March 1, 2023
Leadership Notes
There’s an old episode of The Simpsons where Homer gets a defective calendar. When February is over, as he flips to the next month, he realizes it says Smarch. The weather happens to be particularly bad that first day of March, so Homer complains about “Stupid Smarch weather.” Ever since that episode aired, I’ve referred to March as Smarch.
We know from experience the accuracy of that cartoon insight. March weather can be wildly wild. I can be heard quite often mumbling, “Stupid Smarch weather.” After the most widespread and damaging ice storm in the past fifty years, we can only hope March is much kinder.
It was quite the week. Many of you have endured much hardship, but thanks be to God, no reports of injuries or accidents from our church family in the aftermath of this event. While our church property is littered with much fallen debris and many trees are maimed, we will proceed with clean-up only after the needs of Covenant Church folks, neighbors, and area businesses are tended to.
Meanwhile, we’ll be getting ready for worship this coming Sunday, March 5. I can’t tell you how weird it felt not gathering together last Sunday. We’ll be picking things up with James 2:21-26. It will be a challenging message, and perhaps a bit explosive for some, as well. The music and other worship elements will draw our hearts closer to God in praise and celebration. And then we’ll share communion together. What a wonderful way for us to give thanks to God for being with us through the wild events of this past week.
Let Smarch rage. There is nothing in this world that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. No matter what happens…no matter what we experience or go through in life, all is well. God is good all the time…
Finally, here’s a thought from Martyn Lloyd-Jones:
How easy to say, “I am going to follow Jesus!” Follow Jesus? If
you stop and think what He did, who He was, and what He was
like, then you will not move a fraction of a centimeter in an
attempt to follow Him. You cannot “follow Him.” No, He is the
Saviour, not the example.
I’m going to chew on that for a while. Jesus saved us so we could do good works in His name…
WITH MUCH LOVE AND AFFECTION,
Richard