Ellport Community Church

Today we worshiped at Ellport Community Church, 1141 Church Street, Ellwood City, PA 16117, 724.944.7130, lead by Tom and Barb Milnes.

 

Scripture – 2 Peter 1:1-13 NLT –

This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.

I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.

 

Bob’s thoughts:

I had saved some items to donate to the Yellow Ribbon Girls who have been sending care packages to our troops for a long time. I read where they are hoping to turn this ministry over to some young blood. This church has a box to accept these donations, so it was a win for them and us.

We were warmly welcomed and a number of women introduced themselves. After climbing the stairs to the sanctuary, I didn’t have enough left in me to stand and sing. Even with the lights out up front I couldn’t read the words to sing anyhow. I’m not sure if anybody besides the praise team was singing.

They could use some signage downstairs for visitors.

There was a great pattern on the curtains where the sun shown through.

We were blessed to have a moment to lay hands on the pastor to pray for Christ’s healing.

 

Jan’s thoughts:

This church has a drop box for the Yellow Ribbon Girls, who collect supplies to send to troops who are deployed, so today we opted to drop off some things and worship here.

The area is beautifully rural, so we enjoyed a lovely drive.

We encountered friendly greetings at every turn, including some who stopped by our pew to introduce themselves.

The music was beautiful and the back wall behind the platform was simple and stunning. It’s amazing what can be done with some twinkle lights.

The pastor asked those present who had served in the military to raise their hands to be recognized and everyone present was invited to receive an American flag as a gift following worship.

The message was untitled as far as I could tell, but I found it encouraging. It was a reminder that each believer is given a measure of faith and we all suffer setbacks. The pastor had broken his shoulder not long ago and his arm was in a sling, so his very presence was a visual reminder that things can happen to anyone at any time.

However, he urged everyone not to quit and instead use the struggles in life to hold on tighter to God’s promises.

He said when we ask God for something, He answers in one of four ways. I was intrigued, as I’ve only ever heard about three: yes, no, and wait. The pastor added one more though: none of your business. I was surprised at first, but after thinking about it, it made perfect sense. Some things happen to us for which we can find no reason, and we may never know the reason, but those are the times it’s God’s business, not ours.

Further reminders included that we can trust Him to do justice and trust Him in our ‘whys’. Accept and lean on God’s mercy. Avoid rewinding a situation in your mind over and over and just forgive and let it go. Then you are free.

I admit I’m still working on this, but I’m not giving up. I’m grateful God led us here today…I needed these reminders.

 

Our prayer for this church:

Heavenly Father, we pray You continue to bless Your church and Pastor Tom. Help them to grow in You. Amen.

LifePointe Alliance Church

Today we worshiped at LifePointe Alliance Church, 997 PA Route 228, Mars, PA 16046, 724.776.9400, www.lifepointealliance.org, Rev. Joseph Toomey, Lead Pastor.

 

Scripture – Ephesians 1:3-13 NIV –

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

 

Bob’s thoughts:

It has been a little more than three years since we last worshiped here so everything was new to me.

We found handicapped parking in front of the doors that everyone seemed to be using and located the restrooms without directional signage. The sanctuary was a little more difficult: there was a large sign with an arrow pointing up stairs which were out of the question for me. But there was an elevator which brought us to a familiar social area and there was someone to direct us to the sanctuary. Signage is helpful for visitors.

Once we were seated for worship, there was a lot of noise from the social area and I couldn’t hear the speakers till the doors finally closed.

The screens were visible even while seated, a big plus. I’m still getting used to not standing.

For the first time in a few years, the songs were familiar. It has been a long time since I could add my terrible voice to worship and it felt good.

Someone from the congregation delivered a message on names for God/Christ. There was a lot of Scripture quoted.

I was glad to hear the church still supports a lot of mission, to which we are happy to donate.

Some people said hello or waved/nodded.

 

Jan’s thoughts:

The grounds and facilities here are well cared for and beautifully decorated. I especially liked the metal butterflies adorning the garden near the entrance.

We got a cup of coffee and found seats in the back, expecting loud music. However we were pleasantly surprised with moderate volume and lovely harmonies on songs we knew and enjoyed singing.

Before the service started, several men made announcements that were addressed to those present and pointedly included those watching online.

The pastor was away so a gentleman preached who I believe was a member and a businessman. He spoke of some of the “I AM” verses and listed many Names of God. He pointed out that God chose His children before the beginning of time, and He adopted and accepted them. I loved the statement, “God signed the adoption papers with the blood of Jesus Christ.”

 

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we lift this church to You and pray their hearts are open to Your word as it is preached. We ask that You continue to bless and encourage the pastor as well as their numerous mission efforts. Amen.

Discovery Christian Church

This past Sunday we worshiped at Discovery Christian Church, 170 Scharberry Lane, Mars, PA 16046, www.discoverypgh.com, Matt Mehaffey, Lead Pastor.

 

Scripture – NIV

Psalms 110:1-7 –

The LORD says to my lord:

“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb.

The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

The lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high.

Genesis 14:17-20 –

After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Matthew 22:41-46 –

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,” they replied.

He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, “ ‘The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’

If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Romans 8:18 –

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Luke 12:8 –

“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.

 

Bob’s thoughts:

On many drives through this area we had noticed a mysterious-looking building and were tempted to check it out. Today we were surprised to learn it was the new home of Discovery Church. Seems to be perfect in many ways for their use; I believe in divine guidance. From our visit today it is a “new” church in a blessed home.

We sat in our usual location in the back, and the first song was a drum solo to me (I should have muted my hearing aids). After the one song the pastor, Matt, made some announcements then segued into the message and we settled into the comfortable seats. One of the missions they are involved in, “6K Run for Water”, sounded so much like the situation in Malawi, we were happy to support their efforts.

The message started with Psalm 110:1, which I would guess most Christians understand, but maybe not as many by verse 4. I thought this was the most understandable preaching of these verses that I have ever heard; maybe God was pointedly putting this on my heart. The recognition by the congregation was apparent.

If our faith is secure in Christ, we cannot continue to sweat the small stuff. Many are on paths of self-destruction, but we must keep in mind that Christ is still in charge. Our fears fade when we pull back and see the big picture.

We were grateful for our time with the pastor and welcome group after the service.

 

Jan’s thoughts:

February 2016 was the last time we visited this church. Since then they have moved and have a new pastor, so it was a new church to us.

The building is spacious with areas designated for all kinds of events and uses. There is an indoor playground, a mini golf course, and the pastor mentioned during the service that when they bought this building it included a commercial kitchen. Arrangements can be made to rent the facilities through the church website.

The announcements included the World Vision Global 6K for Water. This event will take place Saturday, May 21, 2022, and will help provide clean water to children in communities worldwide.

The church is using the book Core 52 by Mark E. Moore to increase understanding of the Bible. This is something many churches might consider. They graciously gifted us each with a copy of the book.

The pastor’s message was based on chapter 12 of this book and focused on The Messiah, the meaning of the word and the concept as anointed one, chosen one, savior.

He gave a clear explanation of the reference to the Order of Melchizedek, which was something I’ve never been quite clear about. In the course of this he also made it clear that we do not ‘give’ God 10% of our income; we return it to Him, since all we have belongs to God.

He pointed out that it is usually the smaller questions that consume our thoughts but we need to remember that the big picture is taken care of so we shouldn’t sweat the small stuff. We need to give context to our struggles and remember that God sees it all and will deal justly with the world.

He urged us to also keep in mind that Jesus Christ is both King (Ruler) and Priest (intermediary, go-between with God the Father), and we need Jesus in both of those roles.

This church celebrates Communion weekly, and I was very pleased to partake as it has been some time.

We appreciated the time given by the pastor and the ladies at the welcome desk for conversation following worship.

 

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we lift this church to You and pray their hearts are open to Your word as it is preached. We ask that You continue to bless and encourage the pastors, staff, and congregation in their mission efforts. Amen.

True North Church

Yesterday we worshiped at True North Church, 206 Siebert Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237, 412.256.8059, www.truenorthpgh.org, Justin Dosch, Lead Pastor.

 

Scripture – NIV

Matthew 12:34-36 –

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

Proverbs 18:21 –

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Ephesians 4:29 –

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

James 1:19 –

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

 

Bob’s thoughts:

Sometimes we know where we would like to worship, but my favorite day is when we leave it up to God where we end up. Then, like today, we get to try to figure out why we end up where we do. I think we were to lay hands and pray for the pastor, but the thought didn’t come till after we left. We will, of course, pray for the pastor and that someone from the congregation will pray over the pastor. Sometimes God sends us back.

The only negative about the current location is there is no simple way to be handicapped accessible. The handrails worked for me, but I wish I had an answer for the issue.

I loved seeing the crosses behind the platform. Too many churches seem to be afraid of offending someone with a cross. We enjoyed a cup of coffee, even my decaf. I liked that there was a countdown clock till the service started, like the old drive-ins.

The pastor took time to explain the giving plan for the church. I would like to hear more of the mission plan.

I don’t have an answer for the projection screens. We were all the way back and doubt that we could see even if we could have stood as the low headroom doesn’t allow much. Maybe turning worship 90 degrees and use a wider seat set-up? Even when everyone was seated, I couldn’t read the Scriptures.

The pastor told his story of when the devil got his goat, reminding how easily we lose our temper. I suspect that was probably the main reason God had us here, something we both needed reminding of.

We were also reminded of God taking extreme ownership of our sins, and how we need to own up to our sins.

I had a few words with two women coming in on the stairs and a couple of young moms after the service.

I pray that God leads us back. I think there is tremendous potential here and I would love to see how God grows His church.

 

Jan’s thoughts:

I guess God is still in the business of placing us where we need to be on any given Sunday.

This church is quite young, having been founded in February 2019, and they meet on the second floor of a business off McKnight Road. We appreciated the friendly hospitality as well as the coffee in the back of the worship area.

The pastor offered announcements and spoke about the church’s philosophy of giving. He assured that this church is focused on Jesus Christ and His Word. He said giving should be proportionate, sacrificial, and voluntary, and he wishes to “build it into the church’s DNA.”

The music was contemporary and well done, but the songs were unfamiliar to me.

The message, Why We Need to Shut Our Yapper! was part of the series called Aftertaste. The pastor opened with a vulnerable story about his mishandling of an encounter with a goat which perfectly displayed the truth of his statement that our mouths get us into more trouble than anything else.

He taught that Jesus-followers are called to look, act, and speak differently, and since we humans are incapable of taming our tongues without help, we absolutely must ask the Holy Spirit to help us. Since the words that escape our mouths originate in our heart, we must recognize the bitterness, ingratitude, and pride that lives there and ask God to help us not to share it.

We must also recognize that our words have power, for good or for ill. Our words can build up or they can tear down, and we choose the fruit in the choice of our words.

This message hit me between the eyes, as I had been waiting to speak with someone I love and to whom I owed an apology for speaking without thinking or asking for God’s help to speak the truth in love. I’m so grateful God led us here today to hear this message, to reorient my heart, and to be reminded there is grace for even me.

We were grateful for the conversation with the pastor and with his brother, a Marine, following the service.

 

Our prayer for this church:

Father, as this congregation works to discern and obey Your lead, we pray You continue to provide spiritual and numerical growth. We ask that You open their eyes to missional needs You wish them to embrace and that You continue to bless this pastor as he leads Your flock. Amen.

Grace Community Church

Yesterday we worshiped at Grace Community Church, 9160 Marshall Road, Cranberry Twp., PA 16066, 724.779.7997, www.mygcc.org, Matt Kaltenberger, Lead Pastor.

 

Scripture – NIV

1 Peter 4:10 –

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

Romans 15:7 –

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

 James 2:13 –

…because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 –

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Galatians 6:3 –

If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.

 

Bob’s thoughts:

We were blessed to worship at Grace, our first trip back since their recent remodel. I was amazed at how open and inviting the area is now.

It is always a special joy to talk to Pastor Bob. He told us how the remodel of the sanctuary allowed for 400 more seats, giving them room for 1,200 in worship. We discussed how a church can stay warm and focused on the individual with that many in worship and I reflected on this during the service. Something as simple as the lights being left on took care of the isolation of worshiping in the dark not knowing who is nearby. Sometimes a glance or nod to another worshiper conveys volumes. We were in the top tier and could witness a lot of interaction. I found particular joy watching a woman minister to her young child…we would do well to emulate with our neighbors.

The pastor’s message on interacting with coworkers was of pointed interest for me. Long retired, I don’t have those coworkers to relate to, but God blesses me every day with merchants, medical professionals, and others to witness to and to pray for and with. It has been a joyous ministry.

My best example of the personal ministry of the church was a conversation with the man who ushered us to our seats. I commented that the last time we visited Grace was in the midst of construction and how impressed we were with the results. He commented about where we usually sat when we visited. Want to be a caring church?

 

Jan’s thoughts:

This church seems to have completed a huge expansion project, which involved adding 400 seats to the existing 800, a new children’s area, and an amazing coffee/fellowship space. What remains the same is the warmth and genuine hospitality we have consistently encountered here.

With Bob’s issues with walking and my newly-replaced knee, we truly appreciated the elevator to the second floor and friendly escort to convenient seating right inside the door.

This message was part 2 of the series God At Work and one of his points was to pray for a coworker with whom you experience conflict. God answers our prayers, often in unexpected ways, and in asking God to bless the person, we are at the very least being obedient to God’s direction and at most we are helping bring about change in them, in ourselves, and in the situation.

Although I have been retired for a few years, this advice brought back a memory of a time when I experienced conflict with a coworker. I would have preferred avoidance but it was not an option, and since I had no other ideas to resolve the situation, obedience to God’s guidance (i.e., prayer for this person) seemed the best path. In God’s good time, He healed all parties involved and the conflict simply dissolved.

Through His Holy Spirit and prayer, God can work on our hearts even when we seem to have little sway over the direction they wish to take. God’s way was truly best for everyone.

We are grateful for our conversation with Pastor Bob Zonts following the service.

 

Our prayer for this church:

Heavenly Father, we pray You will continue to bless this church in every way. Give them people to disciple, teach, and to pray with and pray for. May they constantly surrender their will to You. Amen.