PASTOR'S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ARTICLE Pastor Jeff had Covid and other issues and was out for 9 weeks. He has returned but had not submitted a newsletter article For March and April. Below is hisMay article. Thank you for your patience. May2023
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
What
a blessing and honor it is to be back in church, and seeing you all again. The early
part of Feb, all of March and half of April, found me battling Covid and then a
horrible case of “Sepsis:, or blood poisoning as my organs began to shut down!
Lord,
long and lonely was my struggle to heal and recover from being so sick. As I shared with Jan and my family, as I
slowly recovered to my old, happy self.
I could feel the prayers and loving concern you all were sending my way.
One of my most vivid memories of “healing
and restoration”, took place on Easter Sunday morning, April 9th. I vividly remember waking up, bright eyed, and
alert at 5:50 am. Ten minutes before my alarm clock always goes off! I lay there in the predawn glow of Easter morning,
thankful and happy to be alive. At 6:18
am, my cell phone started “pinging”. I got up and looked, and saw my family in
Ohio, and Texas were texting me. By 6:30,
I was texting them back, along with sister Jan; and the congregation. Expressing my love and blessing for you all
to have a blessed and peaceful Easter.
By 6:40 am, I was reading the beautiful, timeless Gospel story of that
first Easter morning. From John
20:1-18. Much like Jesus, and Mary Magdalene,
I felt the power and even “mystery” of the resurrected Christ, alive and
present in my humble little apartment on Beacon Hill, Seattle, WA!
As I finished reading the Easter
story and praying for my family and the congregation, I felt renewed, restored,
healed of my illness. And yes, even resurrected! With joy in my heart, and “pep
in my step”, I returned to the church office on Tuesday, April 11th. Since then, I’ve resumed my “call and duty”
to serve God and you good people!
In that vein, let us all go forward into
spring with a renewed sense of love and service, rendered unto God and the
church, here at Fremont Baptist Church and our community. As we continue our
outreach efforts this spring, please let Jan our Moderator, the council, or I
know of any ideas, visions, or mission events we can possibly undertake, to help serve and bring more
people into our beloved church and community?
Peace be with you all, and once
again thank you for the prayers of healing and restoration, you all sent my way
when I was sick and away, for nine long weeks.
