We are not alone

In his 1986 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Elie Wiesel said:
“There is much to be done, there is much that can be done. One person...one person of integrity, can make a difference, a difference of life and death. As long as one dissident is in prison, our freedom will not be true. As long as one child is hungry, our lives will be filled with anguish and shame. What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their voices are stifled we shall lend them ours, that while their freedom depends on ours, the quality of our freedom depends on theirs.”

Friends, we have a high call and responsibility from our Lord and Savior to be in solidarity with one another throughout all adversity, all strife, all hardship, and all brokenness. Because of the faith we have in Jesus Christ – a faith founded on love and forgiveness – we have been called to share the gospel of hope with our world. We need to recognize that this brokenness is all around us, in the lives of our neighbors, our friends, and in ourselves. And that is why we must never cease supporting, loving, and helping one another just as the Holy Spirit sustains, guides, and motivates us toward greater expressions of the love of God.

I am honored and so very proud of the great strides this congregation makes daily in pursuing this lofty mission put before us. We are brought together by the call of God, called worship our risen Savior with many voices united as one, and then sent from this congregation to live our faith in the world around us. This expression of realized faith is alive in the many mission and service activities in which you participate; and yet there is still more we can do.

We must never allow ourselves to become complacent in our spiritual journeys. Instead, we should always be looking ahead to how we can better strengthen our relationships within the Body of Christ, how we can reach out further into our community that we previously have, and how we can see Christ alive and calling us daily. Please look over the many ministry opportunities highlighted in this month’s newsletter, but do not be limited by what you see in this paper. Be even more vigilant in listening for God’s voice calling you toward new ministries of faith, hope, and love.

I daily give thanks for the faith and love that is alive and well in this congregation. Keep focused on this gracious gift offered by our Lord Jesus and seek to share it with the world over and over again.

Grace and peace to you,

Pastor Andrew Pomerville

Rubber Ducky 5K will be August 15 at 9:00 am

The Second Annual Rubber Ducky 5k run/walk, sponsored and hosted by Church in the Hills, will be held on August 15, at 9:00 am. All proceeds from the race will be given to the Bellaire Community Food Pantry.

You can learn more about the race and register on-line at:

http://rubberducky5k.blogspot.com/