Pastor Commentary

Dear Friends of South County EFC:

A little personal update

In the aftermath of the death of Carol's sister-in-law, Linda, we are seeing God's hand in the lives of several people. Both Carol and Bob are having opportunities for conversations over lunch, Bible studies, and developing friendships for the Kingdom. Linda's testimony continues to elicite questions and cause people to wonder. How good God is.

Bob is experiencing a reappearance of amyloidosis. The Mayo Clinic site tells us this about amyloidosis: It is a rare and potentially fatal disease that occurs when substances called amyloid proteins build up in your organs. Amyloid is an abnormal protein usually produced by cells in your bone marrow that can be deposited in any tissue or organ. Amyloidosis frequently affects the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. The exact cause of amyloidosis is unknown, and there's no cure. However, therapies are available to help you manage your symptoms and limit the production of amyloid protein.

Bob is on an oral chemo which is prescribed for an indefinite time. It appears to be successful. His testimony to God's goodness is evident as he handles his treatment, his business, his children and grandchildren, and folk in the community who wish to know him better because of his upbeat life in the midst of what some consider tragedy.

- Carol and I are developing a new photo album: beautifully clear, high resolution, full color colonoscopy shots and echocardiagram stills( I was told I have a very photogenic heart). We'll have to share and compare sometime soon.

- Our household remains busy with Sarah(pregnant with #5), Chris (who is doing a great job as a chef in our kitchen and being involved with their 4 in schooling), and The Four. Housing still eludes them.

Re:SoCoEFC

- We are learning that discipling is difficult work that is done dependent upon the Lord of The Church. We are humbled that in spite of much time spent at this we do not see the results we had anticipated when we began. Carol and I were just reassured today that our results so far are not unusual when starting with unchurched, undiscipled folk who are not yet Christians. So we remain at the task, our hands still on the plow.

- We are seeking permission from Wilcox Park to have two worship times in the park this summer, one in July and one in August. Come Worship With Us in the Park. We will keep you posted as to times.

- We have had some Spanish-speakers join us occasionally and we are praying to begin a small group in that community.

- Some of us took a 'field trip' into Greenwich Village, NYC to experience a young church that is ministering successfully to quite a diverse populaton. It was instructive and a good time for us as we travelled together and also viewed Ground Zero and prayed for our nation.

- We continue our OT Survey on Thursday evenings. We currently are in the end of Exodus and see much in the Scriptural landscape to encourage and challenge our day-to-day faith.

- We break bread(communion) two Sunday evenings a month and have The Supper as the focus of our time together. Congregational involvement in song selection, prayers, and testimonies 'on the fly' makes this a good time for our little 'family.'

- We pray that we might learn from Jesus the Evangelist. Richard Phillips, in a book of that title, reminds us that Jesus was passionate in His care for the lost, that He crossed the boundaries of social, religious, and gender taboos, treating varieties of people with dignity as He connected with them on a personal basis.

- We pray that all of you who read this will take prayerfully, seriously the personal command to make disciples and will recognize that your placement in families, jobs and communities is with the implicite expectation that you will make Jesus famous in that setting.

Son-powered, environmentally friendly,

Russ and Carol