It feels good to be back writing the Pastor’s Monday Blog. Of course last week seemed more like a long series of complaints about technology. However, there is so much to catch up on I don’t know where to start. Things seem to get busier and busier as we move towards revival and outreach in our community. I guess the first thing to do is review the past couple of months since I took at break from blogging back in May of this year.
Of course you probably know, Calvary has started a Saturday night Corporate Prayer Service in the sanctuary. This has been going good, but I feel such a strain taking on this additional service the night before Sunday morning’s service. However, the Lord has been good to me and people have been faithful to attend and pray.
Although the Prayer Tower is being used before every service for my personal prayer team, we are a long way from launching the the Prayer Ministry I envisioned back in January. Susan and I plan to make a concerted effort to complete the stairwell to the second floor this year, thus alleviating much of the stuff that clogs our rooms. My greatest anxiety is laying the tile floor in the tower. If it turns out to be a quality job, it will be a great thing of beauty. If I fail, the tower will look miserable, and I will be too.
May brought a wonderful Mother’s Day service at Calvary. The ladies, who are part of the club that no one wants to join, were presented with a special remembrance box for commemorating their deceased children. There’s not much more we can do than to say we remember each year those ladies who have lost their children, and pray over them as they bear this pain. This year Pat Taylor joined the club with the loss of her son, Brian.
The Indiana District Council was also in May, in Terre Haute, Indiana. Cross Tabernacle, pastored by Keith Taylor, hosted the event and Dave Williams was the featured speaker. Michael Burk, now certified with the district, came with us. He and his wife, Angie, seemed quite excited to be in their first council and represent Calvary. My excitement knows no end, any time I get to hear Dr. Dave Williams speak. I’ll be attending the Special Area Ministry Meetings this fall to hear him again as the district brings him to Indiana once again to minister to our Pastors.
When I returned from District Council I felt sick and it lasted for four weeks. I could barely drag myself out of bed and struggled week after week trying to maintain a level of effectiveness in ministry. It was good though because the Lord used it to show me how many members of our church had fallen under attack and were barely getting by. There is an all out oppression over everyone and everything. I went to the Lord in prayer, but still could not understand what was happening. Realizing it had to be over the new Corporate Prayer Service on Saturday nights, that is where I focused. More on that in a moment.
The Annual Letter Carrier’s Food Drive went well. Still there was another decrease in the amount of food collected. So far other churches have made up the slack with monthly donations to our Food Pantry. We welcome them to our chain of support, and last year was the first year we were able to supply food continuously to the needy of our community.
Man Week this year saw 24 men turn out for the Pastor’s Patio Picnic on Monday night, June 10th. Pastor Sonny outdid himself with the fine grilled meats which were served. Each night was special in its own way. Wednesday night we got to hear Howard Collins speak in our service. Thursday night we went to Golden Corral and the River Rats baseball game in Richmond, Indiana. Friday night was Man Movie night with chili-cheese dip and nachos. Saturday morning was the Annual Men’s Breakfast which saw some new men join our fellowship. Of course, Sunday was Father’s Day and each man got a Lego Construction Figure as part of the Being Builders series I shared through the month of June.
We had another great Calvary Yard Sale during the community yard sale weekend this year. The Women’s Ministries raised several hundred dollars towards their efforts. I’d like to thank everyone who donated their extras to sell in the yard sale.
Our monthly Men’s Prayer Breakfast is going great. Several men come the first Saturday of every month at 8:00 AM for breakfast and prayer in the tower. I do a pretty good job of keeping them happy with what I cook and the offerings more than cover the expenses of the breakfasts. My prayer is that even men who do not attend Calvary will get involved in prayer with us once a month.
That brings me to the monthly lunch I have with local area Pastors. It excites me to build relationships with other Pastors in the greater Union City area. As a Ministers Association (UCMA), we are just in the beginning stages, but I can see the interest growing. Union City has always had a Ministers Association, but it ceased operation recently. My idea was to invite a few Pastors to lunch and see what happens. Well, it is obvious God is up to something. Each month more and more ministers call me up and we get together. About half a dozen have lunch together each month and now more than 12 individual Pastors are involved.
The latest thing to come our way here at Calvary is the Seniors Café at the Hoosier Place in Union City. Steve and Donna Burk, our Senior’s Ministries Directors, have undertaken serving lunch to local seniors, ages 60 and over, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Susan and I will be helping until November, when Donna retires and takes up the program completely. This is a great opportunity to serve our community seniors in a real and positive way. As this ministry grows, the days they serve will expand and the number they serve will increase. God is opening doors of outreach for our ministries here at Calvary.
As I write this blog, our Children’s Department is underway preparing for Vacation Bible School. It begins Monday, August 5th and runs through Friday, August 9th. Again, the graduation program will be a cookout in Harter Park on Saturday, August 10th. New this year, we will have an inflatable obstacle course for the kids to play on in the park during the cookout. Donations to offset the cost are greatly appreciated.
Finally, a note on what I mentioned about being sick and pressed out of measure. We, as a church, are experiencing the attack of a spirit called Leviathan. I am now praying for wisdom on how to defend ourselves against this attack. The hallmark of this enemy is he tries to wear out the saints with continuous adversity. I have felt this deeply and I see it in the eyes of many of our people. His intent is for us to cease to pray for revival. His modus operandi is to distract and discourage. As I shared about this in church, I could see eyes across our congregation looking back at me with an acknowledgement that they knew what I was talking about. We are not ignorant of the devil’s devices. Pray that the Lord will give us wisdom on how to defeat this current attack and not lose the joy and unity we have worked so hard to achieve