Down by the Creek – February 2018

From the Pastor’s Desk

Dear Friends,

As I reflect over January and look forward to February, I am excited by all of the many ways that you are making an impact and spreading God’s good news. In January, we welcomed new elders and ordained Cameron and Jackie. We welcomed Joe Carlisle into membership and I have been contacted by others who wish to join as well. In February we will offer another jazz concert which attracts a great crowd into the sanctuary, we will baptize Otto, a blessing to Lindsay and Javier, and we will continue to be led in worship by Letarshia, our seminary intern. We have several people involved in organizing the pancake supper on Feb. 14th and are committed to inviting as many people in the community as possible. We have a lot to celebrate and a lot to be thankful for. But being part of a community of faith means being there for one another during difficult moments as well. I am thankful for the support offered to families who are grieving or experiencing medical challenges. I am appreciative of all those who make it a priority to offer words of comfort or who do menial tasks to help out ones who are going through difficult times.

It is such a blessing to be part of this community of faith as it strives to give faithful Christian witness. Thank you for all that you do.

Peace,
Sam


Devotional

In his book 40 Days of Prayer, author Mark Tidsworth asks us to read Luke 5:27-28. In this section, Jesus comes upon Levi who is a tax collector. Jesus invites him to “Follow Me.” Levi then gets up, leaves everything and follows him. Mark Tidsworth notes that this invitation is simple. Some choose to follow while others turned down the invitation.

So how important is this invitation to us? How much are we willing to follow? How much are we willing to leave behind? What does it mean to us to be a part of a Christian Community of faith? What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

We at Allison Creek are open to new and a diverse group of people to join us on this journey of discipleship. Jesus is calling. Are we willing to follow?