July in New Hampshire
Hi Friends & Family!
Life is normal here in New Hampshire, but it's the normal that exists only between Adam & Eve's sin in Eden & our death or the Rapture,
whichever comes first.
Life now is joy mingled with sorrow, blessing mingled with burden, justice mingled with injustice, but only for a little while. Even if the sorrows, burdens, & injustices linger for decades, there is a wonderful answer to the psalmist's good question of "How long, O Lord?!" And that's reason enough to rejoice forever! Amen?
We are more than halfway through the year, but looking back (which you can do with us on the front page & the newsletter archive of ScottFamilyJourney.org) always reveals the Lord's faithfulness.
Our Time in Kalamazoo - This year has been one of rich renewal & crystal clarity, both of which the Lord provided through many meals, coffees, conversations, meetings, prayers, hugs, & a few tears. We're nothing but thank-FULL & laser-focused on the work ahead until the blessed hope & glorious appearing of our great God & Savior, Jesus Christ, as Titus 2:11-13 reveals the grace of God Himself teaches us!
The Grand Opening of King’s Park on July 8th was a gathering of 100+ people, which is more than 5% of our area's total population!
Dozens of basketballs & tracts were given away. Several very clear Gospel conversations happened. We met LOTS of people in this community we hadn't met before. The bouncy house was bounced on & more than a dozen folks gathered around the firepit & enjoyed s'mores & God's goodness together -- which is always the best place to be.
The Bible Bricks Camp (a LEGO-themed VBS) The Bible Bricks camp was attended by a dozen kids from half a dozen families who do not attend our church. There'll be pictures & more details to come in the future, but we wanted you to know, so that you can rejoice & praise God with us.
Jesus was clearly declared as Compassionate Savior & Rescuer, as well as the Coming Judge. Even kids need to know that there will be no one in Heaven who believes they deserve to be there except Jesus Himself & it's the humble who will receive grace, not those who go their own way.
Good questions were asked & answered & important relationships forged! Last, but not least by any measure, every item that we asked for help to acquire through the Amazon link was purchased & will be used & reused here on this field by this church for His Glory. Thank YOU for giving!
All three of us continue to pour our lives out as an offering to the Lord, by His grace & provision through those the Lord leads to walk with us.
John was a great & constantly present helper all through the park event, VBS, & faithfully every Sunday morning through his knowledge of tech & sound.
Shannon is constantly preparing & hosting Bible studies & hospitality events to the women & children in our community & in our church.
I (Dave) continue to teach or otherwise meet with someone to point them to Christ nearly every day of the week that I'm not preparing to preach.
I don't believe I've ever shared here what I'm preaching on Sundays, but want to here as not only have you sent me here to preach the Word & love the people, but also because it's one of the most richly rewarding studies of my life in Christ so far. Maybe it'll bless you to meditate on, too. I hope so.
Right now, our series of Sunday messages is aimed at teaching our congregation what God wants our church in New Hampshire (& your church where you live) to be, as it was taught to & through the most talked about "early church" in the Bible -- at Ephesus -- not only in Paul's letter to the Ephesian church, but also to its pastor Timothy, followed by the last living Apostle, John, who lived in Ephesus with that church's world around him as the Spirit authored 1, 2, & 3 John through Him, not to mention, Jesus' last words to that church & our churches in Revelation 2:1-7. Altogether, that's about 10% of the New Testament!
Not one church now existing was planted by an Apostle, pastored by his direct disciple, then influenced & led by the man who leaned on Jesus at the Last Supper, & who Jesus trusted to care for His mother after His death & resurrection.
But even that church in a space of just over 40 years, who did good things, hated what Jesus hated, & even endured hardship in His Name, were no longer motivated by the love for God they started with, recorded so well by Luke in Acts 18-19. They lost their first love & Jesus commands "Repent."
How much more is your church & mine in danger of this sin? How much more should we all examine ourselves to see if we're walking in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5), to welcome when others are moved by the Spirit in them to stir us up to that same missing love, as described in Hebrews 10?
The danger comes when we assume we are loving God just because we have in the past, as individuals or churches. No one & no church is immune.
No matter how much we believe we need the Lord, we need Him MORE.
No matter how much we believe we're living humble, we need grace MORE.
No matter how holy & worthy we believe God to be, He's MORE. Amen?!
So much more to report, & we will in the coming months & years, Lord willing. Our best days are always ahead, because God says so to His children, His Church.
Coming soon on August 26th is our Back-to-School Bash in the new park where the lowered basketball goal, basketball & tract giveaways, firepit s'mores & Gospel conversations, & that big bouncy house will all be present, but we're adding another FREE giveaway--FREE HAIRCUTS (& tracts & invitations & Gospel conversations) to every student going back to school!!
Coming soon in September-December is the planning & partnership of our church with our local fire department & elementary school to identify those in need in our community who would like a Thanksgiving dinner basket &/or Christimas Angel Tree gifts.
By grace alone, we've come together with others in our town to find a way to do this in a way that keep the dignity of those in need in tact, provides them access to joy they'd not otherwise would've had available, & an invitation into relationship with the Scott family, our church here in Middleton, &, most importantly, Jesus Christ.
Coming soon next year the Scotts are planning trips to Oklahoma & Michigan & churches & friends in between to share our hearts in person & what we believe might well be an invitation to build a Kingdom legacy beyond anything our family has ever encountered before & that's saying a LOT. More to come...
Some of you have asked me to report our financial status & I'm glad to do that anytime. We never ask for money, only offer an invitation to invest in God's Kingdom (the returns are guaranteed!) by those whose hearts He leads to walk with us in that way.
Our family has enjoyed God's grace & generosity through those who have given to move us from the upper 70s to now 84% of fully funded. What a JOY.
We often sit & wonder that the Lord is so kind to us, not only directly, but to give us friends to walk with toward New Jerusalem. If the Lord's tugging at your heart to give, you can do so once, or ongoing, by clicking here.
As always, we continue to admire the Spirit in those we know who follow Him, praying & rooting for you as a group now as we hit send, individually as we hear or see your names, receive your notes & texts &, most importantly, are stirred up by YOU to love Him & others more deeply as you love & care for & walk with us.
As is always true, we love you & Jesus loves you MORE!
Living for Jesus,
Pastor Dave for Shannon & John Scott
Colossians 2:5-7
MiddletonGospelChapel.org
ScottFamilyJourney.org
VillageMissions.org
Scott Family Missionary Journey
Phone: 603-473-7042
Email: TeachingSomethingGood@gmail.com