"The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like a Fine Pearl" - A 30-Year Legacy of Love

Dear Friends in Christ:

Our 30th Anniversary Celebration on Sunday, April 18th was a most memorable and joyful event in our Congregation’s history!

I am so very thankful to everyone who planned, prepared and served for the Sunday School hour, the Worship Service, and the Meal!

It was wonderful to be reunited with some former members and friends.

Personally, I was deeply touched by your gifts of love honoring me for my 30 years as your Pastor. Ask me to see the James Avery etched cross silver ring with the inside engraving, and the incredibly beautiful, engraved, silver pocket watch with the inlaid mother of pearl on the outside cover and inner face. This watch will forever be a reminder of “Things Remembered” from our relationships in the mission and ministry of life together as Pastor and people. Also, the engraved wood shell/pearl plaque witnesses to the water of my Baptism which united me forever with the abiding love of Jesus Christ who is the most valuable Pearl of all. For this, I give thanks and praise to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

“Almighty God, we give you thanks for the work you have done in this place. We give you thanks for your love and faithfulness. When we called on your name, you made your presence known to us. When we prayed, you heard us. When we preached your Word and administered your Sacraments, you were in our midst. You have accepted our humble sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. You have listened to our confessions and forgiven our sins. And you have sent your Holy Spirit to heal and comfort us in our hurts, our sorrows, and our losses.

Continue to empower us with your Spirit, O Lord, that we might proclaim your gospel to all people.

Help us to witness to the good news of Jesus Christ in all that we do and say.

Show us how we might give care and support, love and mercy to those in need.

Grant that we may continuously grow in the Spirit and in the ministry that is ours as members of the priesthood of all believers, so that we may carry out our mission of service and love.

Bring us at last to the joy of your eternal kingdom, so that in communion with all your saints we may forever praise your name. Amen.”

† Pastor David Fetter

Our 30-Year Legacy of Love

Dear Friends in Christ:

I am filled with much joy and thanksgiving as we are preparing to celebrate our 30th “Pearl” Anniversary as a Congregation.

Someone recently told me, “You should write a book about Abiding Love.” If I ever do, it wouldn’t be very hard to come up with titles for the chapters. What might they be? Those of you who were here in the beginning will recall themes that have inspired and unified us. And, those of you who have joined our mission and ministry throughout the years will recognize other themes.

To quote the theme song of a great American, Bob Hope, whose picture is on a recent postage stamp which Mary and I have been using: “THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.” Join me now in remembering and giving thanks to our good and gracious God for the past and continuing legacy of Abiding Love:

♥ “Blest Be the Tie That Binds Our Hearts in Christian Love”!

♥ “Something’s Always Happening at Abiding Love”!

♥ “Faith Growing… Love Increasing”!

♥ “Forward in Faith”!

♥ “Growing in Grace”!

♥ “Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow”!

♥ “Give Back The Blessings”!

♥ “It’s ALL About Love”!

♥ “God’s Work. Our Hands”!

♥ “Imagine: Generosity Beyond Belief”!

♥ “Imagine: Ministry Beyond Belief”!

♥ “Imagine: Community Outreach Beyond Belief”!

♥ “THANKS BE TO GOD”!

These chapters of Abiding Love’s legacy would be filled with many and varied “pearls of great value”. Each of you, and all those who have gone before us, are “beautiful pearls” that make up the Kingdom of God, now and forever!

As I write this, the words of a song written by Jay Beach are running through my mind: “I am the Church. Your are the Church. We are the Church together. All of God’s people, all around the world, we are the Church together.”

♥ “Jesus loves you, and so do I”!

† Pastor David Fetter

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“I BELIEVE” The Good News of Easter! (John 20:1-23)

Dear Friends in Christ:

Is there anything greater for us to say on Easter Day as a confession of our faith than this: “I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who… on the third day rose from the dead”?

I came across a beautiful story about a woman named Rosemary Kadrmas who works in the Alzheimer’s unit of a nursing home. Rosemary and a colleague named Arlene brought the residents together on a Good Friday afternoon to view Franco Zeffirelli’s acclaimed movie Jesus of Nazareth. They wondered whether these elderly Alzheimer’s patients would even know what was going on, but they thought it might be worth the effort.

When they finally succeeded in getting everyone into position, they started the video. Rosemary was pleasantly surprised at the quiet attention being paid to the screen.

At last came the scene where Mary comes upon the empty tomb and sees that Jesus’ body is not there. An unknown man, in reality the risen Christ, asks Mary why she is looking for the living among the dead. Mary runs as fast as she can back to the disciples and tells Peter and the rest with breathless excitement, “He’s alive! I saw Him, I tell you! He’s alive!” The doubt in their eyes causes Mary to pull back and say, “You don’t believe me… You don’t believe me!”

From somewhere in the crowd of Alzheimer’s patients came the clear, resolute voice of Esther, one of the patients, who said, “We believe you… We believe you!”

Esther, I believe it too. My life makes no sense without it! Jesus Christ rose from the dead! He is alive and available to all people in our world today!

May this Good News of our faith make this Easter a most joyful celebration for you!

I thank God for these words of Bill and Gloria Gaither in their Easter hymn, “Because He Lives”:

“Because He lives I can face tomorrow, Because He lives all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future. And life is worth the living just because He lives”!

— Pastor David Fetter

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