Pastor Commentary

Dear Faithful Ones-

We are not offering that God will make people feel better- we proclaim that God will make people better- and the laboratory where that is developed and proven is our home, our marriage.



What a weekend we just had! We got 6 couples together at a great, relaxing location for a marriage retreat and had a wonderfully blessed time.

George and Sharon Banta very candidly told how God had revolutionized their relationship and explained to us some tools we could use to improve our marriages.

God worked in our lives. It was a meaningful time which ended Sunday AM as we sang praises for over an hour, had a moving prayer time, and broke bread together to finish the weekend. The fellowship with each other, the power of God's word, and our fellowship with the Lord made this a weekend we will remember.



We have been having Scott Hurley come join us once a month for leadership development and life-coaching with the leadership team. This has been profitable and challenging. Thank you Scott.



Our Thursday evening times at Randy and Shelby's have been growing. We are working through some Scriptures and having our thoughts directed to the "how" of transformed lives. Often we hear about the "what," the "ought," the "should," and the "must." It has been encouraging to hear from each other and God about the "how."

Someone asked me if we sort of idle or shut down during the summer. Are you kidding? Rather, full bore.

On Sundays we are just finishing up "The Bondage Breaker." Practical. Relevant.

We hold God high. We stand amazed at His working in and among us. Our Lord allows us, the sinners and motley crew that we are, to bear His Name, to identify with Him. It is no scandal to Him who we have been and even who we still are while we carry His banner. He patiently, surely works to conform us to Himself. How we praise Him for that!

Some of you must be praying. (Thank you.) We are experiencing the blessing. There are also challenges as we get to know each other better, as in any family. We also see the wicked one hates to give up on those who once were his but now march under Jesus' banner. But, God will have His way. We want to learn to pray "God-sized" prayers and see done what only God can do.

He is Light on our feet,

Russ and Carol

Bearing the torch in Rhode Island