From the Pastor's Keyboard

We have recently come through the Advent Season in the life of the Church. Advent represents, in part, the waiting we experience for Jesus Christ’s second coming. In His second coming, the Church anticipates our full redemption as Christian believers rise to an eternal fellowship with our heavenly Father!

The Bible has a lot to say about life for the Christian and the “Heaven Bound” path we are on with Jesus. Beginning in January I will present a sermon series that answers some questions we have about the time of transition, the time when we leave this world and enter into the next world!

Jesus, who was born, lived, died, was resurrected, and ascended will come again “to judge the living and the dead” (as the Apostle’s Creed says). In Him we place our hope, because He is the hope of the nations (Matthew 12:21). All our other disappointed hopes are eased when we ponder the hope that will not disappoint us.

The Apostle Paul explains this in Romans, chapter five. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (5:1). Paul is building a foundation for hope. We have been set right with God through Christ. Our status is sure. We have peace with God, which means nothing now separates us from a holy and loving God.

To begin, the first message addresses the promise that Christ will return! The next two speak about a chronology of the end times, emphasizing an enduring faith! And then we will hear what the Bible says when a life ceases to be in this world, along with messages about God’s judgment, the Book of Life, and our entrance into heaven!

Remember there are ways to take part in worship even when you can’t be present in the sanctuary with us. Use our Church website to connect to worship. You can follow the recording of worship that is posted after each Sunday. And don’t forget, you can listen in on The River radio station, 107.9, each Sunday at 8:00 a.m. to the previous week’s message.

Peace to You!
Pastor Kevin Lantz

P.S. If you miss the phone live-streaming on Sunday morning, you can re-connect to this service by dialing 304-215-1677 where you will hear a recorded introduction from me, followed by a playback of the most recent Sunday worship. (Be patient, you will first hear some musical prelude leading up to worship.)