Sunday Flashback

We're entering the busiest time of year for our church. When most churches see a decline while their members go off on vacations, our church sees an increase...because those vacationers woship with us! And each year we see many of the same faces we've seen for years as well as new friends just coming for the first time.

I was touched today by a young woman on vacation who came up to me after one of our gatherings to say, with teary eyes, how the message today touched her at her point of need. A year ago she and her husband experienced the loss of a young child, and today's talk about God turning our bitter into sweet (Exodus 15:22-27) was what she needed to hear.

Thanks to Camas Frey for aptly filling in on the electric guitar today for Rich and Buddy. Camas is a veteran missionary with Alternative Missions in Honduras, and is engaged to Emily Benson. And we welcomed Chad Hardison back to leading worship after his first year of law school.

There was a big crowd of elementary kids at Kidmo at 9:00. At least it looked bigger than normal to me. Can't wait for them to have a very cool new place to worship upstairs.

I peeked in on the nursery to see Kit calming a little one who was wanting her daddy. Our nursery staff do such a great ministry.

After a two week absence it looked like there was plenty of sweet stuff out on the table to go along with the coffee.

Steve Wise was missing from his post today. He was down at Cocoa Beach, FL where he led a Hukilau Surf Camp for students there. But I saw Billy doing an admirable job greeting folks as they came in.

For the second week in a row I've met folks who have told me they found us by going to this site. Another couple told me this morning they found us by default: we offered an 11:00 gathering. (But dont' most?)

After our worship gatherings we had the joy of eating lunch with nine new partners and some of their families. Thanks to a fantastic Hospitality Team for taking such great care of us every time.

Don't forget our full-immersion-ocean water baptism by the sea next Sunday!