One of the reasons I love to teach and work with children is because it challenges me and forces me to think about things in simple terms. Popular social media website Reddit has an entire subcommunity with over 24 million subscribers called “explainlikeimfive” (ELI5), where users will pose a question that may be difficult to answer without technical jargon (something like quantum mechanics, international relations, or nuclear fission), and other users in the community will try to answer the question in a way that a child could understand. You may have heard this described as “dumbing things down.”
Is that because we think children are stupid? Of course not. On the contrary, kids are actually very smart. We break down hard topics because kids may not have the life skills necessary for complex problem solving, or the perhaps they lack the vocabulary to fully express difficult or abstract ideas. As for adults, no one is an authority in every field of study or expertise. Those of us who are not mechanics need simple terms to explain the engine of our car. Those of us who are not scientists would need simple illustrations to understand more technical concepts of physics or chemistry. (And unfortunately for us men, I’m pretty sure we’ll just have to wait until we meet the Lord to understand women!) In short, regardless of age or demographic, sometimes we all need help to learn.
God understands this. There’s a great deal that God wants us to know about Himself or how we ought to interact with others. If I may, I’d like to direct your attention now to Matthew 18. The chapter starts with Jesus answering His disciples’ question of “who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” As opposed to simply pointing to Himself, Jesus pulls a child from the crowd. Jesus responds, “Unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” What a fascinating answer! It sets a tone for the rest of the chapter, as Jesus refers to the children or says to be child-like in faith multiple times throughout. Is this because God thinks that we’re stupid? While I know that I do a good job demonstrating that I might be, I think there’s a handful of different reasons why Jesus used this illustration.
1. Who gets the glory? Jesus is trying to make the point that in His kingdom, it wasn’t about being the fastest, the strongest, the smartest, or the best looking. To some degree, we all want to be like that. Why? To glorify ourselves, of course. It feels great to be admired and respected. In the kingdom of God, Jesus wants us to know that we’re instead to humble ourselves, as our job as God’s creation is to bring Him glory (Isaiah 43:7), not ourselves.
2. The older we get, the more concerned with appearance we get. There seems to be a direct correlation between age and the amount we care about what others think of us. Children are far less concerned with social status than adults. Am I worshipping as fully as I could or should? Being a part of the kingdom of God means that I’m recognizing the infinite grace that He bestowed upon me, so why shouldn’t I praise loudly or even dance? Well, probably because I’m instead concerned with looking silly. Am I sharing the gospel uninhibited? No, because I’m worried that someone might ask me a tough question or call me foolish. A lesson we can all learn is by watching children worship. Come and help us with Kids Quest, our weekly youth group starting up again soon on Wednesday nights, and I can show you what I mean. The praise song time is fantastic, because the kids enjoy the songs and the dancing without embarrassment. We can learn a thing or two from that.
3. Let’s not overcomplicate things. I recently asked some folks about their spiritual background and history, how they came to faith and how their walk with God is going. I learned two things in those discussions. First, informercials and courtrooms do have one thing right: personal testimonies are powerful. Each story conveyed the transformation that follows the understanding that we’re in rebellion to a holy and almighty God, and the acceptance of the free gift of redemption and eternal life that comes from believing that the perfect Son of God was put to death and rose again to pay the punishment that we deserve. Were the stories full of theological and intellectual language? No. They were real discussions with real people using everyday language. They were authentic, which is something that our world (and an increasingly unbelieving world) craves.
The second thing that I learned was that we all could use more practice with it. One of the folks I had asked said to me, “No one has ever asked me about that before.” I think we should change that as a body of believers, but I also see my own shortcomings with this. If someone asked me to share, I know that I probably would sound clunkier than trying to describe how I proposed to my wife: It’s something that is personal and very dear to me, but it’s also something I don’t talk about on a regular basis. But just like riding a bike, it’s something that gets easier to share the more frequently you do it. And don’t forget to really think about your language… Just like a scientist might have to unpack the topic of cellular mitosis to a non-scientist, words like “being saved” and “redemption” might require us to simplify or make a little easier to digest for someone who didn’t grow up in a church.
To wrap this up, remember Christ’s words to “convert and become like children”. Approach the Lord with humility. Praise the Lord without inhibitions. And as you tell your story about your faith journey with God, be sure to use simple terms. Talk about it and practice talking about it, first with friends if you’re uncomfortable, but also with others. And by God’s grace, we can pray that He will use our personal faith stories to further the gospel and His kingdom.
Tim Leidy
It’s a new year, but some things aren’t changing. We still are looking for people willing to provide and set up munchies in the Fellowship Hall following the service.
Typically, we ask that 350-400 servings of walk-and-talk treats be provided and set out with coffee and tea for people to enjoy following the service. Food provided can be store-bought or homemade, and any expenses incurred can absolutely be reimbursed by the church if you’re able to submit your receipts to the church office.
If you or your kids enjoy these after-service munchies, please consider helping out one or two Sundays a year (or more!!).
There will be sign-up sheets posted in the narthex for dates in February when an overview and training for the after-service set-up will take place. If you’d like to learn more about how to help, please sign up for one of those sessions.
If you cannot access the calendar for coffee hour munchies through the weekly church email, contact the church office—they have access to the calendar and can let you know what dates are available (but don’t worry, there’s a lot of available dates). They can also sign you up with someone who has experience providing this service so you can get a more hands-on learning experience.
Always feel free to reach out to Vangie Niederhaus with any questions or concerns about the after-service coffee hour.
Our sincere Christian sympathy to Irina Yagilnicky and family at the death of her husband Steve. May God be with them at this difficult time.
Ready to join a Ministry Team? Think and pray about where you might best use your gifts and get involved. Below is a list of the different ministries here at Leidy’s Church.
AV & Technology Management: This team serves the church through running the AV equipment to make Sunday mornings and all activities function in our building, as well as managing our wi-fi, network, and other systems on all properties.
Christian Education: This team serves the church by coordinating and executing the Christian education of our members, young and old through Sunday school, Faith & Fellowship, Kids Quest, VBS, Nursery Care and more.
Communications & Admin Support: This team serves the church by supporting office staff database management and communications (digital and print material, creation and distribution of information to members, social media, etc.).
Community Outreach: This team strives to meet the spiritual and material needs of those in our community by hosting community events, evangelistic efforts and supporting and participating in local causes.
Congregational Care: This team serves to care for the church by meeting the spiritual and material needs of the congregation.
Finance: This team serves the church by helping with all the various aspects of the financial management of the church.
Food & Fellowship: This team serves the church through planning, organizing and executing various activities and events that create a time of fellowship for our church family. Food (of course) is an important part of many of the activities, and this team also does a wonderful job of keeping us well-fed!
Missions & Ministry Support: This team coordinates the missionary work of the church and works closely with our missionaries and the ministry organizations we support.
Praise & Worship: This team provides for the church to engage in a special time of praise & worship by coordinating all groups & events that compose our services.
Property: This team serves the church by coordinating the maintenance and repair of the church building, outdoor space, and all other owned property.
Welcoming: This team serves the church by providing a smiling face and welcoming heart to all those who enter our church as well as introduce them to current groups and events where they can get connected.
You can sign up by following the link on our weekly newsletter or calling the church office. Serving is an important part of church life.
Ladies of Leidy’s
Inviting all ladies to join us Tuesday, February 4 at 7 pm in Room 123 for our monthly business meeting. We will be planning our annual March 4th Potluck & Fellowship Dinner which is open to all ladies. Be on the lookout for a potluck sign up sheet that will be posted in the Narthex within the next few weeks. Bring a friend, all ladies are welcome to attend this meeting. Please contact Alice Kraus with any questions.
Dave Guntz, LeRoy Gehman, Brandon Kehs, Tom Kraus, Usher Coordinator
Present: Brian Radcliff, Brian Shoemaker, Darren DePaul, Dave Doran, Francis Weiss, Jerry Kulp, Jim Foote, Jim Kinney, Josh Heebner, Ken Merritt, Kendall Musselman, Shaun Permar and Tony Kapusta
Josh Heebner called the meeting to order at: 7:00 pm. Devotions: Highlights on the devotion led by Tony Kapusta on Ephesians 4:22-24. He shared that he has been worn out over the last couple years for various reasons, but a lot of it came down to not fully surrendering everything that was holding him back…Trying to hold onto things that he shouldn't have, and wanting to get better at the same time. Sorta felt like going to the doc for medicine and then placing it on his night stand…never taking it . . . While not one for resolutions, a goal for him this year is to continually draw that line in the sand, daily to align his life with God's will, and buckle up for the ride…
Previous Minutes Approved: First: Brian Shoemaker; Second: Ken Merritt; Unanimously Carried
Financial Report and Discussion: Overall for 2024, The church brought in almost $89k higher than anticipated, and spent $56k more than budgeted, which gives almost a $33k increase in the general fund balance for the year. Missions and Benevolence were paid out as expected. Jim Kinney is planning on developing an investment policy and a communication plan regarding the new endowment fund this winter.
There have been three payments now in the new payroll system - things have been working well and the company is preparing the employee tax statements for 2024.
Adding money to a short term CD, another 50k. Current 50k CD matures in March. Rolling the CD’s over was discussed, and there are no penalties if the money is removed early, you just don't get the interest.
There was discussion about how God has blessed and always provided for ILC over the years, and when you align yourself with the Lord's will, His blessings are bountiful.
Financial Report Approved: First: Jerry Kulp; Second: Kendall Mussleman; Unanimously Carried
ROCKS
● AV & Tech Management: Train Baird and others on the BAS System. Knock out A/V issues with Francis Weiss
● Christian Education: Hire a Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Pastor Darren, Shaun Permar, Vangie Niederhaus, Courtney Lepping and Rachel Leidy are going to be on the search team
●VBS planning completed
● Transition Bekah Kulp into more Kids’ Quest support/admin
● Communications & Administration (CAST): CAST Team Vision, Church Center Training Meeting
● Care & Outreach: Find out info on the Fellow institute
● Community Outreach: First Friday planning in May-Aug 2025, March For Life
● Finances: Endowment Investment Policy, Endowment Marketing
● Food and Fellowship/Building Usage: Congregational Lunch, Create a full & final list of charges for the building, “Suggested Donation” vs. Rental Charges
● Missions & Ministry Support: Missions Budget & Delivery, Missions Month communication
● Praise & Worship: Work on tech issues with Baird and Jim, Easter Service
● Property: Work with Rich K on parsonage drawings
● Welcoming: Using church center for managing signups
General Identify/Discuss/Solve:
A. 2025 Congregational Meeting is planned and ready
B. Signage – Brian Radcliff talked to the sign company. Met a few weeks ago to discuss electrical needs with the contractor, Dave, Brian and Jim. Stand by for more info
C. Auxano Survey: There was discussion on the survey results which will be briefly discussed at the Congregational Meeting along with an update on the process to date.
D. LED screens- Hopefully by the Easter service this will be installed.
E. Brian Radcliff is meeting with the St. Peters about apartment/office usage and when they are expected to vacate each location by. In the same vein when the Mission House is vacated in late May, the month of June will be taken to make repairs that are needed prior to missionaries using it in early July.
F. Consistory men were encouraged to invite men to breakfast on Saturday where Jack Parry will be speaking.
Meeting closed in prayer and adjourned at 8:46 pm
Question 49: Where is Christ now?
Christ rose bodily from the grave on the third day after his death and is seated at the right hand of the Father, ruling his kingdom and interceding for us, until he returns to judge and renew the whole world.
Ephesians 1:20–21: He raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Commentary - Charles Wesley
Hail the day that sees Him rise,
Ravish’d from our wishful eyes!
Christ, awhile to mortals given,
Re-ascends His native heaven!
There the pompous triumph waits:
“Lift your heads, eternal gates,
Wide unfold the radiant scene,
Take the King of Glory in!”
Circled round with angel powers,
Their triumphant Lord, and ours,
Conqueror over death and sin,
Take the King of Glory in!
Him though highest heaven receives,
Still He loves the earth He leaves;
Though returning to His throne,
Still He calls mankind His own.
See! He lifts His hands above!
See! He shows the prints of love!
Hark! His gracious lips bestow
Blessings on His church below!
Still for us His death He pleads;
Prevalent, He intercedes;
Near Himself prepares our place,
Harbinger of human race.
Master, (will we ever say,)
Taken from our head to-day;
See Thy faithful servants, see!
Ever gazing up to Thee.
Grant, though parted from our sight,
High above yon azure height,
Grant our hearts may thither rise,
Following Thee beyond the skies.
Ever upward let us move,
Wafted on the wings of love;
Looking when our Lord shall come,
Longing, gasping after home.
There we shall with Thee remain,
Partners of Thy endless reign;
There Thy face unclouded see,
Find our heaven of heavens in Thee!
David Bisgrove
No doubt you’ve heard the phrase “out of sight, out of mind.” Someone who’s not around, whom you haven’t seen in a long time, doesn’t have much impact or relevance in your day-to-day life. The Bible tells us that after Jesus’s resurrection, he ascended into heaven, disappearing from view, out of sight. But we’re also told that because of where he now resides, we can be assured that he’s relevant in our daily lives.
So where is Jesus now? He’s seated at the right hand of God the Father. But what difference does that make to us in our day-to-day lives? First, it reminds us that Jesus rules over all creation. Psalm 110 paints a beautiful picture of God’s enemies as a footstool of Jesus as he sits at the Father’s right hand. Can you see the comfort of that in your daily life? When you struggle with discouragement or disappointment or bitterness about the way your life is going, or when you’re discouraged and angry about all the injustice and evil in the world, and like David in Psalm 37 you’re tempted to ask why the wicked seem to flourish, consider where Jesus is now. He’s at the right hand of God the Father. See him there. Enemies are his footstool. The One who conquered death is now ruling the world. Ephesians 1 says that Jesus was given all authority and will one day return and make the crooked places straight. So let where Jesus is now give you hope and courage to trust and follow him.
But there’s even more. Not only is Jesus the King who rules, but he is the Priest who intercedes. Hebrews 10 tells us that Jesus is the great High Priest, who on the cross offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. He is now interceding and praying for us at the Father’s right hand. He is our Advocate in every sense of that word. So to see Jesus at God’s right hand as our High Priest is to remember that there is no condemnation for our sin, that Jesus sacrificed himself so that we could be united with him. We have the full rights, therefore, as God’s children.
So, yes, Jesus is out of sight. We can’t physically see him. But he is active in our day-to-day lives and in this world at the right hand of God the Father ruling as our King, interceding as our Priest, and waiting to return, when he will wipe away every tear, beat swords into plowshares, and flood the world with his glory and grace.
1 Chloe Olszyk, Marje Talbot
2 Jerry Kulp, Makenna Murphy
3 Carly Camuso, Andrew Leidy
4 Cheyenne Kehs
6 Shaun Permar, Sr.
7 Jim Foote, Delton Plant, Miriam Weigner, Herb Wolgemuth
10 Seth Brunner
13 Jack Parry
15 Pearl Walter
16 Ed Hall
17 Reagan Hostelley
18 Shawnee Kehs, Lorraine Shoemaker
19 Jenny DePaul, John Leidy
20 Owen Permar
21 Dylan Camuso, Corbin Hostelley, Shannon Kehs
22 Tom Kraus
24 Ted Brunner, Jane Leidy
26 Mabel Eisenhauer
27 Sherry Moyer, Levi Smith
28 Robert Frank
1 Byron & Dottie Rimmer
3 Stan & Joan Radcliff
15 Peter & Bonnie Smith
16 Harvey & Lorraine Shoemaker
26 Phil & Renee Shafer
