“And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God” (James 2:23)
Greetings from Kalispell, Montana. It’s Thursday evening as I write this and it’s been a cold and rainy day here with the approximately 1,600 Pathfinders of the North Pacific Union Conference. The young people, and us older people, are having a great time despite the weather. The theme for this camporee, which takes place once every 5 years, is “Let’s Go: Explore, Serve, Share. What a wonderful blessing to be encamped with 1,600 young people who love Jesus and who want to learn more about Him, His Word, in order to deepen their friendship with Him, and share Him with the world. The evening program is live streamed at 7pm if you or your young people would like to watch:
https://npuc.org/ministries/
Please keep all these young people in your prayers as the camporee finishes on Sabbath and then we head home Sunday.
Additionally, thank you all for the warm welcome last Sabbath! My family is excited to be part of this church family. I was delighted to see my three girls join with the other kids and families to lead out in singing. It’s so wonderful to include the children in our church service. And thank you for the beautiful orchid plant. Katie loves it! Unfortunately, we had to leave our plants behind in Lebanon and Canada, so she really appreciates your thoughtfulness.
It was a full and fun Sabbath, including the delicious fellowship meal and the Pathfinder Induction service. Then on Sunday, Katie and I attended the Oregon Conference Constituency meeting. We enjoyed being part of the decision-making process. If you want to learn more about the decisions made, including those elected to serve, check out the Conference Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/
As I get more familiar with the Conference, I’ve noticed the theme: It’s All About Jesus: Knowing, Loving, Serving, Sharing. What a powerful theme to keep us focused on Jesus. And that fits with the message we heard tonight here: that God wants to be our friend just like He was friends with Abraham. I encourage you to consider your own friendship with God, and spend time this weekend strengthening it.
Have a wonderful Communion Sabbath, and I’ll look forward to seeing you all next Sabbath!