It’s our annual week of Prayer and Fasting!  Each year, we and other BIC churches around the country set aside this first full week of January for a time of reflection and seeking God.  I welcome and encourage each of you to join us this Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7pm in the Prayer Room for family time of prayer, devotion, and worship.  Let’s seek God together as we start a New Year! (you can access the BIC devotional guide for this week here)

As the New Year begins, I also wanted to express my thanks and amazement at our church family’s generosity this past Christmas season!  We collected over $7,500 for our Christmas projects…almost $900 for the quilting ministry, $900 for the Powers’ community center in France, $340 for Mom’s House in Lancaster and over 50 items for the center, and $5,350 for the church mortgage!  Thank you for giving, sharing, and thinking of others!

This morning, someone shared an old article with me and I thought it was so good, I’d share it with you all as well.  Enjoy!

In Christ Alone,

Pastor Jan

10 Healthy Habits of Sunday Morning Saints

 Perry Engle, bishop of the Midwest and Pacific Conferences, has identified the following habits that he believes can help strengthen relationships among the people of God.  He asks: How much more healthy would our congregations be if each member made the following commitments to their church and their brother and sisters in Christ?

1. If I have a problem with you, I will talk to you about my concern before I talk to anyone else
2. If I have a problem with the pastor, I will talk to the pastor before I talk to anyone else about the pastor.
3. I will work to make sure that all of my comments made in public are respectful, helpful, and positive.
4. I will come to church expecting to be a participate in worship rather than an observer.
5. Each week I will meet and greet at least one person I don’t know very well and do my best to remember their name.
6. I will involve myself in at least one other church-related activity or small group meeting outside the weekly worship gathering.
7. Each week I will look for a least one thing in a person who serves in my church and tell them how much I appreciate their efforts.
8. When we meet as a church, I will assume that the people gathered around me, to a large extent, are wounded and hurting, and will do my best to interact with and encourage, and not ignore them.
9. I will come to church expecting to learn (or relearn) at least one lesson from God’s Word that I will work to apply to my life during the upcoming week.
10. I will expect to encounter Almighty God on a regular basis, and be open to His redeeming grace in my life.