Uplook - June 15, 2024

Greetings from Southern Oregon where Lori and I are spending Father’s Day weekend with our son and his family.   This is the place where I was born and where Lori moved with her family when only two years old.  We have lots of memories in this place.  It was in this town where I was saved and also received my deeper spiritual experiences.  It was here that Lori and I were married.  It was here I preached my first sermon.  And it was here that our two older children were born.  It is here that my parents and grandparents are buried.  It was from here that I left my job as Director of Marketing and Training for a large Credit Union to become a pastor, moving 500 miles south.  That was 36 years ago this summer.  Twenty years later, we returned here to pastor for nearly 7 years before returning to Seattle 10 years ago.  God continues to be good to us in so many ways giving us relatively good health and stamina and a supportive family and congregation for which we are really thankful.  

I don’t spend too much time dwelling on the past but I am thankful for loving parents (a father and mother) who loved each other and who loved my sister and me.  They provided me with a great foundation and example for responding to the love of God which was extended to me during my teen years.  I never had a question about my father’s love for me so it was easy to grasp the heavenly Father’s love for me as well.  Beyond my earthly father, several other spiritual fathers had a great influence on me over the years. My first pastor, Bro. Norman Allen was very gentle and kind in encouraging in my faith and eventually married Lori and me and also started me in the ministry.  My father-in-law, Bro. Bill Walden, set a stable, loving, and godly example for my wife and her siblings and became a wonderful example as a grandfather to our children. The longer I knew him the more I appreciated his spiritual wisdom and love for the Lord and for our church.  Finally, Bro. Harold Barrett, our long time missionary to Southeast Asia, loved and led by example to inspire and challenge me over the years to a deeper consecration, prayer life, and  love for saints around the world.  On this Father’s Day, I have reminisced a bit about all four of these men and thank God for the influence they have had in my life.  

May the Lord also use Godly men to influence you and your family for His kingdom in the time ahead as He tarries.  God bless you all.  

Housekeeping Notes
Father’s Day -  Bro. Alex and Bro Taiwoo will be responsible for tomorrow’s services so please come and support them.   Sis. Lori has prepared a nice gift for the Father’s as well.  
Youth Camp -  Car wash on June 22…please contact Bro. Alex if you plan to be there to help.  Also, Applications and fees are due on June 23.  
Thank you all who have pre registered for Portland Camp meeting.  Please be in prayer for those services which begin on June 30 and run through July 14.  Services will be recessed in Seattle during that time.  All Camp Meeting services are live streamed at apostolicfaith.org.  
International Potluck/Graduation celebration - After church on June 23.  Please sign up on the list in the narthex.  We have three graduates this year.  Sis. Blessing, Sis. Joy, and Sis. Angelina.  Join us in congratulating them.   We will finish with a short video of the Apostolic Faith Work in the Philippines.  

BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor