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Pastor’s Corner – May 2018

Posted on May 1, 2018 by David Garrison in Devotions, General, Local Service, News, Pastor's Corner | 295

After the Storm

Storms are used in fascinating ways in Scripture. Take a look at Genesis 6-9 (Noah’s flood), Psalm 18, and Matthew 8:23-27 (Jesus calms the storm) for a couple of good examples. But my favorite “storm story” is in 1 Kings 19. Elijah has just won a powerful victory over the prophets of Ba’al, but ends up fleeing for his life as Jezebel and Ahab seek vengeance. He hides in a cave on Mount Horeb (also known as Mount Sinai), and God tells him, Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” What happens next is incredible:

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. (1 Kings 19:11–13)

I think most of us would assume that God would’ve been in the storm, the earthquake or the fire. But He wasn’t. God was in the stillness and quiet that came after the storm. The same is true with the story of the flood – the rainbow came after the waters receded. And when Jesus calmed the waters? That’s when the disciples fell down in worship.

“What are you doing here?”

That’s the question God asked Elijah in the silence after the storm. Through your tireless acts of love and support, God’s presence after the storm has been made real. I have been overwhelmed with the incredible response of our community in the weeks that have followed the tornado in Elon and Lynchburg. You have answered God’s question to Elijah with your actions – by faithfully living what Paul calls us to in Galatians 5: “Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Gal 5:13–14) The cleanup work for those affected has just begun and will continue long after the tornado has left the news cycle. May we continue to be God’s hands and feet as we pray without ceasing, give as we are able, and serve as the opportunity presents itself. You can find some helpful suggestions and guides on our website at www.npcmh.com/blog.

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

EPC asks churches, individuals to fast and pray May 5-6 ahead of Andrew Brunson trial resumption

Posted on May 1, 2018 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, Missions, Prayers | 468

This post is reposted from EPConnection.org.

The trial of Andrew Brunson, EPC Teaching Elder imprisoned in Turkey since October 2016, resumes on May 7. In an effort to stand with and pray for the entire Brunson family, the EPC is issuing a Call to Prayer and Fasting for the weekend of May 5-6.

Jeff Jeremiah, EPC Stated Clerk, suggests praying Scripture in four specific ways:

That Andrew will be strengthened, emboldened, and released: Pray Isaiah 42:3 (A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out. In faithfulness, He will establish justice.); Isaiah 40:31 (Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength); and Luke 4:18 (The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free).
That Norine will not grow weary: Pray Exodus 17:12 (When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady until sunset.) and Isaiah 40:29 (He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak).
That the Brunson’s children (Jordan, Jacqueline, and Blaise) would walk in the steadfast love of the Lord: Pray Lamentations 3:22-23 (Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness).
That Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey, would be directed by the Holy Spirit: Pray Proverbs 21:1 (The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases).

“Norine was blessed and encouraged by how many people participated in our call to prayer and fasting before the April 16 trial,” Jeremiah said. “On Thursday, April 26, she was able to pass this on to Andrew, with our plan to do it again before May 7. I hope every EPC church will continue to pray for Andrew, Norine, their family, and the rest of the trial as Andrew faces the judges again.”

Following opening arguments on April 16, Brunson was returned to prison. Prosecutors in the case have asked for a 35-year prison sentence on charges that Brunson helped terrorist organizations and worked to convert Turks to Christianity.

To help facilitate corporate prayer, a printable bulletin insert in pdf format with these prayer suggestions can be downloaded at www.epc.org/news/freepastorandrew. The bulletin insert is available in two sizes and is designed to be printed on standard 8.5″ x 11″ paper and cut in half (either horizontally or vertically).

How To Support the Recovery Efforts Going Forward

Posted on Apr 24, 2018 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, Local Service, Missions, News, Prayers | 354

According to a press release from Amherst County, 126 homes have minor damage, 25 are restricted use and 22 are destroyed. That means at least 47 families are displaced until their homes are repaired or rebuilt. The recovery needs for these families will be ongoing, long after this event moves out of the news cycle. And many of those in the path of the tornado, whether their home was destroyed or not, are dealing with wounds and hurts that go beyond physical. So what can we do to support our neighbors and friends in the weeks and months to come?

Pray

Make praying for those affected a regular part of your prayer routine. Include in your prayers the contractors and builders, insurance adjusters, police, fire and medical first responders who have and are continuing to step in to help these families rebuild their lives. Here are some practical steps and prayers in the weeks and months to come:

Pray for healing. While certainly praying for physical healing, also pray for emotional and mental healing. Continue to praise God that no one lost their life, and ask Him to rest His hand of healing on those who need it. The emotional and mental scars can last far longer than the physical ones, which leads to…
Pray for rest. This might sound trivial, but many of these people, particularly the children but also the adults, could well be having a hard time sleeping. Nightmares, stress, the internal need to keep working on cleanup, and especially post traumatic stress can negatively impact sleep. Pray for God’s peace to settle over those trying to piece their lives back together when they sleep.
Pray for a smooth process. Working with insurance companies, contractors, government aid agencies is a difficult and time-consuming process. It can be its own layer of stress on top of an already stressful and traumatic event. Pray that God would smooth out the process and that there wouldn’t be any hiccups for these folks.
Pray for moments of normalcy: In the midst of the aftermath of a traumatic event like this, it can feel as if “normal” is a word that will never be used again. Pray for moments of “normal” for these families and people, That might come in a meal taken as family at a restaurant, to even the regular routine of work and school, or maybe even just going to the store to buy groceries. A moment of “normal” can go a long way in helping the healing and recovery process.
Set a reminder. Put a reminder in your phone to repeat once a week, and maybe another one in a month or two, to remind you to continuing praying for their recovery.

Give

Many have given sacrificially already, but there will continue to be ongoing needs for those affected in the weeks, and especially the months, to come. Many of them have no idea what they need at this time, so gift cards to grocery and home improvement stores can be very helpful, as they can make use of those as they figure things out. There are several GoFundMe donation pages set up for these families, if you would like to give directly to them. Here are some suggested links and ideas:

GoFundMe: This link is a generic search for “Madison Heights, VA fundraisers,’ however at the time of posting (4/24/18), all but one result on the first page of results were for victims of the tornado (there’s another tornado victim fundraiser on the 2nd page of the results as well). If you would like to give aid directly to the families, this can be a good option.
ElonStrong.com: Our friends at River Church have been actively involved in helping those affected from the first day. Donations made through ElongStrong.com and AmherstStrong.com are primarily going to families with no insurance.
Gleaning For The World: GFTW has been partnering with local churches to minister to those displaced by these storms, particularly in providing emergency assistance to those are are victims of the tornado. They have been distributing food and materials directly to the families and victims.
Through Northminster: Please put “Elon Strong” in the memo field of checks made out to Northminster, and we will direct those funds to those in need.
Gift Cards: Purchasing gift cards to Food Lion, Walmart, Target, Lowe’s, Home Depot and various places like that are very helpful. Many of these families have lost everything and don’t know what they need right now. A gift card can be very helpful in allowing them to purchase what they need, when they realize they need or are ready for it. Gift cards can be turned in to the Amherst County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Center in Amherst, to the church office, or placed in the offering plate on Sunday mornings. Gift cards given to us will be passed along to Elon Presbyterian for them to give out directly to the community impacted.
Set A Reminder: As with praying, set a reminder for a month or two, if not longer, from now. There is always a large influx of donations in the immediate aftermath of disasters like this, but the needs last for months.

Volunteer

If you are looking to volunteer, we encourage you to contact Gleaning for the World to see when and where they are distributing materials. Right now, we are not aware of other organizations that are actively looking for volunteers to help victims rebuild and repair. If you know families impacted, we encourage you to contact them directly to see how you might be of service. As we hear of opportunities, we will post them here and on our Facebook page.

Thank you for the wonderful ways you have already cared for our neighbors affected by the tornado, may God bless each of us as we seek to continue to be Christ’s hands and feet in caring for and loving them in the weeks and months to come.

Community Service of Prayer and Praise

Posted on Apr 20, 2018 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, Prayers, Worship | 377

Sunday Evening, April 22nd at 7 p.m. we are going to have a service of prayer and praise for the Elon Community! Even in the midst of the storm, maybe especially in the midst of the storm, God’s hand has been protecting and loving His people. We want to praise God for our community and praise Him for being with us through it all! We will join with Elon Baptist, Elon Presbyterian and other churches as well as our entire community to give thanks to God for His great faithfulness and for each other. Area pastors will help lead the service. The service will be held at Elon Baptist Church, 145 Younger Drive, Madison Heights, VA 24572 (Next to Elon Elementary School – click here for map and directions).

Please note that Youth Group/Confirmation Class will meet from 5:00-6:30PM this Sunday.

GFTW Seeking Volunteers for Monday, 4/23

Posted on Apr 20, 2018 by David Garrison in General, Local Service, Missions, News | 378

Volunteers needed for Monday, April 23rd from 9 to 5 … Gleaning for the World plans to set up out of Elon Presbyterian’s parking lot again Monday to distribute supplies to those affected by the storm. We’re going to do things a bit differently this time around. We will send pickups and/or vans and SUVs – anything with substantial cargo space – along with two or three volunteers into the neighborhoods affected. The vehicles will be loaded with a good variety of the things we anticipate people may have need of. If we don’t have it, we’ll have it delivered later from the home base in the parking lot. We’ll need vehicles and/or volunteers in shifts more or less as follows: 9 – noon, noon – 2:30, 2:30 – 5. Please text or call David at 828.273.1003 to volunteer … or, just show up! Thanks in advance!

Ways to Help With Tornado Cleanup

Posted on Apr 18, 2018 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, Local Service, Ministry, Missions, News | 261

There are several ways to provide assistance and aid to those impacted by the tornado in Lynchburg and Elon.

If you would like to volunteer, please to go www.amherststrong.com. Volunteers must be 16 years or older, and will have to sign a liability waiver.

Amherst County Chamber of Commerce is accepting disaster relief donations for individuals and families affected by the tornado. You can find a list of what to donate and where to take it here: http://www.facebook.com/AmherstVAChamber/posts/10156431846504470.

Gleaning for the World is also actively involved in bringing aid to those affected. If you would like to donate to Gleaning, please see the following link: https://gftw.org/central-va-tornado/.

We will update this post as more opportunities become available.

Thank you for caring and supporting our community!

EPC issues call to prayer and fasting for April 15 ahead of Andrew Brunson trial

Posted on Apr 11, 2018 by David Garrison in General, News, Prayers | 359

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church has issued a call for prayer and fasting for Andrew Brunson as he prepares for and faces trial this coming Monday in Ismir, Turkey. Below, you can find the letter from the EPC with more details. The original post can be found here.

On April 16, 2018, EPC Teaching Elder Andrew Brunson will go on trial in Izmir, Turkey. If convicted of the charges in the 62-page indictment filed by the prosecutor, Andrew could be sentenced to 35 years in prison. The indictment charges Brunson with helping terrorist organizations and of trying to convert Turks to Christianity.

In an effort to stand with and pray for the entire Brunson family, the EPC is issuing a Call to Prayer and Fasting for Sunday, April 15. The trial is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. local time in Turkey, which is 2:00 a.m. EDT Monday.

Jeff Jeremiah, EPC Stated Clerk, said Andrew’s wife, Norine, has requested three specific prayers:

Pray for Andrew’s release, using Psalm 18, which speaks of deliverance from the “cords of death” (v. 4-5).

If he is given the opportunity to speak in his defense, please claim Jesus’ promise, “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourself. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict” (Luke 21:24-15).

That the steadfast love of the Lord will comfort our children (Jordan, Jaqueline, and Blaise) and that He will give them peace and help them to trust.

“As we consider Norine’s steadfast faithfulness and courage, my prayer is that she not grow weary,” Jeremiah said. “I have been claiming Galatians 6:9 and Exodus 17:12 for her, and she knows that we are helping ‘hold up her arms’ for her husband.”

In addition to the April 15 Day of Prayer and Fasting, a seven-day prayer guide for the week leading up to the trial can be downloaded at www.epc.org/files/andrewbrunson7dayprayerguide.

“I encourage the Prayer Team of every EPC church to utilize this guide and lift Andrew, Norine, their family, and the trial to the throne of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Jeremiah said.

Pastor’s Corner – April 2018

Posted on Mar 29, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, Pastor's Corner, Table Talk, Worship | 358

Easter is HERE!

The forty days of spiritual house-cleaning has come to a glorious conclusion! Springtime for our souls, and in our lives, has finally arrived! All that kept us from God – our sinfulness, our insecurities, our doubts and so much more – has been swept away through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The wonder of this is more than can be comprehended in a day, and so with Easter Sunday we also begin the fifty day season of Easter. “The Easter season is a time to let the implications of the resurrection sink in deeper, inviting us to realign our worldview and conform our living to the reality that we have been raised with Christ to new life” (Philip Reinders, Seeking God’s Face pg 329).

The Centrality of the Atonement

But that is the crux of our modern struggle – realigning our worldview and conforming our lives to the reality of new life in Christ through his sacrifice on the cross. In short, we struggle to believe and accept the doctrine of the Atonement – so much so that many Christians have rejected it outright. But as Emil Brunner once wrote, the atonement “is the Christian religion itself; it is the main point; it is not something alongside of the center, it is the substance and kernel, not the husk.” To that end, on Sunday mornings through the season of Easter, we will seek to explore and unpack the wonder and glory of the atonement in order to “realign our worldview and conform our living” to our new life in Christ.

Tiptoeing Through the TULIPs

As Presbyterians, we are a part of a “stream” of Christianity known as Reformed Theology, which is itself heavily inspired by the writings and teachings of John Calvin. If you want to kill the mood at a party, just casually mention you’re a “Calvinist.” Most people view Calvin and the theology named after him with something of a stuffy, negative intellectual light. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Calvin and his theology is very passionate and full of life and Spirit, as evidenced by his logo and slogan, pictured at right. We hope you’ll consider joining us for Table Talk on Wednesday evenings beginning at 5:30 on April 11 as we “tiptoe through the TULIPs” and see just what Calvin taught and what it means for us today.

Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

Pastor’s Corner – March 2018

Posted on Mar 1, 2018 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 286