Dear Church Family,

I came across this prayer for a new year from Billy Graham and thought it was worth publishing….and praying!

Our Father and our God, as we stand at the beginning of this new year we confess our need of Your presence and Your guidance as we face the future.

We each have our hopes and expectations for the year that is ahead of us – but You alone know what it holds for us, and only You can give us strength and the wisdom we will need to meet its challenges. So help us to humbly put our hands into Your hand, and to trust You and to seek Your will for our lives during this coming year.

In the midst of life’s uncertainties in the days ahead, assure us of the certainty of Your unchanging love.

In the midst of life’s inevitable disappointments and heartaches, help us to turn to You for the stability and comfort we will need.

In the midst of life’s temptations and the pull of our stubborn self-will, help us not to lose our way but to have the courage to do what is right in Your sight, regardless of the cost.

And in the midst of our daily preoccupations and pursuits, open our eyes to the sorrows and injustices of our hurting world, and help us to respond with compassion and sacrifice to those who are friendless and in need. May our constant prayer be that of the ancient Psalmist; “Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.”

We pray for our nation and its leaders during these troubling times, and for all those who are seeking to bring peace and justice to our dangerous and troubled world. We pray especially for Your protection on all those who serve in our armed forces, and we thank You for their commitment to defend our freedoms, even at the cost of their own lives. Be with their families also, and assure them of Your love and concern for them.

Bring our divided nation together, and give us a greater vision of what You would have us to be. Your Word reminds us that; “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”

As we look back over this past year we thank You for Your goodness to us far beyond what we have deserved. May we never presume on Your past goodness or forget all Your mercies to us, but may they instead lead us to repentance, and to a new commitment to make You the foundation and center of our lives.

And so, Father, we thank You for the promise and hope of this new year, and we look forward to it with expectancy and faith. This we ask in the name of our Lord and Savior, who by His death and resurrection has given us hope both for this world and the world to come.”

This was a prayer that Rev. Graham delivered to the nation back in 2008! IT SEEMS LIKE NO MATTER THE YEAR, SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE! BUT THAT ALSO MEANS THE REMEDY THAT COMES THROUGH PRAYER NEVER CHANGES EITHER!

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Return of On-Line Services:

We continue with our on-line services. Our A/V and worship team ran into some unexpected technical issues this past Sunday so the service was delayed. Pastor Doug has told me that the issues have been corrected so hopefully we will go live this Sunday at 9:30am. If you can’t tune in at that time, the service will be available for later viewing on the church’s Facebook page.

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Church Family News

Remember in prayer:

a. Margaret Lewis, patient at Henrico Doctor’s Hospital, cardiac

b. Jamie Schumann’s mother, Joyce had surgery on Dec. 18th, and Father also facing surgery on January 13.

c. Sherry Brillhart’s daughter, Emily diagnosed with Covid, and husband Billy with cardiac issues, also brother, Paul, in ICU.

d. Joseph Pack’s parents diagnosed with Covid-19.

e. All those in our congregation known and unknown who need prayers for a variety of issues.

f. All our frontline workers, in and out of our church, who work hard each day serving and protecting us during this pandemic.

I love you all,

Pastor Frank