It’s been a winter to remember…or forget…and it’s not even mid-February yet!  I’m very sorry that we had to cancel church last Sunday.  With only partial power in the building, we still had no heat and limited lighting.  As of last Saturday evening, the sanctuary was about 40 degrees and dark.  I hope you made the best of your Sunday morning.  I attended Lima United Methodist Church in Lima, PA where I had served as a student intern during my seminary years.  It was great to catch up with a few people that I still recognized and who recognized me.  It’s funny how much they’ve changed in 30 years and I look the same!  I talked at length with a couple who helped me with the Senior High Youth Group while I was there.  They informed me that their daughter (who was a teenager in my youth group) had just turned 50.  I said, “Thanks for making me feel really old!”  At any rate, while it was a wonderful morning, I truly missed worshipping with my friends at Grace Baptist.  Hopefully, the weather will cooperate this coming weekend, we’ll have our power back, and we’ll be able to worship together again.

I also wanted to let you know that tomorrow I’m planning to drive to Cleveland, OH to attend the funeral of my very dear friend, Martin Rolfs-Massaglia.  Martin was the pastor at Royersford Baptist Church for about 25 years before moving to the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland shortly before I came to Grace.  He and his wife, Kay, and Amy and I had remained close friends since our seminary days together.  Please keep Kay and their children, Emily, Natalie and Lucas, and other family members in your prayers as they mourn Martin’s very untimely passing.  Pray also for the First Baptist Church as they come to terms with the loss of their beloved pastor.  I’ll be attending the viewing on Tuesday night and will be participating in the funeral service on Wednesday afternoon.  I’ll be driving back sometime on Thursday, so I probably won’t be back in the office until Friday morning.

Thank you for your prayers and I look forward to seeing you in church next Sunday!

Blessings,

Pastor George

P.S.  I just received the sad news from Eva Jackson that her husband, Noel, passed away today.   Please keep this family in your prayers and watch for more details.