June 11, 2021

Walking Iris from my flower garden
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Good afternoon. Mary and I hope you are well and walking firmly with the Lord as the months and year march on. A passage of scripture I hope defines your spiritual pilgrimage comes from Hebrews 12:2. It says, “… and throwing off everything that hinders us and especially the sin that so easily entangles us, let us keep running with endurance the race set before us.” 

As we consider a portion of our nation's leaders distancing themselves from spiritual values, calling “wrong right and right wrong” we are led to uneasily contemplate the church and its future. The other day a lady in our church told me she had a dream in which the church was being persecuted. I could not confirm the validity of the details of her dream. But my interpretation of Scripture leads me to conclude harsh times await the church before the Lord returns (Matthew 24), particularly in the latter days. Are we approaching or even entering those days? Perhaps.

 

Well, on to other matters. Since our last blog, life and church matters have been gentle without surprises. Weeks blend from one week to the next. Sunday worship, mid-week Bible study, women and youth group meetings via ZOOM, band practice and some visitations fill up the calendar. This Sunday is the graduates recognition Sunday.

Orchids from our flower garden
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We continue to meet outdoor. As the pandemic seems to abate, we contemplate moving indoors, perhaps in a month or so, maybe two. Attendance continues to hold around the low-sixties level, about 70% our regular Sunday attendance. We are blessed. We have only been rained out twice in the past fifty-two weeks. More and more of our people have been vaccinated. Things are looking up.

 

Saturday, two women’s groups are holding a joint session with two guest speakers speaking on the value and worth of women. The following week the youth are meeting for an outing, riding electric scooters for an hour, followed up by pizza and a devotional thought.

 

Soon we are to have our ministry fair, a moment when people sign up to work in one of the several ministry opportunities in our church.

 

This week our son Ben and his wife Tiffany are visiting with us from the Chicago area to be a part of our granddaughter’s quinceañero (15^th birthday), this Monday. It is a BIG deal in Puerto Rico. So, it has been a sweet few days for the family. (Actually, the big party was postponed until the Sweet 16th due to the virus. She is fine with that. Selflessness is part of her character)

 

I believe that wraps it up. Until next time.

 

Johnathan and Mary

(Photographer unknown)
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Sugar Pier in Aguadilla
(Photographer unknown) (Click to expand)