June 25, 28 - Master or Myth? - Healing and Resurrection
Mark 5:21-43
July 2, 5 - Master or Myth? - Equipping for Ministry
Mark 6:1-13
July 9, 12 -Master or Myth? - Who is That Man? Mark 6:14-29
July 16, 19 - Master or Myth? - The Good Hands Person
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
July 23, 26 - Master or Myth? - We've Got It All For You!
John 6:1-15
July 30, Aug 2 - Master or Myth? - The Bread of Life
John 6:23-35, 66
August 6, 9 - Imitators of God
Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2
August 13, 16 - Making Melody to the Lord, Ephesians 5:15-20
August 20, 23 - The Armor of God, Ephesians 6:10-20
August 27, 30 - New Testament Proverbs: Justified By a Faith That Works,
James 1:17-27
Dear Friends,
(Enjoy the adventures of Michael Washington who pastors a Presbyterian Church in the fictional town of Wilman Valley which lies somewhere between Newark, Delaware and Trenton, New Jersey!)
One of the things I love about Wilman Valley is that it has remained a town. Many of the towns in this region have disappeared, getting swallowed up into a continuous suburb with consolidated schools, super-sized shopping malls and megachurches. Somehow, and there are a variety of reasons for this, Wilman Valley
has held its own. Most of our children go to the same school, our families worship in churches in the community and, when you go grocery shopping or stop at the hardware store or grab lunch in town, you will likely see your neighbors and friends and greet the proprietor by name. Call me corny, but I think there is something very special about that, despite the fact that sometimes I do duck down the next aisle at the Acme Market when I see someone, like Edgar Pollat, who I don't have time to talk to. Hiding and spying, I get what I need, rush through the express line and
disappear into the parking lot. What intrigue!
The communal nature of Wilman Valley is never more apparent or more glorious than on the Fourth of July. I don't know when the various traditional components of our patriotic celebration started, but they are well established by now and, let me assure you, you haven't lived until you have spent a Fourth of July in Wilman Valley. Folks plan their vacations around it, people return from their summer homes and business trips for it, adult children bring their families back from all over the country, children and parents spend hours decorating bikes and baby carriages, and, as the day approaches, the excitement builds to a frenzy. Some towns have a parade, some have fireworks, some have a ballgame, and some have special activities for all ages......in Wilman Valley, we do it all!
This is why I found myself in the middle of several projects in the week leading up to the Fourth. Our youngest child, Elisha, was going to be in the bike parade for the first time. In previous years, she had won prizes in a baby carriage and on a tricycle, but now she had made the big time.....she could ride her own two-wheeler! And she was bound and determined, with the help of Molli and me, to have blue ribbon
decorations on her new bike. I really don't have much of an artistic touch, so I merely took care of the lifting and the bending while Molli oversaw the beautifying process. It was looking real nice and, according to my completely neutral perspective, the judges would have to have something against Presbyterian ministers to fail to give our
daughter a prize!
Meanwhile, Elisha's older brothers were working together (without one wrestling match!) on their special project; a super-duper, two seater, soapbox racer for the annual Fourth of July Soapbox Derby. Every year, the morning activities were completed when everyone hiked or drove from the high school field over to Laubach street for the soapbox races. Laubach hill is the steepest hill in town, right across the
street from our church and our boys, who had never managed to win a first prize in this event, had decided to team up for their first victory. Ever since they were toddlers, Lance and Wes had dreamed of being in the fastest racer to go down the hill that they could see from their father's office window. They were frustrated every year, however, when Tommy Laubach, whose family still lived in the old Laubach house
at the top of the hill, would wheel his old soapbox with the rusty wheels off of the side
porch, enter the race at the last second, and leave everybody else in his dust! Well, this year, the boys decided to let Tommy Laubach do his thing without them. They teamed up, switched events, moving to the two-seater class, and they felt like
this was going to be their year. Whether they won or not, it was a joy for the rest of the family to see them working together on something. As the Psalmist says, "How very good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"
The big day finally arrived. Sponsored by the Men's and Women's Clubs of Wilman Valley, it was always quite an affair, taking place at the high school athletic fields. Our high school is built on a hill with a series of terraces leading down to the athletic fields. The organizers had set up a number of large tents where refreshments that included ice cream, sodas and hot dogs, ice cones, cotton candy, and penny candy, were sold. In between, families, neighbors and friends were seated on blankets and beach chairs, many of them having staked an umbrella to protect them from the dazzling sun. From these vantage points, they were able to visit with each other and watch the children compete below in a cavalcade of events in which all of them seemed to end up with some kind of prize.
I am not one of those pastors who enjoy "working the crowd". In fact, I sort of resent the idea that I am forced to do that. It makes me feel like a religious robot who is incapable of real relationships. On occasion, I do my duty, but usually I resist playing that game. What I really like to do is just hang out with people, enjoy them, and let the Lord have the agenda instead of myself. And that is just what I found myself doing on the Fourth. Molli and I started out by placing our chairs and umbrella on the second terrace by the hot dog tent (great aroma!) and, after dumping all of their stuff with us, the kids took off to enter races, pet shows, and contests with their friends, many of whom they hadn't seen since the school year ended. Eventually,
Molli and I were split up as we found ourselves in conversation with various neighbors, friends and parishioners. It's amazing what kind of conversations you end up having in the midst of a holiday, community picnic. We heard about special needs and prayer requests, celebrated family milestones, mourned the deaths of certain loved ones, ate some junk food together and even ended up in the over-40 three legged race! We
lost, but we made a good showing.
I couldn't help but think of what Jesus would have been up to if he lived in Wilman Valley. He, after all, made a point of going up to Jerusalem for all of the major feast days and he didn't hesitate to be present for a dinner party or wedding banquet. Instead of working the crowd in some kind of self important manner, he always seemed to be hanging out with people who had special needs or who were enjoying
special moments in their lives.....and he loved the children...."Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
The morning activities at the field ended with the spectacular peanut scramble. Each kid received a bag to collect their peanuts. Red peanuts could be redeemed for a quarter, blue peanuts for a dollar and a gold peanut was worth a five dollar bill. But the big attraction was how the peanuts were scrambled. Whitey Lenox, the husband of our organist, is a well known character in Wilman Valley. Active in the volunteer fire company, he has a small contracting business in town and, most importantly, he had managed, several years ago, to get his pilot's license. It had become a tradition for Whitey to rent a plane on the Fourth and, as the kids would line up on either side of
the football field, he would swoop down in his plane and he and his helpers would release a swarm of prized peanuts through the air and onto the field. We found ourselves looking to the sky and, as the murmuring increased and fingers pointed, there was Whitey and his little airplane. The peanuts flew, the whistle blew and hundreds of kids ran out onto the field to grab as many peanuts as they could find!
Later that evening, Molli and I found ourselves sitting on a blanket under a darkening sky waiting for the fireworks to begin. What a day.....Elisha had mastered her two-wheeler and won a blue ribbon as well, the boys had finally won a prize in the Soapbox Derby (first place).....Tommy Laubach's rusty front wheel fell off halfway down the hill, leading to a tremendous crash, but he escaped unharmed....the parade up Wilman Pike, led by the veterans and followed by colorful and amusing floats accompanied by the music of the high school band was stirring and now the celebration was about to come to a colorful end. Elisha remained on the blanket with us, but the
boys, who were now old enough and cool enough to hang out with their friends, kept
visiting with us which gave us special ple asure. Our friends and parishioners surrounded us, waiting for the big boomers to light up the sky....during the day, they had prayed with and for us, shared their hopes and hurts and joys as we had shared ours, all in the midst of this exuberant national holiday. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever." (Psalm 136:1) And we did!
(To be continued...)
-Youth Carwash 6/27
-Legacy Coffeehouse: Adams Family Gospel Group – 7/11
-Youth to Blue Rocks 7/15
-VBS 7/19 – 23
-Praise Dance Camp 7/20 – 7/24
-Montreat 7/26 – 8/1
-Legacy Coffeehouse:
Mended Vessels–8/1
-Leadership Summit 8/6 – 8/7
-Blue Rocks & fireworks 8/22
-Phillies – 8/28
-Legacy Coffeehouse:
Kriss & Ed 9/12
-Rally Day 9/13 & Media Super Sunday
-Women of Faith 9/18-19
-Fall Gathering 9/23
-Lake Champion Men’s
Weekend 10/2 – 10/4
-Legacy Coffeehouse:
Provident 10/3
-Children’s Ministry
Conference 10/10
6/27 Car Wash 9-2 PM
Elwyn Sunoco
6/28 Youth Group 5-7:30 PM (Parent & Youth Meeting for Montreat)
7/5 NO Youth Group – July 4th weekend
7/8 NO Bible Study
7/12 Pancake Breakfast
7/12 Youth Group 5-7:30 PM
7/14 Youth Team Mtg 7:30 PM
7/15 Blue Rocks Game and Fireworks 7 PM
7/19 VBS instead of Youth Group
7/22 VBS instead of Bible Study
7/26 Leave for Montreat 5 AM
7/26 NO Youth Group – Montreat
7/29 NO Bible Study – Montreat
8/1 Return from Montreat - Evening
Come to the Women of Faith
weeke nd event 9/18-19; Friday
10AM to 3:30 PM and 7-9:30 PM; Saturday 9-5; Box Lunch provided each day. Come for the
whole event or share a ticket. We will carpool or take a van.
These women share their love of Christ, are funny, talented and inspiring. The music is loud, but wonderful. You will feel the power and love of the Lord, a camaraderie with thousands of
women and a more intimate relationship with our own Middletown women. It is a time to reflect, to be renewed and
refreshed. It will touch your heart and change your life; definitely a time you won’t forget. We have 7 tickets left at $79. See Chriss Benson or Janet Gemsheim.
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