Deep Reaching Roots

I just planted some new summer flowers in my front garden bed, because I want some color to pop! However the day I planted them, it was almost a 100, and before I could water that afternoon, they started to wilt a little. (Okay a lot!) I realize that we won’t get much growth from them before the fall, because they will not have time to put down a deep root system and they will depend upon my remembering to give them a healthy drink of water. The Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah, shared these great words; “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord...They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.” What a great analogy of what we attempt to do in our spiritual journey: putting down deep-reaching roots so we can withstand the heat and drought.

Let me tell you some of the ways we attempt to help you put down those deep reaching roots. First, we provide two opportunities for worship each week, one with our traditional worship style and second, with a more contemporary praise service. Both are great services and I love having both opportunities to praise the Lord. We offer opportunities for Bible Study in the Sunday school hour. We will even be starting a new Bible-based class for those not now attending a class on September 12 with Rev. Bernie Shamp and Shirley King team teaching...Starting that same day, we will begin a congregational-wide focus on “The Purpose Driven Life.” Each Sunday my messages will be focused on the content of our reading for that week, and you will have two opportunities to be involved in small group discussion. Again, for those not now attending a Sunday morning class, Rev. Aucoin and I will do a short-term study on the book, OR if you now attend another Sunday school class, our Wednesday night study will be covering the material. I look forward to the new possibilities for deep roots being planted as we study together.

Then...this October, we will have our Covenant Pumpkin Patch. We will need lots of volunteers to help make this October patch the best yet. I believe that the Patch is one of our greatest opportunities to reach new people with a positive introduction to our Lord and to our church family. Be ready to serve our community...Look for more information about your opportunity. I am convinced that our church has what many are “thirsting” for in this world.

I am not convinced those little flowers will survive the rest of summer, but I know that once our roots are reaching down into the Living Water of our Lord...we will thrive and continue to produce fruit for the Kingdom. Plant your roots now!

Rev. Chris Blanchard