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Celebrations Updates

Easter greetings

We have been celebrating this sacred season, and anticipating Jesus’ triumph over the grave. “Death, where is your victory? Death where is your sting?” We are carefully trying to observe social distancing, gathering outside and in smaller groups to remember and honor our Lord in the torment, silence, and darkness before the great vindication.  We […]

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Updates

Upson Downs

Life in the body of Christ April 5, 2020 We are socially distancing while continuing our Bible studies in Matthew. Jose filled in for Scott while he was gone and is now leading us as we unpack God’s word together. With Jose we get not only sound Biblical teaching, but mini concerts as well. We just […]

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Service Updates

Upson Downs

Life in the Body of Christ Like everyone else, we are practicing social distancing while still trying to maintain “the unity of the Spirit” in our body. We count ourselves as most fortunate since we are stuck together here, helping each other, and serving each other in myriad ways. The younger members shop, while those […]

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Updates

Upson Downs

Life in the Body of Christ Like everyone else, we are in the throes of coronavirus concerns. We are mostly off work, working from home, or transitioning to a different work schedule. We are trying to balance due diligence and carefulness while also demonstrating calm and lack of fear. The ever-unfolding events make it difficult […]

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Our story Updates

Strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow

Before Rich and I married in 1973, my friends asked me, “Why Rich?” My answer was, “There’s no one else like Rich.” And while each individual is truly unique, Rich was even more so. I think all who were blessed to know him would agree. Rich was born in Syracuse, New York on August 12, […]

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Nature and Purpose of the Church Our story Partnership Travel

Cries for help

We received two cries for help this past week: one from our bishop friend in Liberia, and one from missionaries in Burma. In Liberia they are experiencing a food shortage-money simply goes to supply basic needs. The ebola outbreak, civil wars, conflicts, skirmishes and perhaps corruption deny services to many. We send our small contribution […]

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Nature and Purpose of the Church

More reflections on the lost art of writing…

My Family History class recently compiled a small anthology of our writings. We were giddy with excitement upon seeing the final product entitled “Our Memories.” I was slightly cross-eyed from editing this slim volume, but it was well worth it; the stories are priceless. A young girl’s passage to America and adulthood, an idyllic Mexican […]

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Celebrations Special events

Turn and become like children

We just finished our Celebration of the Children and it was brilliant! Thirty some years ago our pastors conceived the idea of a church calendar where sacred events would be celebrated as a church family. We would celebrate the faithful, that “cloud of witnesses” such as the ones listed in Hebrews 11. We would set […]

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Nature and Purpose of the Church Updates

Loving to the end

“I will wait. I wait. I will wait.” So sing Mumford and Sons. Their words are literally music to our ears. Everyone longs for happily ever after, to be waited for, to be special, considered, loved. All too often we regard this as romantic love, but God has a far bigger vision than this. He […]

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Updates

Loneliness

Old faces light with joy, wrinkled visages are wreathed with smiles, gnarled hands tentatively reach out. Gifts are proferred- Graham crackers, withered apples, spotted bananas, and the kids receive them. The fog of pain, loneliness, and confusion is penetrated, if only fleetingly. Mother Teresa has said that loneliness is the greatest poverty, and we believe […]