Category Archives: Church Family

Too Busy to Not Post an Entry…

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It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to have no food. And it’s hard to think of someone like that living in our own community. But early in my day, Tuesday, Pastor George called and told me of a woman who called needing food. We’ve help this person before with heat — she was heating her home with an electric oven because she had no money to buy fuel. We know her situation and know the needs are legitimate. What a blessing it is to be part of a Christian Community of Churches that cooperate together to help in these situations. Please pray for the needy in Curwensville — that as the churches help them, they will see the love of God and find faith in Christ.

My chaplain, Jim Vandervort, stopped by and took me to lunch yesterday. He grew up in Bradford, so we had lots to talk about. It was great hearing his stories and knowing that he was praying for me and the other pastors in his care. Rev. Vandervort has been having some physical problems, so if you would, pray that God will help him as he continues to minister in this important position.

I stopped by the nursing home for a visit and then spent some time in reading, listening to podcasts, and researching some doctrinal issues online. In the evening, I spend a couple of hours teaching the Baptism Bible Study to some baptism candidates. Ah — what a joy that is! Pray for those getting baptized at the end of the month — that this will be a significant milestone in their lives.

The rest of this week is swamped for me. I need to complete the minutes from the LOCC meeting last week. I’ll be helping Laurel with the technical end of preparation for the Women’s Retreat. I’ve some visits to make to some new people. I will be helping out with the seminar on Knowing God’s Will at the A Day Awaits Lock-in. And I’ll be making normal preparation for Wednesday and Sunday services. Having that kind of schedule ahead of me, I thought about not posting anything here. And then I realized — Hey, this is a prayer blog! I should post this so that people will pray. Being too busy to post an entry to a prayer blog…. wow — that’s almost as bad as being too busy to pray!

So please do — please remember all these things when you go to the Lord in prayer. Thanks!

~Pastor Steve

Water in Africa…

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After catching up on some email, I began to work on Wednesday’s Bible Study. It’s adapted from Andrew Murray’s With Christ in the School of Prayer. Murray writes in such a manner as to make his thoughts sometimes seem shallow, but when one investigates his work more closely, you can see a depth of spirit that is rare today. Please pray that those present on Wednesday evenings would have their private prayer lives deepened.

I spent some time preparing the audio files from Sundays services to provide them for some who had asked. Pray that these messages are effective in communicating God’s truth.

Throughout the day, I had several conversations with people from the church.

I also worked with Andy Friedlund to prepare for their visit next week. We’re hoping to welcome them to Curwensville Alliance on June 2 as they ride their bicycles across the US to raise money and awareness of the need to provide water for the people of Marale in Africa. Please pray that we can get the details of this visit down and publicize it well.

I spent some time listening to a sermon as I cut my grass. The message was on John the Baptist — how to respond to unjust criticism.

Late in the afternoon I completed work on Wednesday’s Bible Study.

My counseling appointment for the evening was canceled, so I was able to play a game with Tim and Laurel. We’re enjoying having him around for a week.

Thanks for your continued prayer.

~Pastor Steve

Tuesday’s Gone

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Today began with breakfast with Vern and Ed as we tested the waters for the Retired Guys Breakfast. The three of us had a nice visit and good breakfast food at Sapp Brothers, but since it was just we three, we decided to hold off on starting a regular meeting and retesting the waters in the fall.

I checked in on Mildred at the hospital. She was heading down to get some x-rays. Please pray for her as she has been in the hospital for over a week.

The rest of the morning was spent working on some sermons and editing this past Sunday’s audio file for the church web site. The file has been placed online.  Additionally, I put an announcement on the church web site concerning the Shoot for the Crown Skeet Shoot that our church is hosting as an outreach. I visited briefly with Judy and with Dan before heading home for lunch.

The afternoon was spend working in sermon preparation and visiting with some folks on the phone and in my home.

After supper, Brennan and some others from A Day Awaits came over to talk about their ministry. They are planning a Youth Event at our church on June 18 and 19. Please pray for them as they plan this event.

Thanks for your continued prayer for the ministry of Curwensville Alliance.

~Pastor Steve

Encouraging Visit(s)

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As this day started, I began to place an order with Christian Books for the extra Genesis Bible Study guides. As I was researching the best price, my phone rang with someone asking for some advice.  I generally don’t give “advice,” but as I spoke to Scott, I realized he wanted to know how to help a friend of his who desires to get right with God. It was exciting to hear that Scott had already done a great job helping this man and was on the right path to helping him more. The bulk of the advice I gave was to “keep on keepin’ on” in ministering to this man. Pray that Scott would sense God’s leading in this relationship and that this man would find his way Home to God.

I was hardly done with this call before the second one arrived. Someone wanted some counsel regarding a personal matter. This gentleman and I got together and went for a long walk through town. An hour and a half (and three blisters later — I wore the wrong shoes for such a walk), we’d had a great visit and I was able to get back to the computer.

Soon after that, I spoke to Matt concerning some biblical ministry he wants to do in our church. It’s exciting to see the things the young adults are doing at Curwensville Alliance. Pray that Matt would have a keen sense of God’s leading and that he would see fruit in the places God leads him.

In the mean time, I ordered some Bible study software for my computer.

By then I realized that most of the morning was done, and anticipating a visit from Dr. Peter Nanfelt (retired president of The Christian and Missionary Alliance), I went to my office to catch up on any missions news he might want to discuss. Since Peter was planning to discuss the world-wide work of the Alliance, I invited Barry, our Missions Coordinator, to join us for lunch and the three of us went with Laurel to Hedges. We enjoyed a nice meal together and found great encouragement in the things he had to say. Peter was also encouraged when he heard all the good things God is doing at Curwensville Alliance. Pray that Peter would continue to encourage and be encouraged as he visits churches like ours.

While at lunch, I received a call from my brother, Dave, and learned that my mother has a broken pelvis and a broken arm. She’ll be hospitalized for a couple more days. After taking care of some of the details concerning Mom, and catching up on some of those in our church who have physical needs, I sat down and finished my order at Christan Books — just in time for supper.

Thanks for continuing to pray regarding the ministry of Curwensville Alliance.

~Pastor Steve

Wrapping up the Week

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Today began with breakfast with some great guys at church. Lloyd and his crew cooked up some French toast and we enjoyed it together. Eric presented a good devotional about trusting God even in tough times. The biblical truth he presented was underscored by the experiences he’s undergone in the past several months.

Afterward, I did some counseling with a young man, helping him with a job application, talking about how he should relate to others, and praying for him. I also did a little bit of telephone counseling. Ah — the joys of technology.

When I left the church, my motorcycle wouldn’t start. Now I know how Harley riders must feel every day! Turns out that it was out of gas. How did that happen? A quick flick of the valve and I was on my way.

With the exception of about an hour spent on the phone discussing focus and ministry with people in the church, the rest of the day was spent finishing up the sermon, creating the Power Point to go with it, making copies, and preparing tomorrow’s prayer list — all done by 4:00 p.m.

Early in the afternoon I learned that my mother had broken her shoulder. Please pray for her — that as she awaits seeing the doctor on Monday she will be comfortable.

Thanks for your continued prayers for the effective ministry of Curwensville Alliance.

~Pastor Steve