do not have Sunday School classes actively memorizing the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostle’s Creed, or whole chapters of the Bible. You will have to help your children as they contribute to Leidy’s Church.
As a note to others, if you have met some of the qualifications for an invite to a Block Party, but happen to be an adult, I know that the Property Committee is looking for some help painting certain portions of the church. Please feel free to contact Tim Leidy about how to help. Who knows, perhaps in another hundred years people will look back and marvel at the way these generations continued the tradition of building the body of Christ physically as well as spiritually.
To the Praise of His glory,
Michael
March is Missions Month
During March Leidy’s Church especially turns her attention to the Lord’s call to mission, that is, to take the gospel to all nations, teaching them to observe all that He has commanded us.
Each Sunday there will be a special mission presentation in the Fellowship Hall during the Sunday School hour. All adult classes for the month of March will combine and meet together for these special presentations. It is hoped that other folk who may not attend a Sunday School class normally will choose to get up early and come out to hear from missionaries whom we support in a wide variety of mission endeavors.
As an added inducement for you to attend, the Mission Committee will have the ever-popular Mission Munchies available for consumption each week before and during class.Here are the scheduled mission presenters for 2019:
- March 3rd – Denny Barger with Dreams Alive Ministry comes back to his home church to share what God is doing in and through his ministry. Though now located in New Jersey, Denny’s ministry focus continues to be the Middle East. In fact, he will have just returned from leading a medical mission to Jordan and the refugees in that land.
- March 10th – Anees Zaka with Church Without Walls is a long-time, valued friend of Leidy’s Church who has a distinctive ministry to Muslims. His organization has affiliates across the US and in Europe that minister the hope of the gospel among the Islamic communities. A native Egyptian, Anees also helps us reach persecuted Christians.
- March 17th – Clay & Becky Walter serve with Mission Aviation Fellowship, but are currently going through a family crisis as their 8-year-old son has leukemia. Currently, they are living in our Mission House while Brian gets treatment. They will share how a mission family on the field handles such emergencies. And they’ll let us know how MAF is doing.
- March 24th – Chris & Heather Christensen serve with ABWE [Association of Baptists for World Evangelism] in Bangladesh. Chris is a nurse, but also just finished his seminary degree. They’ve been on home-furlough for the past year and soon will be heading back to Bangladesh. They also have welcomed their 4th child to their family in the last month!
- March 31st – In This Time of Need is the focused mission based from Leidy’s Church. If things work out, we hope to have a live FaceTime chat with Pastor Dagoberto Angarita in Cucuta, Colombia. He heads up the program in Colombia. We’ll get first-hand information of what’s happening on the ground in Cucuta, right next door to Venezuela.
The Mission Committee invites you to come and find out what some of our missionaries are doing and get to know them in the process. It will help inform your prayers.
2019 SLMT Auction
Plans for this year’s Auction are underway. It is still the SLMT Auction, but remember, that stands for Short Length Mission Trip. Auctioneer Len Walter and his delightful wife Ruth are on-board again. They will help make the night of April 27th a memorable one.
Also on-board are the Ladies of Leidy’s. They, along with other committees will be conspiring to make, for your enjoyment, a delectable menu of edibles, including homemade baked goods, potato salad, barbeque, and other delicacies to satisfy your palate.
The SLMT Auction Committee is working together to find creative ways to make this year’s auction exciting and enjoyable for the whole church family. Ron & Kathy Moyer have volunteered to head up the kitchen, which is planning to serve hot roast beef sandwiches, hot dogs and other side dishes to complete a delicious meal for everyone. However, these plans are contingent upon your participation in this year’s SLMT Auction. There are so many ways you can get involved this year. You can donate gifts, services, crafts, and talents. No donation is too small. All donations are deeply appreciated. There can be donations that are thematic to attract interest in sports, gardening, hunting, fishing, vacation, and recreational activities. The wide variety of donations aids to engage all ages to participate in the bidding process.
All of us, as the church family, can contribute in some way at the 2019 SLMT Auction. We need people to volunteer to help with the set-up for the auction. Others may be able to help with the tear-down and clean-up at the end of the night. We still need youth to assist with babysitting and child-care before and during the auction. Your support and prayers will make this year’s SLMT Auction a success. All funds raised will be used to defray the costs of our SLMT (Short Length Mission Trip) efforts.
A tax-deductible letter from the church is made available to everyone donating to the auction. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer in any of these areas listed above, please call the church office or speak with Pastor Steve Myers.
But don’t forget the date: Saturday evening, April 27th.
Time to Hang Out & Find Out
The monthly After-Service Luncheon in March will happen on St. Patrick’s Day. For you non-Irish folk, that would be March 17th. Lunch will be provided by the Women’s Sunday School class. We look forward to it.
These monthly luncheons have been well-attended. The comfortable, relaxed atmosphere combined with a simple but quite ample lunch, has resulted in folk enjoying time to hang out with others and find out what’s going on in their lives.
You’re invited to hang out with others for food and fellowship after worship on March 17th.
Banquet Opportunities
There are a couple of Spring Banquets that folk from Leidy’s Church might be interested in attending.
- Living Hope Native Ministries hosts its annual banquet at Yoder’s Restaurant in New Holland, PA. The date is Friday, March 29th, with a starting time of 6:30. There is no cost for the banquet, though a free-will offering will be taken. Dave Traintinger will share his testimony and Stuart Swartzentruber, the new Executive Director of Living Hope will present an overview of the ministry, including the relocation of headquarters to Thunder Bay, Ontario. To register call toll-free 855-367-8199 or send an email to banquet@LHNM.org.
- Love Cradle International is hosting its annual banquet on Saturday evening, April 6th. As usual, there will be a feast of Ukrainian foods while enjoying fellowship around the tables. Steve Yagilnicky will be back from Ukraine to let folk know of all the initiatives that are being undertaken among orphans in Ukraine and outreach into some villages as well. New staff has been added to help oversee all the work taking placed at the Transition home and we’ll find out about that. There is no charge for the banquet, but a free-will offering is on the docket. Contact the Leidy’s Church office to register.
Luke 19 Meets ITTON
So, what is ITTON? It is the acronym for In This Time of Need, our project to help Venezuelan refugees in Colombia. What about Luke 19, what’s that? That is a fund-raising challenge Leidy’s Church has participated in with Glad Tidings India. Now that fund raising challenge is going to be directed to ITTON.
On Sunday morning March 31st every person attending church who is Confirmation age and beyond will receive a $20 bill. The challenge is to multiply that $20 over the course of the next 12 weeks, with the increase benefitting ITTON.
How shall you do that? We don’t know! It’s up to you. Some folk have made jelly and sold it. Some have washed or detailed cars. We had one person who invested in the stock market! You could weed someone’s flower garden or trim their walks. Maybe provide a limousine service. Underwrite some trips to historic battlefields. Sell cupcakes at work. You name it!
Ask God to lead you. He can do that! Ask Him to bless your efforts. He can do that!
The ingathering will happen on the 23rd of June. Let’s see what God will do!
Ash Wednesday
The number 40 appears many times in Scripture, almost always in conjunction with a foundational event. From the 40 years of wilderness wanderings, to the 40 days of Jesus’ testing in the desert to the 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
Ash Wednesday also is related to the number 40. It marks the beginning of the 40 days prior to the celebration of Easter – that’s without counting the Sundays during that time as part of the 40 days. One was not to fast or lament on a Sunday as that was the day commemorating Christ’s resurrection.
The 2019 Ash Wednesday worship at Leidy’s Church will be at 7:30pm on March 6th which is 40 Monday-through-Saturday days before Easter. The service will be a bit different than previous years as it will be the service of worship that concludes our Day of Prayer and Fasting. Individuals from the congregation will be praying for designated issues of concern. For those who’ve been fasting, their fast will end with the Lord’s Supper.
It will be a good service to help all of us – whether fasting or not – orient the eyes of our hearts towards Easter.
Thirty Pieces of Silver Offering
Among the traditions of Leidy’s Church is the setting aside of monies during the time from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. It’s called the Thirty Pieces of Silver offering. It always goes to a designated benevolent concern.
This year the monies that come in via the Thirty Pieces of Silver offering will be used to help persecuted and displaced Christians in the Middle East. Along with this Newsletter you should receive a small plastic zip-lock bag to use when you bring in your offering on Palm Sunday or Easter Sunday.
Easter is Coming
Though it’s only March, Easter is on the horizon. There are a couple matters that you might want to be aware of in connection with Easter this year.
There has been much comment on the fact that we have not had an Easter Sunrise service the past two years. This was due to lacking a good place to have one on the new church site. In 2019 we’re going back to the future and are proposing to have a 6:30am Sunrise service. It would take place at the top of the cemetery hill as before. The hindrance is finding folk willing to help prepare the site early that morning with chairs, a table, some plywood, and offering shuttle services if necessary. If you can help out, please talk with Pastor Niederhaus.
A Pancake Breakfast is always part of our Easter celebration. We plan to do that again this year. The Leidy’s Church youth will prepare and serve the breakfast, so let your salivations begin! Starting time will be 8am, though we may accept some cold, hungry pilgrims who wander in from the Sunrise service if they arrive a bit early. The date is April 21st. All it costs to get in is a donation. This year the donations will go to support the persecuted Church in the Middle East.
Day of Prayer and Fasting
The Spiritual Council and Pastoral Staff are calling for a Day of Prayer and Fasting by the Leidy’s Church family. The “day” will begin at 7:30pm on Tuesday, March 5th and extend through 8:30pm the next day at the conclusion of the Ash Wednesday service of worship. The purpose is to humble ourselves before God and seek His intervention on our behalf.
The “day” will begin with an informal service of songs and intercession at 7:30 on Tuesday evening to help us get oriented. Everyone is invited to attend and participate. The “day” will conclude with the Ash Wednesday communion service that will feature songs and intercessions. Again, everyone is invited to attend and participate.
In addition to our praying at home, we will keep the sanctuary open for prayer throughout the 25 hours of that “day”. Ideally, there will be three or four persons praying in the sanctuary throughout the “day”. A sign-up sheet is on the narthex wall for those who would like to designate a time they will commit to pray in the sanctuary. Prayer information/help sheets will be available.Just who does that “our” mentioned in the first paragraph mean? It would mean our nation. We are in unprecedented times of spiritual and moral and political and judicial declension. It would mean our area. What we see and hear across our land is also taking place in our backyard. It would mean our congregation. We have much need for God to renew us and cleanse us and fortify us to walk with Him in faithfulness. It would mean our families. We have many challenges in our homes and in our relationships within our homes. It would mean our own selves. We each have faults, concerns, relationships, heart attitudes, and other matters where we need God’s intervention.
Every person connected with Leidy’s Church is encouraged to participate in this Day of Prayer and Fasting. Each person should feel free to choose the level at which he or she will participate. But do pray. Do fast, even if for one meal. Seek God. Seek His mercy. Seek His work in our land and in our midst.
Keystone Opportunity Coming
On Sunday evening April 7th the Penn View Brass Band will be in concert at Leidy’s Church. Doors open at 6 with the concert beginning at 6:30. It will benefit the Keystone Opportunity Center via a free-will offering.
There is only one British Brass Band in the southeastern PA area – the Penn View Brass Band. Composed of 25 brass players, two percussionists, and an organist, the band provides that rich British blend of instrumentation to produce a unique sound. Featured at one point in the concert will be the trombone section complete with Alphorns – think Ricola commercials.
The concert will include a variety of patriotic, popular, jazz, and sacred music. Audience participation is invited at times through singing of some favorite hymns and songs.
Mark your calendar and invite some friends to join you on April 7th at Leidy’s Church to support members of our community fighting poverty, hunger and homelessness through the work of the Keystone Opportunity Center featuring the talented Penn View Brass Band.
Chili Cook-Off Amendments
There have been some adjustments to the details of the Chili Cook-Off since last month. It still will take place on Saturday, March 9th. The starting time, though, has changed from 4 o’clock to 5 o’clock. That will allow time for a bit more yard work and other around-the-house work to be done before coming to church to enjoy a hearty chili dinner and spirited judging.
Some families were concerned about food fare for the younger folk who may not enjoy chili so much. We’ve got an answer. There will be some hotdogs and/or chicken nuggets available for them as well as chili. Of course, everyone will want some cornbread and applesauce and some dessert!
This year there will be no cash prize – that was considered too gauche. Instead, there will be trophies, grand trophies, trophies that you will display with pride on the mantel above your fireplace. To ensure that no chicanery takes place, Tony Kapusta has received a pledge from the Broward County Florida Election Commission to oversee the counting of the votes. Remember, each entry can garner as many as 20 points: 1 to 5 for a good name; 1 to 8 for the taste of the chili; and 1 to 7 for the aesthetic appearance of the chili. The anonymity of all entrants will preclude any incipient nepotism or buddy-favorites.
If you would like to help with the event itself during the course of the day, let Tony Kapusta know – he’d welcome your aid.
Here is the pricing schedule in case you forgot:
- $25 per chili entry – also entitles you to be a judge and enjoy all the food available.
- $10 per ticket for non-entrants – qualifies you to judge and enjoy all the food.
- $7 per ticket for those 15 and under – same benefits as above; age 5 and under eat free.
- $35 maximum per household expenditure
- All proceeds from this event will be used for the In This Time of Need project.
Invite some friends, bring a family member or two, and come enjoy a worthwhile fun and fund-raising event.
New Precept Class
How do you live with integrity in a nation without morals? Can the church effectively engage and change this destructive condition in our society? How does your life reflect your faith? We can change the culture into which God has called us . . . come out and join us for a short seven week course studying the book of TITUS beginning March 28th at 9 am. with Marci Stunkard. Workbook cost $8. For more info call Verna 215.237.1370
Leidy’s Lunch Bunch
The Leidy’s Church Lunch Bunch Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, April 17th at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The luncheon is open to everyone 65 +. Friends are invited also. Look for a poster and a sign-up sheet. An RSVP is needed by April 7th. Come out and enjoy some fellowship with us!
Meet Our New Evangelist in India
For many years Leidy’s Church has supported the training and sending of church planters in India. Under the auspices of Glad Tidings India, indigenous Indians with a recognized call and ability to share the gospel, are trained and sent out to places where the name of Jesus is not heard. Leidy’s Church underwrites one or two such persons each year.
This year we are undergirding the ministry of Om Prakash, as he ministers in the state of Uttar Pradesh in the north central part of India. Mr. Prakash is 37 years of age and was born in the village of Khanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state with 202 million persons – that would make it the fifth most populous country in the world, if it were a country. There are 613 people groups in the state and 579 of those people groups have no Christians at all. Water-borne diseases are widespread; in fact, the large majority of the world’s polio cases occur in that state.
Mr. Prakash will be going back to his home village to share the gospel and plant a church. There is no church in his home village at this point. The identified religious groups in his village are Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh. Let’s remember to keep Mr. Prakash and his village in our prayers.
Joint Youth Fellowship & SLMT-Pic Mtg.
On Sunday, March 24th a special edition of Youth Fellowship takes place. Rather than meeting at the normal evening time, the meeting will take place immediately following the service of worship. Don’t worry about trying to get lunch before the meeting. This special meeting time of Youth Fellowship will include a meal with many options!
The purpose of this special meeting is to teach us how to interact with the world around us. Those persons who are planning to be part of the SLMT—Pic team are also welcome and encouraged to come.
Have questions? Contact Pastor Michael.
Say Cheese!
While Palm Sunday is a ways off, the preparation necessary for one aspect of Palm Sunday is upon us. We need pictures of our children and youth. Each year at Leidy’s Church we distribute Prayer Cards with our children’s pictures and info on them. We plan to do so again this year. For that to happen we need for the pictures to be submitted to Sunday School teachers or the church office by March 31st. Thanks for your help!
Are You on The List?
The list for SLMT–Pikangikum is posted! We’re collecting names of individuals willing to serve the Lord Jesus in the exciting and challenging First Nations community of Pikangikum.
This is always an intergenerational mission endeavor. We need experienced heads and hands, that is, old people! We also need youthful energy, insights, resilience, and let’s-get-it-done attitudes, that is, teens!
We never know exactly all what will be done at Pikangikum, though the core effort will be the five-day VBS program. There also are fix-it projects to do, outreach activities in which to participate, recreational activities with children and older youth, times of intercession and prayer, and runs to sites where we might see some bears.
This means we’re looking to see names on The List of folk with craft skills, individuals who enjoy doing recreational activities with kids, some folk with musical abilities, Bible teachers, as well guys who have handyman/construction skills.
Dates for this year’s trip are July 11-21. Perkiomen Tours will provide a classic touring mode of transportation on a comfortable coach. Those on The List will journey through our nation’s heartland, up through the farming region of Canada, and into the forest and lake wonderland of far northwest Ontario.
The SLMT curriculum committee is hard at work designing this year’s VBS curriculum. Pray for them. And pray for the kids who will be part of those classes. Ask God to prepare hearts here in the US and there, in Canada. Need more information before you put your name on The List? Then you should speak with some of our veteran leaders and participants, such as Tony Kapusta, Lorraine Kroesser, Vangie Niederhaus, Rich Kapusta, Wendy Radcliff, or Mary Beth Musselman.
Faith & Freedom Event
On Friday, April 5th, a special Christian Citizenship & the Cultural Mandate event will be held at the Valley Forge Baptist Church. Sponsored by the Faith & Freedom Coalition of PA, it will begin at 7pm and conclude at 9pm. The church is located at 616 S. Trappe Road, Collegeville. Admission is free.
Special Speaker is Craig Seibert, Director of the Christian Civics Training Initiative. A regular speaker at churches, schools, and civic groups, his organization is an internet-based training resource that provides over 100,000 videos per year to people of all ages all across the country and around the world.
Among the topics explored will be: What Christian Citizenship Means Today; The Four Structures of a Healthy Society; Original Design of the American Experiment; Cultivating a Christian Worldview for All of Life; The Difference Between Civics and Politics; and Where Do We Go From Here.
Consistory Notes
With light rain and falling temperatures after record highs, the Consistory of Leidy’s Church met on Feb. 6th to conduct the business of the church. Below are some salient points:
- Devotions were led by the aging Stan Ott. Appropriately enough, Stan chose to reflect on the frailties and wisdom that accompany old age and how older Christians should conduct themselves. Citing numerous Scripture passages (e.g. Ps. 71, 92, Prov. 16, Job 12, Titus 2) but with Luke 13 as his main text, he made many telling points. In the end, we are always all called to be a blessing to others, whether front and center or behind the scenes.
- Discussed several items related to the HUB. Pastor Niederhaus and Stan Ott met with several ministry representatives earlier in January. The purpose was to clarify responsibilities for various tenants. All were encouraged to seek additional tenants for the currently unoccupied rooms as a means of insuring ongoing operation of the HUB. Two of the ministries requested to increase the amount of their monthly rent. That passed! Also approved after discussion was a request to renovate certain sections of the sanctuary at the HUB to better accommodate the worship style of the congregation. That was approved with the proviso that changes would be restored to their original condition upon the termination or cessation of lease should Leidy’s Church so request. It was also decided the Property Committee should proceed with window replacements in sections of the HUB as planned.
- The Leidy’s Church Emergency Plan is in finalized form. Now it will need to be made known to the congregation. The first step in doing so will be to familiarize persons who will play significant roles in an emergency situation. To that end, the Christian Ed Committee will instruct SS teachers and aides on procedures to follow, while the Property Committee will call all Ushers together to meet and become aware of expectations for them in the event of an emergency. A Public Safety Team will be organized to do regular reviews of our facility and issues we may need to address.
- Pastor Michael indicated the church’s website is due to receive major renovations over the next couple of months. It is to be hoped that everything will be up and in place by the end of March. Among the items approved by Consistory for the renovated website is to provide an option for on-line contributions. At the March meeting of Consistory various options will be presented for how such contributions will be received and how they will be handled by our accounting personnel. A learning curve is anticipated!
- The Consistorymen were directed to the Fellowship Hall where they received instructions on how to operate the FH sound system. Pastor Michael had prepared an annotated, illustrated User’s Guide which he and Pastor Steve walked the men through to get them up-to-speed on the latest in audio equipment.
- The Mission Committee requested permission to do a variety of the Luke 19 Project which Glad Tidings India has led us through a couple times over the past decades. The difference this time is that the church will be fronting the funds distributed. Permission was granted, so the Mission Committee will need to determine exactly how it will be implemented.
Other committee reports and staff reports were received and dealt with as well. After a time of intercessory prayer for enumerated concerns the meeting concluded with the unison praying of the Lord’s Prayer at 10:06.
The Second Helvetic Confession
In February we covered the first eight sections [actually, we stopped in the middle of the eighth section] of the Confession’s account of sin and its consequences. In March, we finish the eighth section and the final two sections on this topic.
Confession and Simple Exposition of the Orthodox Faith
Chapter 8: Of Man’s Fall, Sin, and the Causes of Sin
God Is Not the Author of Sin, and How Far He is Said to Harden. It is expressly written: “Thou art not a God who delights in wickedness. Thou hatest all evildoers. Thou destroyest those who speak lies.” And again: “When the devil lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Moreover, there is enough sinfulness and corruption in us that it is not necessary for God to infuse into us a new or still greater perversity. [9] When, therefore, it is said in Scripture that God hardens, blinds, and delivers up to a reprobate mind, it is to be understood that God does it by a just judgment as a just Judge and Avenger. Finally, as often as God in Scripture is said or seems to do something evil, it is not thereby said that man does not do evil, but that God permits it and does not prevent it, according to his just judgment, who could prevent it if he wished, or because he turns man’s evil into good, as he did in the case of Joseph’s brethren, or because he governs lest they break out and rage more than is appropriate. St. Augustine writes in his Enchiridion [c. 100]: “What happens contrary to his will occurs, in a wonderful and ineffable way, not apart from his will. For it would not happen if he did not allow it. And yet he does not allow it unwillingly but willingly. But he who is good would not permit evil be done, unless, being omnipotent, he could bring good out of evil.” Thus wrote Augustine.
[10] Curious Questions. Other questions, such as whether God willed Adam to fall, or why he did not prevent the fall, and similar questions, we reckon among curious questions (unless perchance the wickedness of heretics or of other churlish men compels us also to explain them out of the word of God, as the godly teachers of the church have frequently done), knowing that the Lord forbade man to eat of the forbidden fruit and punished his transgression. We also know that what things are done are not evil with respect to the providence, will, and power of God, but in respect of Satan and our will opposing the will of God.
Inquirer’s Class to Begin
A new Inquirer’s Class is set to begin the first Sunday of April. It will meet during the Sunday School Hour in the Conference Room. It consists of six sessions, with different presenters at each session. Ron Moyer is the Convener.
Each class session will present different aspects of Leidy’s Church, from our history to our beliefs to our ministries to how we govern ourselves to how we relate to other churches to our goals and purposes. The class is meant to answer questions any Inquirer might have about this particular congregation.
Though not a membership class, one does need to take it before one can become a member. If you or someone you know would be interested in being part of this class, please contact the church office or Pastor Niederhaus.
Within the Fellowship
Our sincere Christian sympathy to Ruth Bugge and family at the death of her sister, and to Jim Carling and family at the death of his brother. May God be with them at this time.
Congratulations to Justin and Chrissie Lockman at the birth of a son, Samuel Arthur, and to Andrew and Becca Rosenbaum at the birth of a son, Maverick James. May God be with them as they grow in Him.
Congratulations to Nathan and Bekah Kulp at the baptism of their daughter, Sarah Grace. May God be with them as they grow in Him.
March Ministries
- Tape Ministry:
- 3rd Lorraine Shoemaker
- 10th Jerri Thompson
- 17th Fern Vasey
- 24th Pearl Walter
- 31st Diane Weber
- Lay Visitors:
- 3rd Norm & Donna Weiss
- 10th Donna Moyer
- 17th Elaine Greene
- 24th Ted & Wanda Brunner
- 31st Lori Maxwell
- Greeters:
- 3rd Tom & Judy Leidy
- 10th Justin & Courtney Lepping
- 17th Sue Lindner, Joanna Mark
- 24th Farrah McClaskey
- 31st Matt & Tara McVaugh
- Usher Captains: Jim Kinney, Nathan Kulp
- Ushers: Larry Anders, Justin Coale, Mike Hughes, Lee Kirkpatrick, Jim Kulp, Matt McVaugh, Shaun Permar, Brian Radcliff, Rock Rau, Carl Thompson
- The Emergency Committee for March is Ed Schmidt.