Dear Brother or Sister in Christ,
Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Our church is right in the thick of a wonderfully blessed Bemidji summer. Praise God for blue skies and the color green that’s everywhere! As we approach our church’s 100th anniversary celebration October 10-13, let’s continue praying for the ongoing ministry of our church as we continue to live in God’s world.
Please pray for Pastor Douglas and his family as they travel to Wisconsin and get established in their new ministry calling of church planting in Johnson Creek, WI. Please also pray for our new Youth and Young Adults Pastor Search Team composed of: Danny Paddock (chair), Caleb Caster, Alexa Zylka, Eric Nygren, Jerry Johnson, Shelly Mustful, Jerry Drebelbis, Amy Graf, and Bethany Anderson. Pray for them as they’ve now finished updating the job description and will soon begin prayerfully considering applicants in the months ahead. Pray for insight and unity as they discern the man God is calling to be our next Pastor of Youth and Young Adults. And please pray that whoever our next pastor is, he will begin feeling God’s prompting and leading to our church. Also keep our youth and young adults ministries in your prayers as they approach this fall without a pastor. Pray for the godly volunteers who are stepping up to help lead in the short-term.
Keep our Strategic Leadership Team in your prayers, being led by Brandon Mustful. Please pray for us as we get close to “landing the plane” and then presenting to our church family what God has shown us. Pray that our mission, vision, values, discipleship pathway, and strategies will each be pleasing to God and used for His particular purposes in Bemidji and beyond.
Please pray for our 100th anniversary committee as we make plans and preparations for everything that’s happening this fall. Pray that our church will REMEMBER God’s faithfulness over these past 100 years, RECONNECT with those who’ve been part of our church over the years, and RECOMMIT ourselves to serving Christ and those around us for as long as the Lord allows. Please pray that each activity will bring God glory and accomplish His purposes:
Thursday, October 10 – Global Partners Night
Friday, October 11 – 11:30 a.m. Senior Adult Potluck (with Sarah Friesen/Page)
Friday, October 11 – Through the Decades Variety Night
Saturday, October 12 – Community Day (Free meal, fun activities, church tour, etc.)
Saturday, October 12 – Coffee/Dessert Night
Sunday, October 13 – 9:30-11:00 a.m. Combined Worship Service
11:30 a.m. All-church catered lunch
Sunday, October 13 – Second Sunday Prayer and closing Recommitment Service
Praise God for the student testimonies of spiritual growth and learning coming out of our Challenge trip to Kansas City. In Matthew 19:14 Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Please pray for our Vacation Bible School July 28-31 in the evenings. Pray that our church will be a welcoming place of Christian love and gospel truth. Pray for the needed resources of time, talents, and treasure. Pray for our Kids Ministry Director, Amy Graf, as she has a busy week of prep followed by a busy week of leading the VBS. Pray for the many parents and volunteers who will be serving with her. May children learn about Jesus and be drawn to Him. Pray also for a successful park night at Diamond Point on Saturday, July 27 as we seek to impact our community positively for Christ, and as we invite some of our Bemidji neighbors to our VBS.
Praise God for the United in Christ conference that was hosted at our church last week. Pray that God will help us to continually grow and mature in our love for every tongue, tribe, and nation, including the many Anglos and Natives in our region. May we be a church of, and for, and to, all nations.
Please keep our Trustees and Elders in your prayers as they navigate some challenging agenda items. Pray for good stewardship of our funds, our buildings, and our ministries. Praise God for the good response to passing offering plates once again in our services. Please pray that we will catch up on our current 2024 budget shortfall of roughly $40,000 (~9 %). Pray for our upcoming congregational meeting, cornhole, and cookout on Sunday, August 4. Pray that we’ll enjoy having some summer fun together and that we will be responsive to God’s leading in making the right decisions regarding the ministries of our church.
Romans 12:15 reminds us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Praise God for the recent and still to come weddings. Pray for these couples to enjoy God’s good gift of marriage and to continually grow in love and respect for one another according to His design. Pray also for those among us who are sick. And pray for those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Pray that our church would be a place that is pleasing to God as we love one another deeply, a place where we laugh and rejoice together, and also weep and grieve together.
As always, let’s continue to pray sincerely that God will help our church to become more and more the church that He would have us be.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, thank you for praying!
Together for Christ, Pastor Jerry