| January 30, 2000 |
Vol. II, No. 40
|
The year 1999 was a good and productive year for the Susquehanna church of Christ. We have continued to produce a weekly bulletin for the edification of the local brethren and our visitors. I edit the bulletin and write much of the material. Percy does the lay-out. Jan produces the copies. Jan and Percy fold them. Percy also prepares the bulletin for e-mailing. Both he and I maintain lists of regular e-mail subscribers. We have subscribers from several states of the U.S., and from England, Germany, Northern Ireland and Sweden, as well.
Several articles from our bulletin have been picked up and given further circulation in other church bulletins. One article was reprinted in Sentry Magazine.
We had two gospel meetings this past year. Ken Weliever of Columbia, Tennessee, was with us in April, and Gardner Hall from Port Murray, New Jersey, was with us in October. Since brother Hall works regularly with several Spanish-speaking congregations in New Jersey, we had a special early service in the Spanish language on the Wednesday night of his meeting, and several families from Lancaster Iglesia de Cristo attended.
Our congregational family has increased this year. In February, two of our ladies brought children into the world. Kendra Dixon gave birth to Erica and Tina Small gave birth to Serena.
In April, Melanie Propst identified with the congregation. She had been living in Gettysburg and obeyed the gospel through the efforts of the brethren in Fairfield. Since she was attending York College and had taken an apartment in York, she identified with this congregation, but she has gone home on the week-ends most weeks, and has attended services mostly at Fairfield.
In June, we gained Brian Schofstall. Brian attends Penn State University at State College and was baptized into Christ there some months back. While school is in session, he attends services at State College. When not away in school, he lives in Elizabethtown and worships with us.
In July, my son Darren moved here from Texas, with his wife Christie and infant daughter, Kaylee.
In September, Scott and Marueen Long placed their membership with the Susquehanna congregation. They had been members here several years ago before moving to Florida. They came back into our general area (Lebanon County) about a year ago and worshipped with a congregation nearer to where they lived, but for conscientious reasons they elected to return to the Susquehanna church. They bring with them their children: Theresa, Timothy, and Tabitha.
In October, we gained David and Deborah Stevens, who bring with them their daughter Rebecca, who moved from Virginia to southern York County.
On December 15, Wade Groff was baptized into Christ. Wade lives in nearby Mount Joy.
Tom Reed and Percy Wilson each preach one Sunday a month at Arbutus, Maryland. Tim Maness preached a few times at State College. During 1999, I preached each fifth Sunday evening at Fairfield. PA, and filled in one Sunday morning at Avondale, PA. I held one gospel meeting in 1999 -- a February meeting in Alief (Houston area), Texas, one of the congregations that helps in my support. I also returned to Texas for three funerals this past year. Fernando Amoros, Eric Dixon, Darren Johnson, Scott Long, Tim Maness, Angelo Miozza, Curt Hart, Tom Reed, and Percy Wilson have all filled in for me at one time or another either in the pulpit, or in the classroom. Most of the adult members of the congregation also taught children’s classes at sometime during 1999. For the past few months, Paula Maness and Patricia Miozza have placed notices offering a Bible correspondence course in several public areas, and have enrolled at least a dozen students at last count. Several of you have brought friends or family members with you to worship services, and I’m sure that several others invited friends and loved ones who chose not to come. To all of you, I thank you for your efforts. I hope that they will continue and increase. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).
In November, we were able to pay off the note we had borrowed from brother Kinder to help us with the down payment on our building. In return, brother Kinder sent us a very generous donation. That month, the congregation also increased my support in the amount of $300 per month.
In December, it was decided that as of this month, January, 2000, the Susquehanna congregation will increase my local support in the amount of $450 per month, enabling me to relinquish the support I had been receiving monthly from the College Park congregation in Deer Park, Texas; from the Dowlen Road congregation in Beaumont, Texas; and from the 12th Street congregation in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
We thank God for blessing us abundantly in 1999, and we trust that as we continue to faithfully serve Him, He will continue to bless us in 2000 and beyond.
–CRJ
Jesus said, “Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matt. 13:45-46).
The basic thrust of this parable, like that of the one that precedes it in context, is the value of Christ’s kingdom. In both parables, the person who sacrifices all else to obtain this right relationship with the King of the universe has made the proper and necessary choice.
Think with me for a moment about the pearl merchant in the parable. he had several desirable traits. He started his journey with a definite goal. He was seeking pearls. But not only was he seeking pearls, his goal was higher than that. He was seeking goodly, beautiful, uncommonly valuable pearls. And finally, he had already determined what he would do when he found what he was looking for. He was prepared to sell all else to obtain the pearl of great value.
To note these positive traits is to also remind ourselves of some negative traits we have perhaps seen in ourselves or in others, which were not a part of the Lord’s parable. The man was not shopping the bargain basements to get the biggest pearl at the lowest price. He did not find the pearl, then wait in hopes that the price would come down. His quest was not a journey to save money, but a journey to seek value. He was not seeking ease or convenience -- just value. It is this picture that the Lord describes to give us some insight into the value of His rule, His lordship. Oh, the value of letting Jesus rule in our hearts and guide our steps toward heaven!
In the earlier parable, verse 44, Jesus had told of a man who had discovered a treasure accidentally. He was not seeking a great value, but as he did his job day by day, eventually he stumbled upon that which was of great value. Even though he was not actively seeking that treasure, he recognized its value and was willing to give all he possessed to obtain the treasure.
In the parable of the pearl merchant, the merchant actually went out in search of great treasure, a pearl of great price. he too, was willing to sacrifice all else to obtain the treasure.
Whether you are one who set out in life to find the great treasure of peace, harmony, and tranquillity in life -- or if you have stumbled upon this great treasure by accident, don’t mistake the value of a right relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords. In accepting the lordship of Jesus and obeying His will as made known in the New Testament Scriptures, you cannot give up more than you will obtain when in the getting, you get a right relationship with God. Truly, Christ’s rule in our hearts is a great treasure; a pearl of great value.
--CRJ