PASTORAL PONDERINGS

February 2008

Pastor's Annual Report for January 2008

 

Heb 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

 

Let me begin this Annual Report with the words, Thank You. Your support for me throughout this year of illness, as I have wrestled with my chronic kidney failure is appreciated more deeply than words can express. As strength has gradually returned I feel that I am picking up again more closely to where I should be. The doctors are saying that the battle will continue for another one or two years.

Furthermore, Sarah and I thank you for your prayers for Dorothy as she continues to struggle with her headaches. We have yet to find a medication or treatment that gives her full relief and the situation does not yet warrant surgery, yet we trust in God to show us His way. We relish your prayers for our family.

To say that it has been an interesting year at Cape Island would be an understatement. At long last we have stuccoed the exterior of the building. Thanks to generous gifts of Marshal and Jamie Howey and Bill and Ginny Glaser, we also have signing that identifies our structure as Cape Island Baptist Church.

A high point of the year was watching the church family, friends and visitors join in the work of fund-raising for the Building Fund. Thanks to an anonymous donor who matched the giving we raised over $84,000. You are amazing.

As usual, I visited the hospital way too often. It is good to visit with you, but I pray that we don't meet there so often in the year ahead.

We were blessed to have two dedications of children in 2007. In March we celebrated with Jonathan and Echo Felder in the dedication of Ella Rose. In December we rejoiced with Ted and Sarah Freeman the dedication of Ava Nichole Dee.

I officiated at the funerals of Joseph Eagan and Thomas Roberts in the first weeks of the New Year, although they both had died in the last days of 2006. In January we also said good to our "Amazing" Grace McPherson. In March Florence Swain returned to her Lord. I also did a service for Kathleen McVay. In April I shared in the service for "Pete" Peterson and in May Betty Sayers. In October we held services for our good friend Bessie Gilliland and

member Georgiana Carey.  In November we celebrated the life of Evelyn Todd, who passed away at 101.

            I was blessed to share in four weddings this year.  In May it was Richard Ryan and Patricia Falck here at Cape Island Baptist Church .  In June it was Jeffery Hart and Lisa Danaher at Abbie Holmes Estate.  In August it was my turn to officiate at the wedding of Art Williams and Lisa Seiders, once more at Abbie Holmes Estate.  In September we hosted the wedding of Bob Rose and Robin Denn here at Cape Island Baptist.

            We heard messages from the mission field from John Spriggs and Laurie Thomas concerning their trip to Deborah’s House in Mexico .  We also were blessed with the presence of Anne F. and the message of what God is doing in East Africa .  Our family nights continue to be times of joy and fellowship.

            Our women had a joyous time at Women of Faith.  They also continue to have a wonderful fellowship on Tuesday night.  American Baptist Women meet monthly for their fellowship.

            Donna Barnes and her coworkers continue to be a blessing with Explorer Girls , while John Spriggs and others continue their work with the boys in Contenders for the Faith.  Both groups had wonderful times at camp this year and it is a privilege to continue to support them.  Our Youth Group had their ski trip, sans snow.  They also shared in Creation and other activities.  The Boy Scout troop continues the work among the youth in Cape May begun so long ago by Nick Swain.  The home school group likewise continues to bless those who have taken part with it.  Alcoholics Anonymous and Overeater’s Anonymous continue to meet weekly.  We host the Garden Club monthly, as well as MAC functions.  The knitters group (do you have a name) continues to meet Wednesday afternoons.

            The problem we face with all this good news is that we fell woefully short on our budget, both general and mission.  As I have written earlier this year, this means we will have to tighten our budget in this New Year.  We will need to face this season with a willingness to freeze our budget everywhere possible and even make some cuts in programs.  In as many places as possible we will try to hold to what was budgeted for 2007 and failed to reach.  For a church that raised over $42,000 for the Building Fund last year, our hope is that we can make the budget this year.

            We will continue to reach out to do God’s will!

            We start out the year with the baptism of two of our young women and the right hand of fellowship for several others.  We continue to be blessed by the presence of Coast Guard families in our fellowship and hope to continue to seek God’s assistance in reaching out to the base to these young men and women and their families as they serve their nation here in Cape May .

            A group is preparing to go to Deborah’s House in June to help our missionaries who work among the abused and homeless in Tijuana State in Mexico .  Our youth programs will continue to do their work in Cape May and surrounding communities.  We will reach out to the homeless in our support for Sister Jean’s Kitchen.  The food pantry of Cape May continues to need our support with the gifts of food and supplies.  Jordan and Dianna Spangler are planning a Vacation Bible School program.  Plans for Family Nights are being prepared.  We hope to host a second annual Home Schoolers’ Science Fair.  Many things are in the works!

            At long last we will be able to paint the sanctuary.  We will be pulling up the carpet in the same room.  Here’s a fund-raising idea, how about charging each person who wants to pull up a piece of it and throw it in the trash?  During the weeks of this project we will be worshiping in Spriggs Hall, returning to the room where we first worshiped 90+ years ago.

            Would someone like to try and start a senior’s ministry here at Cape Island ?  We have the ability to host such a program and I believe that it is time to do so.  Would you be willing to help start this?

            The possibilities to do God’s work are endless.  Just because we are a middle-size church doesn’t mean there are no tasks to do.  God places His people where they are needed.  We are here now!  Pray that the Lord of the Harvest will work through us.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.