June 2025

Dear Christian friends,

First of all, I would like to congratulate our recent confirmation students: Emmitt, Emma, and Shae. As you take this important step in your faith, remember that you are not alone. Your church family stands with you, cheering you on as you continue to walk in faith and love. May you always seek God’s guidance and share His light with the world.

“What are you going to do though.”  “You can’t just pray.”  “You have to do something.”  Those were comments I read over and over again on social media written in the wake of the recent tornados in Missouri.    

I want to be very clear… just in case you don’t read much further. Yes, there are additional steps we can take after we pray (and as a congregation I will make some suggestions on things we could be doing to help those affected).  But hear me say this: prayer is not something we “just” do.  Prayer is not our last resort.  Prayer isn’t just a nice thought.  It’s not a meaningless gesture or a comment on a social feed simply to make someone (or ourselves) feel better. 

When we say we are praying, we mean that we are talking to God and expecting Him to answer.  We are speaking to the Creator of the Universe as His children believing He will respond!  We are talking with the only One who can truly change the brokenness of this world, who can and will step in to do what only God can do. 

In prayer we share our hearts… and He shares His.  I don’t pray because it’s nice.  I pray because it’s necessary.  Because I believe what Scripture says is true.  “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:14).  I believe that the world is broken and will remain broken until Jesus comes again.  But we also have HOPE.  Biblical “hope” is not a wish or a longing but a certainty.  We have hope in Jesus, the one who rose again, who promises He does not leave us to walk through this brokenness alone.  Jesus walked this very earth and took our very death so that we might have life in Him. 

My friends, you and I know we cannot fix it.  We can’t fix the world.  But we can rescue others out of believing they are alone, there is no hope, no God, no answer.

We can offer His ETERNAL HOPE.  We can offer His ETERNAL WORD.  We can offer our prayers and intercession.  We are carriers of the ANSWER.  It’s not the answer the word wants or even the answer they understand.  But it’s the only one that’s True.

So we pray.  We pray that He would step in.  We pray that God would show us what to do.  We pray that others would come to know the Truth.  And we wait and listen for what God says.  If you are overwhelmed that all you can do today is pray… my friend, you undervalue your greatest gift.  Your prayer is action.  Your prayer is grace.  Your prayer is mercy.   You have a loving God that listens and responds.        

I’m praying with you,

Pastor Chris