New Philadelphia News Across the Pastor’s Desk I love the season of Lent. It starts in the dark of winter, and concludes with the first signs of Spring. I always pray for a warm and sunny Easter Day, even if Winston-Salem is not frost free after that. We have enjoyed some marvelous times over the last 25 years of my watch. I have been especially blessed to serve such a vibrant and talented congregation. Times have changed. We have sent our children out into the world. We have grown older. Yet, if we look closely, we have new families and new children, taking up the torch from the generations that have gone before. A church has to breathe. We do difficult and challenging things. We rest. Then, rested, we return to the fray. To use the language of the Revelation, “We don’t want our first works to exceed our last,” but just the opposite. We want to climb higher, do more. The only retirement in the Kingdom of God is promotion to the higher service. I see that more and more clearly every day. I see signs of new life here at New Philadelphia that signal a new period of growth, spiritual and numerical. Good things are happening. New staff members have brought a new perspective. Established staff members give stability. The same thing can be said of our laity---each person brings a gift, sometimes to help us stay the course, sometimes to challenge us to more. “The world is changing,” says the media. “The only things that is permenant is change,” says Heraclius. “We are being changed into his likeness,” says the apostle, “going from one degree of glory to another.” I am awfully glad to be here. I am awfully glad to know that the future is coming to us in Jesus Christ.
The Pastor
Pastor John Writes: Our Youth had two huge ski trips in February, as both groups travelled to Sugar Mountain on February 1, and Sr. Highs and eighth graders went to Snowshoe,WV, during the weekend of February 22-24. We’re looking forward to summer trips to Mission Camp at Laurel Ridge and a Sr. High trip to Staten Island, NY, to help in hurricane relief efforts in that area. Middle Highs and Sr. Highs have sold pork shoulder butts to support these trips, and these will be available for pick-up on March 2. During March, there will be activities available for Youth during our Lenten programs on Sundays, and Youth will provide the meal on March 10. We’ll also be helping with the Easter Egg Hunt on March 30, along with the traditional hot dog sale that day. In addition, this year’s Confirmation Class will begin on March 10. See you in March! Peace to you, The Rev. John G. Rights