Thank you Oceanside

Thank you, Oceanside!
November 2021 Pastor Appreciation
I recently ran across this passage in 2 Corinthians concerning a serious hardship that Paul had endured, that I believe expresses the same range of emotions as well as the same theological truth that has sustained us through what has clearly been a year of “affliction” for our Church. Some- what like Paul, we have been “burdened excessively beyond our strength,” but also like Paul, we have learned not to “trust in ourselves, but in God.” And God has delivered, or at least seems to be in the process of delivering us. If not for the experiences of the past year this passage would not have had such a powerful impact on me. See what you think —
2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (NASB)
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which
came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life;
9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;
10 who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us,
11 you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.
We lost several precious members of our Church family this past year. As your pastor and leader during this time of testing, it has been one of the most difficult periods in my life, and I want you to know how much Tendra and I appreciate your faithfulness, continued service, and most of all your prayers for us and others in the Church during this time. I truly believe that I know and understand what Paul meant, and what he must have felt, when he wrote these words to the faithful in Corinth:
“…you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.”
So—like Paul—THANK YOU, for all that you have done for our Church over the past year, and especially for the overflowing expression of your appre- ciation that you gave us this past Sunday. Going through this difficult time together has made your gift even more meaningful to us this year.
In HIS service, Pastor and Tendra

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