Park United Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at Park United Presbyterian Church, 109 West Grandview Avenue, Zelienople, PA 16063, 724.452.9570, www.parkup.org, Rev. Jon Nelson, Pastor.

 

Scripture – Luke 15:11-32 NIV

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

“ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

 

Bob’s thoughts:

We arrived close to start time, but even if we had been, early the current restrictions don’t allow much for socializing. We were greeted by the ushers, a woman in the pew behind us, and another woman and a gentleman after worship.

The church will be going back to two services in separate spaces to allow for cleaning and preparation.

I don’t know when we last visited here, but we were looking forward to hearing the new minister.

I’m sure the service was available online, but it was a first for me that the children’s message was delivered and posted online before the worship service. The pastor sang and played guitar for a song from their message, a parody of Puff, the Magic Dragon.

I loved the duet from two women of the church; their voices blended perfectly.

I think this is the first time I’ve heard a pastor correctly refer to Christ’s parable as the Two Lost Sons. Another thought-provoking concept was how this would be received by different cultures, and maybe a step more, how it is received now. The sons’ actions, the father’s response, and maybe complicate it just a little more by our judgmental attitudes. This is how we come to Christ, deserving nothing, yet we are welcomed with open arms.

It gave me pause to think about growing up with three brothers, and then our five children, I wonder how much any of us ever understood about each other.

A reference from the message that appealed to me was a book: What Do They Hear? Bridging the Gap Between Pulpit and Pew.

We appreciate the time the pastor spent with us after the service.

 

 Jan’s thoughts:

Since it was on the cool side this morning, we located a church with an indoor service. Even with parishioners sitting at least 6 feet apart, masks were required throughout the service. Like most others, this church has an online viewing option and sermons are posted on the website. 

A few people welcomed us from a distance and there was no handshaking.

The pastor announced that on October 4 they will return to two services, albeit in separate portions of the building. It has not been decided when Sunday School will resume.

The pastor presented the children’s sermon in which he played guitar and sang an imaginative parody called Muff, the Tragic Wagon.

I enjoyed the voices of the two women who sang the anthem.

The current sermon series focuses on Jesus’ parables, and today’s was about the Prodigal Son. The pastor acknowledged this parable actually told of two prodigal sons, as both sons were lost and in need of forgiveness.

He spoke of an interesting book, What Do They Hear? Bridging the Gap Between Pulpit and Pew by Mark Allan Powell. It examines the cultural filters through which people understand Scripture. When Americans were asked the meaning of this parable, they said it was a story about right versus wrong. Because of their familiarity with famines, Russians pointed to that aspect of the story. Africans viewed it through the lens of community and social obligation. I find it fascinating that there are so many potential interpretations of this parable.

The pastor stated that, within families, some kids need more attention, care, and direction than others, but God loves us all, not just the prodigal. God’s love can seem unfair, but it can transform us when we understand.

He closed by asking where we might be lost within our lives and faith and admonished people not to stay outside and miss the party.

We appreciated the time the pastor took for (masked) conversation following the service.

 

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, may the brotherhood and sisterhood of Your church uphold and lift each other up to You. Amen.

Harmony-Zelienople United Methodist Church

Today we worshiped at Harmony-Zelienople United Methodist Church, 123 N. Pittsburgh Street, Zelienople, PA 16063, 724.452.7670, www.hzumc.org, Pastor Dan Owen.


Scripture – NIV

Mark 2:1-12 –

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”


Bob’s thoughts:

I met a woman in a local store. We talked for five minutes and she seemed to know me well, including some of my children, but I was drawing a blank. I thought she might have been part of the day care center here. When we saw it has been five years since our last visit, and a need to pick up a few things from our daughter nearby, it was an easy decision where to worship. The fun part was, I thought it was my choice.

There is a beautiful large round stained glass window with smaller panels to the side, above, and below to form a cross.

We received a friendly welcome from a number of people. We were pleased to be here for the commissioning of a mission team headed to Russia and appreciated the chance to talk to one of the young men after the service.

When the pastor started his message, I knew Whose choice it was for us to worship here today. God has used me in some miraculous healings, but it isn’t always the case. Twice He has let me know why there was no healing – once it was my son and once it was me. Christ answered my question through this message: sometimes the power to heal comes and goes, as the pastor referred to Luke 5:17: “And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.” The requirements are that God is willing and someone believes.


Jan’s thoughts:

We needed to be in the area this morning, so we decided to attend the 11:00 contemporary service here. I was relieved when the music we heard as we approached the building turned out to be rehearsal. Our grandtwins attended preschool here several years ago, so we already knew our way around from attending Christmas programs.

Several people welcomed us and one gentleman took time to share with us at length and introduce us to some other folks.

I enjoyed the sound of the praise team which consisted of three guitarists/vocalists, a keyboardist, and a drummer. The bulletin included offers of large print hymnals for the visually impaired, amplification units or a sign language interpreter to aid the hearing impaired, as well as who to see for earplugs if the music was too loud.

There is much going on here, including a mission trip to Russia this week and a men’s event in a couple of weeks with Pastor Ed Glover of Urban Impact as the keynote speaker. I was delighted to be there for the commissioning of the missionaries departing for Russia this Thursday.

The current sermon series is entitled Journey to the Cross…and Beyond and today’s installment was Part 4: The Healing of the Paralytic. The message began with a clip from the movie Son of God depicting this event and the pastor taught through each portion of the Scripture.

He stated that in verse 2, where it says that Jesus preached the word, as the Word, Jesus was preaching Himself. He then reminded the congregation, “When preachers talk too much about themselves (instead of Christ), their listeners should run.”

As he focused on healing, he said two things must be true for healing to happen: God must be willing and someone must be believing, pointing out that healing can sometimes come through the faith of others. Even when prayers are offered in faith, healing is not always granted, and this remains one of God’s mysteries.

At this point I thought it marvelous when the pastor invited questions from the congregation.

The pastor pointed out that Scripture states Jesus first forgave the man’s sins and then gave physical healing because “spiritual healing is way more important than physical healing.”

Stating he did not wish to “over-spiritualize,” he asked everyone to consider what might have become paralyzed in us that we would ask Jesus to heal. He focused on the areas of prayer, vocation, relationships, and witness for Christ, and prayer was offered for freedom from paralysis in any of these areas. I thought this was some good stuff.

This idea of paralysis is a new consideration for me, so I was pleased God had brought us here today.


Our prayer for this church:
Lord, we pray You will continue to bless Your church. Guide their mission endeavors that You be glorified. Amen.

Calvin Presbyterian Church

Yesterday we worshiped at Calvin Presbyterian Church, 415 E. Grandview Avenue, Zelienople, PA 16063, 724.452.7560 www.calvinchurchzelie.org, Rev. Doug Gebhard, Interim Senior Pastor.

Scripture – 1 Kings 19:4-8 NKJV

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.

Bob’s thoughts:

We heard about the service in Fred Rogers’ honor and came to visit. It has been a good while since we last worshiped here and I forgot about their large carved cross. We were warmly welcomed by the Associate Pastor.

I don’t know if a bass is usually part of the praise band, but it sure was a highlight for a Fred Rogers service.

I worked for a while in the motion picture industry, and Fred’s film was one that we processed. He walked in one day when I was in the hallway, dirty and stained from the chemicals I was working around. Fred stopped to chat about what I did there, and surprisingly, said hello when he was on the way out with the owner of the company.

The pastor talked about being Christ-like to our neighbors, and how we don’t always see the angels that help and guide us.

At our old family church, when Christ first called me, I talked to the young children (my favorite people) about angels. They said sure, and pointed to where the angels sat in the balcony, the one that had been removed 40 years before.

A highlight phrase: “Let some word that is heard be Yours.”

Communion was passed silently in the pews, but the pastors were served. I noticed a great innovation: the juice tray was labeled as to juice or wine.

We stayed for coffee after but everyone was busy talking to each other…maybe because there are two services.

Jan’s thoughts:

We knew it had been some time since we visited here (I learned it was five years ago), so when Bob came across an announcement that this service would be a tribute to Mr. Rogers, we decided to join them in worship.

This congregation is in the midst of an interim period, which they appear to be excited about and using to full advantage, which I find refreshing. Some of that may have to do with the stability provided by the continued presence of the Associate Pastor, Connie Frierson.

We were welcomed by several people sitting nearby, and the first time a song was sung from the hymnal, the gentleman next to us handed me the hymnal with the correct page bookmarked.

I expected traditional music, so was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm of the contemporary musicians. The musical selections included pieces by Loudon Wainwright III (“Hank and Fred”), Fred Rogers (“It’s You I Like”, “It’s Such a Good Feeling”, and “I Like You As You Are”) and Bob Dylan (Man Gave Names To All The Animals”), so the advance notice that this service would be “different” was spot on.

The sermon was offered by the Interim Senior Pastor and entitled “Helpers”, in reference to the quote from Fred Rogers: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ ”

He began by telling a bit about his personal friendship with Mr. Rogers, also a Presbyterian minister. He spoke of “helping” angels in Scripture, particularly the ones that helped Elijah. And when he pointed out that the angel ministered to Elijah not once, but twice, he emphasized that sometimes we humans need to hear a message more than once for it to “get through.” I can definitely identify.

He closed with the clip of Fred Rogers’ acceptance speech when he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. It’s pure Fred Rogers, and if you’ve not seen it, it’s worth watching on YouTube.

In his closing prayer, he included a phrase he learned from Fred: “Let some word that is heard be Yours.” In my opinion, that should always be the prayer of a preacher—indeed, anyone seeking to influence others, whatever the venue.

I was pleased we could participate in Communion as well as stay for coffee afterward.

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, please bless this congregation’s efforts to grow Your church and encourage them to be “angels” in Your name. Amen.

Oak Grove Lutheran Church

Today we worshiped at Oak Grove Lutheran Church, 432 Harkins Mill Road, Zelienople, PA 16063, 724.774.6410, www.oakgrovelc.org, Nathaneil Christman, Pastor.

Scripture – John 4:1-42 NIV

Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

Bob’s thoughts:

I pass this church often and had a feeling God was leading us here…today was the day.

The sanctuary is pleasant with a dark wood paneled arched ceiling. There is a slight alcove to the rear chancel wall displaying a round stained glass window which seems to amplify the cross on the Communion table below. I also appreciated the signage.

The Scripture for the message was Christ at the well with the Samaritan woman. It is probably lost on most of us what an outlandish thing this was at this time. The pastor related how this was mission outreach, evangelism, and relationship-building.

I was reminded of a biker church we visited in Ohio once. They told me that part of the reasoning behind worshiping on Saturday evening is they were free to visit other churches on Sunday but they were also free to go into the bars to witness to those who did not know they needed Jesus. They were doing what we are all called to do: tell our story. As much as I sort of joke about how much fun it was to bring people to Christ by force, I have had better results by sharing my story of how He claimed me.

This was one of the most accommodating churches for Communion: grape juice and gluten-free wafers were also provided. The elements were offered verbally and I was pleased to see the pastor served at the end.

I met a Marine during the passing of Christ’s Peace, which is always a joy.

There were a number of cute children, including a most entertaining boy and girl a few rows ahead. I enjoyed the voice of the young female who led the singing.

We were thankful for the time the pastor took to talk with us after the service and grateful for the discernment the congregation seeks for what God has in mind for His church.

Jan’s thoughts:

We were greeted warmly and regularly throughout the service and afterward. Upon entering we were immediately handed a presentation folder containing the order of worship, the list of hymns and in which book to find them, the Scripture reading, and the announcements. This was a unique format for this information.

The atmosphere is traditional with lovely stained glass and dark wood, including the ceiling.

Much attention was paid to the children, for whom there were special programs and who also took part in the service by ringing the bell in the tower.

The sole musical instrument was an organ and hymns were led by a solo voice, which was beautiful and enough. The hymns varied from the traditional (“I Know That My Redeemer Lives”) to the Children’s Message (“The B-I-B-L-E”) to the closing hymn (“Soon and Very Soon”).

The pastor pointed out in this untitled sermon that although Jews specifically avoided Samaria, Jesus specifically did not avoid it, He went right through the center of that land. He made direct contact with the Samaritan woman, who had been cast aside and left behind. But she then became an evangelist when she took her story to the rest of the town, asking her question “Could this be the Messiah?” Many came to believe in Him as a result of her outreach.

He stated that is what evangelism is, telling our story, sharing our personal experience, and asking questions that cause others to want to see for themselves and draw their own conclusions.

I was glad to be present for Communion and appreciated that grape juice was an option for the sacrament.

We also appreciated the conversation with the pastor following worship and hearing about the Community Garden that unites the congregation and provides outreach to the community for 3/4 of the year.

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we pray Your church discerns Your guidance as to Your purpose and direction for them now. Lead them in their goal of obedience to Your call. Amen.

English Lutheran Church

Today we worshiped at English Lutheran Church, 200 E. Grandview Avenue, Zelienople, PA 16063, 724.452.8110, www.elczelienople.org, Rev. Dr. Margarethe Galbraith-Cordes, Pastor.

Scripture – ESV

Exodus 17:1-7 –

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?" But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried to the Lord, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." And the Lord said to Moses, "Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

Romans 5:1-11 –

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

John 4:5-42 –

So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock." Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water."

Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."

Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" They went out of the town and were coming to him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."

Bob’s thoughts:

We were warmly welcomed by, I think, everyone we passed including a member who came to us in the pew to ask if we had any questions about the service. Another offered the locations of the restrooms, which was appreciated since there was some signage but I did not notice directions to the restrooms.

The sanctuary was a moderate arched ceiling and I should have assessed the acoustics. I enjoyed the sound of the choir and noticed some smiles there. I didn’t realize till late in the service that had we sat in the alcove at the rear of the sanctuary we would have been able to hear more clearly as I missed a lot of what was said.

From where we sat, though, I was able to enjoy the antics of a delightful one-year-old. It was interesting to watch the range of reactions to her, and I couldn’t help but be reminded of Christ’s admonishment to let the children come near for heaven belongs to such as these. I especially enjoyed watching one young girl’s heart melt when the baby played with her hair.

The sermon seemed to be based on re-telling of the story of Christ and the Samaritan woman at the well. Unfortunately, I was unable to understand much until I turned and heard the speakers behind us.

We had some interesting conversations after the service including some special time with a woman who had also lost a son and we ministered to each other.

Jan’s thoughts:

Arriving early gave us an opportunity to wander around the building a bit. I had the sense this congregation would be very much like a family, and it was.

After finding coffee near the sanctuary, several members arrived and greeted us warmly. As more arrived we got caught up in conversation and before we knew it, it was time to find a seat for worship.

There was a front section and a rear section, and we sat in the very back of the front section. When I suggested a seat that looked good to me, I failed to take into account the lower ceiling in the rear which would have made the echo considerably less of an issue.

The greetings continued after we sat down, before worship got underway, and during the greeting portion of the service. Afterward we enjoyed a meaningful conversation with a woman who has two Marine sons and had lost another son five years ago. It’s always a bittersweet joy to encounter someone with whom we have so much in common.

One of the women who first greeted us thoughtfully stopped before the service to ask if we had any questions about the Order of Worship, since Lutheran services can be a bit confusing.

The décor was as expected for such a traditional mainline denomination: a high ceiling, lots of dark wood, and intricate stained glass. The ample legroom and padded pew made for comfortable seating.

The music was presented by a traditional choir led by an excellent organist. The volume was perfect and without a hint of pretention.

The sermon expounded in detail on the story of the woman at the well.

The service ended with the Sacrament of Communion which is always a humbling privilege.

Our prayer for this church:
Lord, there is so much life left in this, Your church. We ask You to continue to bless and guide this congregation. Amen.

Zelienople Church of Christ

Today we worshiped at Zelienople Church of Christ, 112 Mennonite Lane, Harmony, PA 16066, 724.816.2035, www.zeliechurch.com, Pastor Reid Moon.

Scripture – Ephesians 3:16-21 ESV

…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Bob’s thoughts:

I have felt called to revisit this church for a while. Today, after an hour and a half of aimless driving, we ended up right where God was sending us just before the service started. I hope to look where He would like us to go a little sooner and save gas, but no matter what the plans, I am in awe of His orchestration to get us where we need to be.

We were welcomed by a number of people who remembered us. I admit some faces were familiar to me but for the most part I remembered the external setting.

The only cross I noticed was on a banner.

The pastor thanked the congregation for their support after a memorial service for his mother, a tough time to preach a sermon or anything else.

His message, “True to These Feelings…True to God” was a most interesting reflection. We readily claim our blessings from God and attribute many things to God. I don’t think we ever get to realizing our feelings were also created by God and part of Christ’s experience here on earth.

When we are abused, are we called to forgive the abuser? He talked about the long abuse of Joseph and his forgiving his brothers when he realized they were finally getting it. Maybe this was a wake-up call to the congregation that the abused, lonely, and shunned are not alone.

Communion was served without a corporate call for confession, but there was enough time for personal confession while the elements were silently served.

We enjoyed conversation with some members and with the pastor after the service.

I was glad for a chance to share something God had put on my heart. I try to always pray for the people on the prayer lists from the bulletins we are given when visiting. Recently I was talking with an elderly neighbor who lamented that she didn’t know why God was letting her live. During my prayer time the idea came to ask her to pray for those on the list, and over the following weeks more clarity was provided. I want to encourage churches to ask their shut in members to pray for those on their prayer list. It helps them focus on others, helps them feel connected, and blesses them with a sense of purpose. The phenomenal benefits cannot be denied. I think it is important that the shut in member’s name is also on the list for prayer, and it is good to let the congregation know that there are people unable to be present who are praying for those on the list.

Jan’s thoughts:

Just the opposite of a week ago, today we had no idea where we should worship. But it was a gorgeous fall day, so we drove…and drove…and drove…and ended up here. We’ve decided we need to plan better, but for this day I’m convinced this was where we were to be.

This is a small, friendly, out-of-the-way church that I did not recognize until I walked in and saw a couple of people who had popped into my mind recently. We chatted and caught up on recent developments at the church, then sat down to worship.

The sanctuary was nearly full with people of all ages, including many children for whom children’s church is provided. There are no instruments of any kind, so the singing is led by the pastor with his clear, strong voice. Of the seven musical selections, I was familiar with only one but everyone else seemed familiar with them.

I appreciated being able to participate in Communion. I must have missed the time of confession of sins, so I did so silently.

The sermon, “True to These Feelings…True to God,” was hard-hitting and not for children. The pastor outlines last week’s message as having dealt with forgiveness and wisdom and whether God wants someone to stay in an abusive relationship (He does not). The feelings referred to in this week’s sermon title are the feelings accompanying abuse.

After defining abuse as the intentional harming of another person over a period of time, he outlined the Biblical story of Joseph. Although Joseph started out as his father’s favorite, he was sold into slavery by his brothers then unjustly accused by his master’s wife and thrown into jail.

After confirming that feelings are from God and are not necessarily good or bad but just are, he listed the feelings commonly resulting from abuse: guilt, worthlessness, self-blame, frustration, confusion, anger leading to bitterness, a desire for revenge, loneliness, fear of being shunned or having one’s feelings minimized. He said that many people “close the door” on their feelings in an effort to make them go away. The thing is, the feelings aren’t behind the door, they’re in the heart, and there they will stay until they are dealt with.

Joseph had a great deal of time to consider what he might say to his brothers and to get past his feelings. The pastor pointed out that our feelings can short-circuit God’s work and Joseph waited until he was certain his brothers had changed before he forgave. He advised not to close off feelings of abuse but be honest with God. There also can be great benefit in professional counseling, and we have true hope in God’s promises.

Several members and the pastor were kind enough to take considerable time for conversation following worship.

Our prayer for this chu

Lord, we pray for Your continued Presence with this congregation. Help them extend forgiveness to those who have wronged them and free their hearts from the pain. Amen.

CityReach Zelienople

Today we worshiped at CityReach Zelienople, 319 E. New Castle Street, Zelienople, PA 16063, 412.720.6450, www.zelienople.cityreachnetwork.org, Mark and Denise Grogan, Lead Pastors.

Scripture – NKJV

Psalm 109:30

I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth;

Yes I will praise Him among the multitude.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Luke 17:11-19

Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

Bob’s thoughts:

We heard about this new church start-up around mid-year and have looked forward to visiting. The CityReach churches are filling a void and are reaching people for Christ.

God has blessed this congregation with an actual church building, something a lot of churches don’t have. It has taken a lot of work, but their efforts show and it is a pleasant sanctuary and comfortable rooms downstairs.

The sanctuary has a low ceiling and curtains over the windows giving it an at-home feel. There was a large wooden cross, and the volume of the music was just right.

We were warmly welcomed by most of the congregation, and the husband and wife co-pastors.

During a prayer time, those needing prayer were asked to raise their hand and those nearby asked to reach out to them, which I found most encouraging.

The female pastor said she felt called to add “It Is Well With My Soul” to the music this morning, and I knew the call was true. This song brings bittersweet memories from the church service the day after our son was killed.

It was announced several time that there are people scheduled to Ring the Bell on the 28^th, but I’m in the dark as to what that is about.

The message was about thanking God when our circumstances are less than ideal. The Pilgrims’ thanksgiving feast lasted three days even though the last year 50% of their people died.

It was hard to thank God when our son was killed, but it was God Who got us through those terrible days and God Who holds us up now.

We were blessed to meet with and pray with the pastors after the service. I truly felt Christ’s Presence here and was encouraged at how He is working through these pastors.

Jan’s thoughts:

We have attended several other churches within the CityReach network, and most seem to be in a building other than a church, but this one was in an actual church building.

We were greeted warmly as we entered, and people kept approaching us and introducing themselves. Finally I realized as I watched that everyone there was greeting every other person.

There were other marks of hospitality, such as boxes of tissue placed strategically under chairs and small bottles of water available.

As we toured the downstairs we saw inviting-looking areas set up for groups of various sizes. The building had obviously been shown a great deal of love.

The pastors’ son was kind enough to show us how the Keurig worked, and Bob was happy to note that decaf was available.

The music included a few songs I knew and a few I did not, and ended with one that is near and dear to my heart, “It Is Well With My Soul.”

There were many announcements, many of which involved mission of some sort including the Breakfast with Santa for the community and Giving Hope outreach which involves large Ziploc bags full of items, and the packs will be handed out to the homeless next month.

The message centered on Thanksgiving and intentional gratitude. He pointed out that, of the 10 lepers, nine were healed and one was made whole, and he asked, how often are we the one out of 10 who expresses appreciation to the Giver of all good things?

We enjoyed a wonderful conversation and prayer with the pastors following worship.

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we pray You continue to bless and guide this church. It is exciting to see Your handiwork. Amen.

Harmony-Zelienople United Methodist Church

Today we worshiped at Harmony-Zelienople United Methodist Church, 123 North Pittsburgh Street, Zelienople, PA 16063, 724.452.7670, www.hzumc.org, John. K. Jefferis, Pastor.

Scripture – NIV

2 Timothy 4:6-7

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Bob’s thoughts:

We were a little early and got to look around the sanctuary a bit. At first I only noticed the cross on the Communion table, missing the larger wooden cross with hearts all over it.

We were welcomed by some people including two families of Marines. Both had a son in the Corps, though I’m not sure they knew of each other. We also had the chance to say hello to the director of the Child Care Center.

I appreciated that the Praise Band circled for prayer before the service began.

I enjoyed the lead female singer; she not only sounded excellent (as did the whole team) but she smiled often and sang with enthusiasm. The Praise Band did well with “It is Well with My Soul,” an old favorite that now cuts deeply as it was sung at church the day after our son’s death.

The pastor was away and the service was a strategy meeting reporting on where the church thinks it should go.

Jan’s thoughts:

The last time we were at this church was for the Christmas program presented by the preschool, of which two of our grandchildren were a part, so we already knew our way around, but today I noticed how well the signage was done. Also the sanctuary is quite pleasant and beautifully decorated, though not for Christmas this time.

We arrived early but everyone sitting in the narthex area was busy talking with others so we found seats in the rear of the sanctuary. Bob hung his coat over the corner of the pew (with the Marine Corps emblem showing) and we were soon greeted by a young woman and her grandfather who told us his grandson is currently in boot camp at Parris Island. Conversations like that are always uplifting.

As with most contemporary services, the sanctuary was all but empty 10 minutes beforehand, and suddenly people appear during the first two songs. It always amazes me.

And as with most churches with more than one service, there were only a few who greeted us. There was only the one conversation.

I was blessed by the excellent music that was so well done, as well as the songs themselves, especially “It is Well with My Soul,” which never fails to bring me to tears.

Apparently the pastor and his wife were away, and I was reminded this was a Methodist church when the name of the new pastor was announced. He will start in July and the current pastor and his family will move on to another assignment.

The message was presented by a member whose position is unknown to me. However it was an important time for this church family, hearing about their history, how they got where they are, and looking to the future, where they want to go and the course charted by their leadership.

I thought it an interesting assertion that churches need a mission statement because, referring to the above Scripture, the church is like the race organizer. I suppose there is some truth to that since the race organizer lets participants know what sort of race it is and the best strategy to win.

We will keep this church in prayer as they face this task and the additional requirements of their responsibilities as this year progresses

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we pray You open the eyes of the leaders of this church to where You are leading them. Help them to put Your vision into words. Amen.

Faith Full Gospel Church

Today we worshiped at Faith Full Gospel Church, 319 E. New Castle Street, Zelienople, PA 16063, 724.452.5864, www.ffgchurch.com, Pastor Gail R. Davis.

Scripture – 1 John 5:1-5 (NKJV)

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Bob’s thoughts:

We were early and were greeted by the pastor who told us of his mission trips and a little about the church.

A large wooden cross adorns the rear chancel wall and some banners/paintings created by a member hang on the side walls.

I sensed more passion in the singing of the contemporary worship songs by these few worshipers in this chapel-like church than any number of large congregations.

A collection was taken for “City Rescue” in New Castle, a good mission.

The sermon, “Knowing God Intimately,” quoted a lot of Scripture to reinforce the message that “God loves me” and that “when you love yourself, you can love others.” Something I hadn’t heard before was that we are also triune, “soul, mind, and spirit.” It is easy for us to claim Christ as GPS, God, Personal Savior, but harder to accept Him as our Lord.

Communion was offered silently in a small circle in the front of the sanctuary. I don’t recall hearing anything about confessing our sins, but a lot of other topics.

Prayers were offered up for local churches, and parishioners responded well when asked to offer some of the other prayers.

Jan’s thoughts:

We arrived early, giving us lots of time to visit with the pastor and then others as they arrived. Nearly everyone greeted us and introduced themselves. We started the service with a total of eight people in the sanctuary and, as is customary with contemporary services, others arrived during the musical worship.

At least one member of this congregation is very artistic: in lieu of banners on the walls hung large canvas paintings interpreting their core beliefs and Scripture. I also noticed the directional signage decoratively painted on a piece of shale. It was imaginative and beautiful. On the rear chancel wall was a large wooden cross with uprights flanked by geographic shapes of the continents of the world.

I enjoyed singing some music that I’ve not heard for a while, including “My Savior, My God” by Aaron Shust.

What a blessing to be present as the pastor prayed an impromptu prayer for neighboring churches, specifically naming each one.

The message centered on having and maintaining a relationship with God. The pastor reassured the congregation that God loves each one personally and completely, that God wants us to want to know Him intimately and not just seek His blessings…head knowledge versus heart knowledge. We need to believe God when He says He loves us…we can’t give what we don’t have. He has promised that we will find Him when we get serious about finding Him. He wants to be our Lord as well as our Savior.

The service was closed with Communion as everyone stood in a circle at the front of the sanctuary. The entire service seemed intimate.

Our prayer for this church:
Lord, we pray this church comes to You as Lord of their lives, knowing how much You love Your children and learning to love ourselves. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Park United Presbyterian Church

Today we worshiped at Park United Presbyterian Church, 115 E. Grandview Avenue, Zelienople, PA 16063, 724.452.9570, www.parkup.org, Rev. Paul Merrill, Pastor.

Scripture – Matthew 22:15-22

Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

Bob’s thoughts:

We were welcomed at the door and one usher brought a welcome gift to the pew. Some other members came by during the Passing of the Peace of Christ. Some who greeted us politely thanked us for visiting and invited us back.

There is good signage pointing downstairs to the restrooms as well as a large sign pointing the way back up to the sanctuary. In this smaller building it may not be necessary but was appreciated nonetheless.

I remember taking the family to Kennywood Park. There were so many yellow arrow signs pointing the way TO the park that if you missed a turn you likely would come across sign that would point you in the right direction. But coming home in the dark, in the days before GPS, was a challenge. I don’t know if it is possible to enter the church through the basement, but if so, the sign would help. I hope we are all living our lives to create a sign that points others to Christ.

This is a pleasant sanctuary with lots of stained glass and an appealing cross.

The sermon, “Two Kingdoms,” described the Pharisees’ teaming with the Herodians to try to trip up Jesus: they figured a yes-or-no answer regarding paying tribute to Caesar would condemn Christ.

I have always marveled at how succinctly Christ answers His detractors, in as few words as possible. I always hoped to find someone who appreciated the nuances of literature who wasn’t a Christian to confirm my feelings. The few people who fit the bill accepted Christ as Lord and Savior after reading the New Testament, so maybe I got my proof after all.

I was lamenting the “Presbyterian” mode of contemporary worship but learned from the praise band leader that every other week they are free to up-tempo the worship, a comment I found interesting.

Jan’s thoughts:

It turned out the two gentlemen who greeted us with bulletins were former members of the military (Army and Navy), so they immediately commented on Bob’s Marine shirt and the conversation was off and running. A warm welcome indeed!

We visited this church some time ago but this time we opted for the early, contemporary service.

The signage was plentiful, obvious, simple, helpful, and included arrows. Even downstairs, exiting the restroom area was a sign pointing the way to the sanctuary.

The atmosphere was warm and friendly; it felt like a family church.

The music was quiet, toned-down contemporary, and the harmony was quite good.

The “Word of God Preached” (as it was fittingly labeled in the bulletin) was entitled “Two Kingdoms,” referring to the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Caesar. The Pharisees and Herodians set up Jesus in an attempt to discredit Him, but instead He amazed them – and us. The point I appreciated most was that Jesus indicated the coin in this story belonged to the government because it bore Caesar’s image, and because we belong to God, we bear His image. What a comforting reminder.

Our prayer for this church:
Holy Lord, You deserve our all. You gave Your all; we owe You everything we have and are. May we return to You gratefully. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.