This fall, Bakerstown United Methodist Church has been celebrating 175 years of ministry to our community! From our humble beginnings back in 1832, BUMC has had a constant vision and attitude of expanding God's Kingdom. Recently, our senior pastor Mark Stewart reminded us all of that vision and attitude, and we are moving forward with more exciting programs and ministries.
Last night, we celebrated our "Thanksgiving Eve" service as the final portion of our anniversary celebration, and it was absolutely incredible. Pastor Mark, our choir and new praise team led us in some incredible worship, DS Don Scandrol was in attendance, and Bishop Tom Bickerton gave a great sermon about the importance of constantly giving thanks. It was truly an incredible worship experience.
I'm a history buff, so I love learning about past events, whether they are the past events of a local congregation in Western Pennsylvania, or of the first European colonists in what has become the United States. Our past is riveting story. But especially as I have gotten older, I realize that studying and celebrating our past is mainly important for one reason: it can motivate us to look to the future. It can remind us of the faith, dedication, and ingenuity of our forebears, and it can challenge us to utilize those same qualities to be proactive in expanding God's kingdom today.
Think about the courage of those first pilgrims, who braved a rough Atlantic passing and set foot on a new continent, all so that they could worship God freely.
Think about the faithful men and women of the past who planted the seeds of faith that have germinated into the communities that you are now serving.
Then ask, how can WE make the same impact today?
Let us be thankful for our past... but let us also challenge ourselves to move towards a compelling future.
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