Every now and then I need to reboot my computer. It gets stuck or something and I just need to restart it.

That’s what happened this morning. I had been researching and writing my sermon and it was just stuck. Until I rebooted and started over. Now it’s working. I am very anxious to finish it and present it.

In the middle of sermon writing, I made some homemade rootbeer for the church picnic. Here’s hopin’ it is ready in time for the picnic next week. 86 bottles. Not bad!

It’s been a while since I posted anything here. That’s kind of sad because there have been great things to post.

A woman who has been attending church regularly for a year or so said something like this to a group of us on Monday night, “When you go to a church, you can get a vibe. You can tell if there is love there. You can tell if God is there. I got that vibe the first time I came to Curwensville Alliance Church and it hasn’t gone away.” Praise God for how he’s worked in our church to show us how to love him with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. Pray for those who don’t sense the love of God — that we would be agents of love, even renewal, in their lives.

Attendance was excellent at church Sunday despite the great weather and a few families needing to be away. One man spoke to me on the telephone later in the week and said, “I need to make Jesus the boss in my life.”

In the evening, we had a baptism service where nine people were baptized. The youngest was fresh out of high school and the oldest was long-since retired. Several people said the service was one of the most moving baptism services they had witnessed. A visitor, who has been attending church for all of his 84 years, remarked with tears in his eyes, “That was the most awesome thing I have ever seen in a church service.” When you go to prayer, remember those baptized — that they would continue to grow in their faith.

It’s good to know that Vern is out of the hospital and that Janet is feeling better. When I spoke to her, she said she should be well enough to be in church Sunday.

Pray for a young man I am counseling — that he would be able to follow closely to God regardless of his circumstances. And that God would grant him the holy desires of his heart.

Today will be a day of sermon construction. I always hope for your prayers as I consider what God has to say to us.

~Pastor Steve

Any time I hear of God using human beings to better this world, I am amazed and delighted. Over the past couple of days, I have seen that a lot.

Sunday morning, when Rick came to the front of the church to pray, I knew he had important business to do with God. And I knew he wanted to share his experience with the congregation. Those present saw God work in ways that we generally don’t get to experience. It was a wonderful thing to be a part of. And Curwensville Alliance was a part of what happened in Rick’s life — through prayers and interaction with Rick. God has done some awesome things. Pray for Rick and all those who were influenced by his testimony.

On Monday evening, the Genesis Bible study was missing one of the regulars. Janet was home, recovering from her surgery. The study went very well and afterward, Russ and I did some work on the sound system. Remember Janet in your prayers. Her participation in small groups is a great joy to her and those in the groups.

Tuesday I did some visiting. It was nice to get to know some of the new people at Curwensville Alliance.  They are clearly enjoying the Spirit of Christ in our presence.

Today — Wednesday — I took a trip to Mahaffey Camp to provide some counsel and to cut the grass at our cottage. Esther is enjoying her ministry there and was pleased to lead one of her campers to Christ. Always remember the year-round ministry of Mahaffey Camp in your prayers.

This afternoon, I am off to make some visits. Then off to Prayer Meeting tonight at church at 7:00!