God’s love in our midst was tangible this past week.  The love and care you continue to extend to one another at time of loss and crisis is remarkable.  I was continually blessed as I witnessed Christ’s love reaching out to the Morgan family through all of you.

For many churches the love and concern for others stops with those who are part of the congregation.  But, not for you.  On Sunday we had a special visitor in our midst.  Many you first noticed Tom as you pulled into the church parking lot as he was sitting out on our front lawn leaning up against our sign.  He was not the cleanest of men, he was holding a sign “Homeless Please Help God Bless”.

What happened next was a true testimony to the love of Christ in our midst.  Tom was greeted with friendly smiles, words of compassion and invitations to join us for worship.

Upon the insistence of one of our Elders, Tom came in and joined us for worship.  Once in the building he people continued to extended Christian friendship, love and concern.  Tom was offered help and the promise that after worship we would get him connected to the help he needed.

From the Table, I revealed to the congregation that Tom was planted in our midst to be an example of “the least and the lost.”  Tom is not homeless, but a friend of Tina Yarber and Mary Bob Powers.  He shared with me that everyone showed genuine concern and extended Christ-like friendship.  He felt welcomed and part of our faith community.

Thank you for being the congregation Christ has called us to be!

with love,  Laureen 🙂

This Sunday (May 11) the children and youth of the congregation will lead us in worship.  As I look ahead to rehearsal on Saturday and worship on Sunday, I am struck that I have been involved with Youth Sundays for over 30 years.  Since the time I was a teenager and participating my first Youth Sundays and later as a youth leader and now as pastor, Youth Sundays have been part of my worship rhythm.  These worship services are unique and always filled with moments of anxiousness and joy!  One thing is for certain… God will move through these young people and my spirit will be touch and filled.

Recently a young man who I had in youth group in the late ’90s shared on Facebook his senior message from the year 2000.  He was marveling at how much Youth Sunday and sharing his faith with his church family has affected his walk with God.  For 30+ years I have been witness to seniors sharing their message of faith, hope and love.  For 30+ years, I have been blessed to see God’s light through these young lives.  They renew hope, renew life, renew spirit in our midst.  Another thing that is for certain… God is still moving in our world through our young people.

This year, I’m looking forward to praising God and experiencing youth-filled LIGHT!  Experience has taught me that this is time each year is a key component to my worship rhythm.  What is key to your worship rhythm?  Think about that.  It is these rhythms that help move us closer to God.  Whether your worship rhythm includes sacred hymns from your childhood or scriptures you know by heart, these are important to acknowledge.  Keep these close to your heart.  At the same time, it is important to open your worship rhythm to experience new tempos and cadences.  Embrace them like a child.  Worship rhythms need to move us and groove us.  If all they do is soothe us like a lullaby, then we risk falling asleep in our worship and devotion to God.

I pray we can all take a cue from our children and youth, and celebrate God and Jesus Christ with passion, rhythm and a little boogie, woogie.

with love, Laureen 🙂

Each year we send youth to Camp Christian for a week of church camp. Studies have shown that a week of church camp is as valuable as a year of Sunday School. Below are examples of how Church Camp can impact the faith and life of a young person.

When I was 11 years old, back in 1957, I met God for the first time. I had been to church and Sunday school all my life, prayed before meals with my family and said my bedtime prayers, but I never really experienced God until my first time at Camp Christian. I remember thinking something on the order of “Ah, so this is where God lives when He’s not in Heaven!” Sure there were mean kids (who usually were less mean as the week progressed) and I was a wee bit homesick (for a New York minute) but hanging out with old and new friends, bonding with counselors and worshiping in that blessed placed changed me forever. I began my journey (still in progress) toward becoming a Christian then and there! I went every year until I was 16 and had to get a summer job. I met Jesus there too, or should I say He became REAL to me. Transforming, that’s all I can say! Of course, things have changed there. Cabin 1 is no longer. The pool is newer (still cold) and the faces have changed. But, I think God and Jesus still hang out there when They’re not in Heaven! ~Linda Lombard

I grew up through the Camp Christian summer programs, and those weeks at camp certainly have shaped my faith. But the most profound moment for me at Camp did not happen when I was a teenager.  It happened about 5 years ago when I was serving as Director for Otter Camp.
If your birthday falls during the week you are at Camp, the kitchen staff makes you a special birthday cake and the whole camp sings “Happy Birthday” to you. It’s a lot of fun! Ever had 200+ sing to you?
This particular year there was a little third grader who was a little backwards, and she struggled fitting in. The camper’s CIT (counselor-in-training) extended extra attention and care for her. On Thursday, it was the camper’s birthday. At the end of lunch, the staff came out with her cake, and everyone began singing to her. Instead of walking up front to get her cake, the camper ran out the doors. Her CIT popped up and went after her. I followed. The three of us ended up nearby on a bench under a tree. I sat there; didn’t say anything. Just sat there as the CIT held the crying girl’s hand and prayed with her. After some discussion between the two, the young camper explained that she didn’t know what to do. No one had ever celebrated her birthday before. She was embarrassed, and didn’t think she deserved a cake. I then told her that she was God’s beautiful daughter, and that God wanted her to have a cake on her birthday. The CIT expressed that she wished she was at Camp for her birthday, so she could get a “God Cake”. The camper then smiled and I could see the love of God wash over her face. In that moment, a young woman’s life was changed. So was the CIT’s. So was mine. ~Laureen
If you want to help us send our youth to Camp Christian this summer, you can make a donation to our Camp Christian Fund. It costs $340 to send a camper to Camp. Please prayerfully consider giving a special offering and help impact the faith of the youth entrusted to our care.

     In the midst of the cloudy, extremely cold, snowy winter we are having where are you experiencing the LIGHT?

I see Light when having lunch with one of our young members and her grandmother on a snow day.  I hear the Light when a visit with an elderly member becomes a moment of worship and we are singing together In the Garden.  I feel the Light when gathered with our General Board and in the midst of church business there is laughter, and genuine love for God and church is expressed.  I touch the Light when a hug turns into a moment of prayer.  I bask in the Light when worshipping with all of you, my loving church family.

Where are you experiencing the LIGHT this winter?  I look forward to hearing your stories.  Please share them in the comment section below.

with love,  Laureen 🙂

As we finished another calendar year, we reflect back over the ministry that God has done in our midst.  We have shared the ups and downs of life together, said goodbye (for now) to some dear members of our church family, experienced a time of sabbatical, and worshiped God and Jesus Christ with much joy and light.

This year we also find ourselves saying goodbye to valued staff members – Beth Bentley (CE Director) and Evan Dean (Music Director).  Both of them have contributed greatly to the ministry of FCC-Middletown, and they will be missed.

In light of these changes, we have met with the Elders and put a plan of action in place.  To ensure the mission and ministry here continue with excellence the following things have been put into place:  1) The CE Ministry Team (Mary Helen Shetter and Lora Schueller, co-chairpersons) are working closely with Laureen to keep those programs moving forward.  2) Josh Roeser has agreed to play for worship while he is home from college on winter break.  Laureen will be working with Ginger Alley and Don Dixon to keep our the choir singing praises and sharing in worship.   3) A personnel committee will be formed to look at all our staffing needs.  The General Board will vote on this committee at their January 27 meeting.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of us.  We look forward to sharing the love of Christ with you in the coming year and as we move forward in ministry.

with love,

Laureen A. Roe                         Karen Powers

Pastor                                          Board Moderator