Thankful for Chrisitan Friends

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

The National Youth Gathering in New Orleans is over and our youth and adults have made it home.  It was a great trip!  The St. John group spent a week before the Gathering in Mississippi and Alabama at a servant event to help others in need, and then spent five days in Bible Studies, Mass Event worship services, and in other faith activities.  Following the Gathering our group took advantage of being outside of AK and visited Café Du Monde on Wednesday night.  We enjoyed more tourist activities on Thursday and Friday as we went on a “swamp tour”, ate at a local Cajun restaurant, visited the WWII Museum and did some shopping.  Most of the St. John group flew back on Friday night to share with others the love of Jesus they had experienced.

 

One of the side benefits of all these activities for me, and hopefully the others in our group, was the renewal and the strengthening of Christian friendships.  I saw pastors and fellow church members I have known for almost 40 years.  I saw church members from other places where I have pastored.  I renewed relationships with fellow Christians with whom I have worked in various tasks for the Lord.

 

I have to confess that I was somewhat surprised, again, at how easy it is to renew Christian relationships.  Even though in many cases it has been years since I have seen some of my friends, nevertheless it was easy to catch up on life happenings and then to pick up with our friendships and let the love of Christ grow.

 

That is also true for the adults and youth in our St. John group.  I believe I have confirmed all the youth, and baptized most of them.  But, I also got to spend time with DCE Jamie Walters, Dave and Marcy Sutton, Sara Guhl, Amber Ewart and Dorothy Jacobson.  Let me tell you we have some wonderful Christian servants in our congregation.  I also know and have worked with each of these adults in the past as well.  But, when you spend time together in work and worship, and when you see these adults willingly and lovingly serving our youth, it is easy for the love and friendship to grow.

 

But, with all these friendships, Jesus is still our greatest friend.  “Friend” is not the word we might expect to use to describe the Lord of the universe and the sacrificial Savior of the world.  Nevertheless, Jesus tells us He is our friend, and we are His friends.  Listen to John 15.  “13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command.15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”

 

Jesus is our friend because he loves us and saved us.  Jesus calls us to love one another.  So, when we work and worship together, serving the Lord who gave His life for us, friendships naturally grow.

 

In a way it is a little sad and somewhat disappointing to say “good-bye” again to old friends.  But, one of the hopes and joys I have as I consider heaven is that we will be with our Christian friends and loved one eternally.  In heaven we can spend all the time we want, and still have eternity to grow in godly love. 

 

Thank you, Lord, for our Friend, Jesus.  Thank you for good Christian friends in this life and eternally.

 

A Child of God, Thankful for Christian Friends,

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Here are some pictures of friends from the National Youth Gathering.  https://picasaweb.google.com/114993745799525883148/6310260268430678689#

 

P.P.S.  Here are some of my Gathering pictures.  https://picasaweb.google.com/114993745799525883148/6310260268430678689

 

P.P.S.  If you go to the St. John Facebook page, Jamie is posting pictures.  Here is the link to our Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/stjohnpalmer/ 

 

P.P.P.S.  Next week I plan to share a story from this trip about servant leadership.  The following week a I will tell an “interesting” story from the golf course.

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am regularly adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message.

 

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