Uplook - June 17, 2023
Dear Seattle Saints,
Another week has passed and we are looking forward to the Lord’s Day in church tomorrow. It will be Father’s Day and similarly to our celebration of Mother’s Day last month it brings a myriad of thoughts and emotions to mind for all of us. My sister and I were blessed to be raised in a stable home with a loving father and mother. My mom had some church background but my father had none. Yet he was a man of integrity, loved his wife and children, and worked diligently to provide for us. I could tell countless stories of how he tried to teach me how to work, how to be honest and have integrity, and most of all how to love. For that foundation I am very thankful, because when I learned of a Father in heaven which loved me and loved me sacrificially it was not difficult to surrender my life and future to His plan for me. I had no reason to believe that God would be any less faithful than my earthly father.
Today I am painfully aware that many did not have the same experience which I have described, instead with instability and turmoil, broken hearts and families, violence and pain, and doubt and fear following in the wake of it all. It grieves my heart when I see such and long to do what I can to point those who have experienced such to the Father in heaven who is faithful, true, loving, compassionate, forgiving, and trustworthy. Developing trust once it has been broken is not an easy thing but by God’s grace…we point people to Jesus and do our best to live as reflections of His character. Over the years, I have personally witnessed God’s transforming grace heal the brokenness of absent fathers, unstable homes, buried anger and pain.
I had a young woman come to me many years ago and ask why after several years of serving the Lord and having experienced his love and grace she was feeling some pain from her past again. After some thought and prayer I responded that it seemed to me that God, like a loving father had picked her up in his arms and held her close, comforting and making her feel safe. But now that she had been comforted and was in a safe place, that same Father in heaven had begun to carefully rebuild/replace the foundation stones which had been missing or damaged in her own family growing up. It was a painful process to be sure but one now guided by someone who loved her and wanted her to be whole. That young sister is still serving the Lord today and while still quite sensitive …knows that she is loved and accepted by her Father in heaven.
Wherever you may find yourself between these two extremes may you know that God is faithful and will not only comfort you and bring you to a safe place but is fully committed to you becoming all you can be as a reflection of His image. God bless each one of you.
Housekeeping items:
Camp Meeting – Tomorrow morning, June 18 will be our final service prior to our Portland, OR Camp Meeting convention. Sunday Services will resume on Sunday, July 16 with Sunday school, Morning Worship, and Evening service. During that time you may stream services from our Headquarters website at: apostolicfaith.org. Any tithes/offerings/etc. may continue to be mailed, handed to me directly at Camp Meeting, or made through our website or app. I will attempt to send email, blog, updates during our time at Camp Meeting but if you need to contact me please feel free to email, text, or call and I will try to respond as soon as is practical.
Youth Camp – Youth camp applications and fees are due by tomorrow. Please make sure you give them to your Sunday school teacher or directly to the pastor. After we have an accurate count of who will attend we will re-evaluate the possibility of rescheduling the fundraising carwash and will communicate to those attending.
Church Projects – Roofers have been working at the church the last several days and should finish on Monday. I am finalizing details for the remodel of the two first floor restrooms and the third floor restroom. It may be they can be completed while we are all away at Camp Meeting. We also are planning to have some parking lot repairs done as well. I will keep you informed of the timing of these things.
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
Another week has passed and we are looking forward to the Lord’s Day in church tomorrow. It will be Father’s Day and similarly to our celebration of Mother’s Day last month it brings a myriad of thoughts and emotions to mind for all of us. My sister and I were blessed to be raised in a stable home with a loving father and mother. My mom had some church background but my father had none. Yet he was a man of integrity, loved his wife and children, and worked diligently to provide for us. I could tell countless stories of how he tried to teach me how to work, how to be honest and have integrity, and most of all how to love. For that foundation I am very thankful, because when I learned of a Father in heaven which loved me and loved me sacrificially it was not difficult to surrender my life and future to His plan for me. I had no reason to believe that God would be any less faithful than my earthly father.
Today I am painfully aware that many did not have the same experience which I have described, instead with instability and turmoil, broken hearts and families, violence and pain, and doubt and fear following in the wake of it all. It grieves my heart when I see such and long to do what I can to point those who have experienced such to the Father in heaven who is faithful, true, loving, compassionate, forgiving, and trustworthy. Developing trust once it has been broken is not an easy thing but by God’s grace…we point people to Jesus and do our best to live as reflections of His character. Over the years, I have personally witnessed God’s transforming grace heal the brokenness of absent fathers, unstable homes, buried anger and pain.
I had a young woman come to me many years ago and ask why after several years of serving the Lord and having experienced his love and grace she was feeling some pain from her past again. After some thought and prayer I responded that it seemed to me that God, like a loving father had picked her up in his arms and held her close, comforting and making her feel safe. But now that she had been comforted and was in a safe place, that same Father in heaven had begun to carefully rebuild/replace the foundation stones which had been missing or damaged in her own family growing up. It was a painful process to be sure but one now guided by someone who loved her and wanted her to be whole. That young sister is still serving the Lord today and while still quite sensitive …knows that she is loved and accepted by her Father in heaven.
Wherever you may find yourself between these two extremes may you know that God is faithful and will not only comfort you and bring you to a safe place but is fully committed to you becoming all you can be as a reflection of His image. God bless each one of you.
Housekeeping items:
Camp Meeting – Tomorrow morning, June 18 will be our final service prior to our Portland, OR Camp Meeting convention. Sunday Services will resume on Sunday, July 16 with Sunday school, Morning Worship, and Evening service. During that time you may stream services from our Headquarters website at: apostolicfaith.org. Any tithes/offerings/etc. may continue to be mailed, handed to me directly at Camp Meeting, or made through our website or app. I will attempt to send email, blog, updates during our time at Camp Meeting but if you need to contact me please feel free to email, text, or call and I will try to respond as soon as is practical.
Youth Camp – Youth camp applications and fees are due by tomorrow. Please make sure you give them to your Sunday school teacher or directly to the pastor. After we have an accurate count of who will attend we will re-evaluate the possibility of rescheduling the fundraising carwash and will communicate to those attending.
Church Projects – Roofers have been working at the church the last several days and should finish on Monday. I am finalizing details for the remodel of the two first floor restrooms and the third floor restroom. It may be they can be completed while we are all away at Camp Meeting. We also are planning to have some parking lot repairs done as well. I will keep you informed of the timing of these things.
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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