Blessed Beyond Measure

September 10, 2025

Leadership Notes

     The ATM at our local bank was being serviced the other day. So I went inside. Haven’t done that in ages. The Customer Service Representative {knowing I’m a pastor} asked, in a polite manner, “Have you retired?” “Heavens no,” said I. Looking over at another employee, who’s close to me in age, I said, “I’m not retiring until after him.”

     Why on God’s beautiful green earth would I want to retire from helping to shepherd His wonderful church here in our little corner of Lenawee County? I feel blessed beyond measure to have been given the privilege of being here. My wife and I love life here. We feel both unworthy and undeserving of such a gift. It is all through God’s grace and mercy. There’s no other explanation.

     {As I write, an instrumental version of “Great is Thy Faithfulness” is playing on Pandora. That just about sums it up.}:

Great is thy faithfulness,

Great is thy faithfulness,

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed thy hand hast provided;

Great is thy faithfulness,

Lord unto me.

     It is a blessing beyond measure to be pastor of this church. I’m reminded of a line from an old song, “Right here…right now…there’s no place on earth I’d rather be.” This is a wonderful church filled with redeemed sinners who can only hold claim to that same adjective because of what Jesus has done for us. It’s nothing we’ve done, can do, or will do. It’s all a blessing from God. I trust you’re with me on that.

     Now that cooler weather is on the horizon, I can look forward to wearing long sleeve, lightweight, graphic shirts on my days off. One of my favorites says, “It’s Weird Being the Same Age as Old People.” Ironically, recently, a person whom I absolutely cherish and who is older than me, said, “You’re getting up there in years.” As long as my attitude continues to reflect that graphic shirt, that’s not such a bad thing.

     Covenant Church is a right-size church with a big heart for Jesus. Your faithfulness and your generosity means an oversized impact on our community. Why would I no longer want to be here engaged in worship and ministry with so many beautiful people? And remember, beautiful because of who Jesus is and what he is doing, right here…right now.

     A humorist once quipped, “There are two kinds of people in the world. There’s the one everybody loves to see coming. Then there’s the one everybody loves to see going!” I think you know which group I think Covenant Church people belong to. As we move into the Fall season, thank you for answering God’s call to follow Jesus. He is both the Author and Finisher of our faith. Amen?

     I resonate with Paul’s words to the Christians at Philippi:

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every

prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of

your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I

am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it

to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel

this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are

all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and

in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my

witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ

Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and

more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may

approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the

day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that

comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:3-11

And now, your Moment of Spurgeon:

“My trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, He is my

righteousness.”

With Much Love and Affection,

                 Richard