Love is in the air!

We're blessed at New Hope to have some terrific young adults who serve the Lord and our church in a variety of ways. And this is a big week for four of them!

First of all, Jason Olds and Meredith Berthot are getting married tomorrow! Meredith is a teacher here in McMinnville, and is also one of our Sunday School teachers here at New Hope. And I see Jason here regularly giving his time to keep up the grounds around our building during breaks at work. Both have sweet, servant hearts, and we're happy for them!

Second, I got the news this week that Ethan Barske and Lindsey Jorgensen are now officially engaged! Ethan works at Evergreen, and when his work schedule permits he plays piano for us in the band. And Lindsey is one of the talented vocalists that sing along with me on Sunday mornings. I haven't heard anything about dates yet, but I'll keep you posted. Congratulations, you two!

Happy Independence Day!

Combining two of my favorite things: America and Muppets!

Cassie is off to Portland

Cassie Gamble leaves today to spend a couple weeks in Portland minstering with Child Evangelism Fellowship. Here's an excerpt from a letter she sent to some friends and supporters:

For the past two years, I have been working with Child Evangelism Fellowship to share Christ with the children in the community. This year I will be serving with them once again, and I have been given an opportunity to go to Portland, OR for a summer missions trip called “Student Thunder”. I am going with a group of teens from Oregon.

We leave on July 3rd, and will return on the 12th. During this trip, our team will be teaching children in 5-day Bible clubs, sharing with churches and youth groups about CEF and the importance of telling kids about Jesus, and training other teens to teach the kids after we’re gone. Even though it may seem odd to go on a missions trip so close to home, there are many children in Portland who haven’t heard the Gospel.

I know Cassie would appreciate your prayers!

And can it be?

Rich Bryson will be speaking on the topic of forgiveness this Sunday, so I've been looking for songs that mention forgiveness. In my search I stumbled on a stanza of And Can It Be? that I've never seen in any hymnal. This is one of my favorite hymns, and I love this unsung verse, too!

Still the small inward voice I hear,
That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.
Amazing love! how can it be
that Thou my God shouldst die for me?

Charles Wesley, 1738

River Trip Pics

Rebecca put some pictures up on our website of the Kids River Trip last Friday. To see them, click here!

Happy Flag Day!

Are women born that way?