Uplook - June 21, 2024
Greetings from Seattle (a little early this week because it is a very busy weekend),
We have been blessed with guests from South Korea the past few days and will soon have guests from the Philippines, all in anticipation of our upcoming International Camp Meeting Convention which begins on June 30 in Portland, OR. That, along with anticipation for our upcoming International potluck dinner, graduation celebration, and Philippine missions video have all caused me to reflect on the issue of hospitality. It seems that one of the things which we suffered from the loss of during the fairly recent pandemic was hospitality. The simple getting together with others and sharing a meal or snack or the offering of our home as a safe place for guests to stay. Yet the scripture suggests that Christians should be given to hospitality with examples of the same in both the Old and New Testaments. Elisha was offered hospitality by a woman from Shunem (near modern day Tyre) and was blessed mightily with a son. When David was fleeing from Saul he was offered shelter along the way several times. Jesus told a parable about how a Samaritan cared for one who had been brutally beaten and robbed, offering him not only comfort, but paying for a place for him to stay until he recovered. Interestingly, the Apostle Paul told Timothy that ministers needed to be “given to hospitality” (1 Timothy 3:2) and the Apostle Peter told church members in general to “use hospitality one to another without grudging/complaint”. The writer of Hebrews suggests that we should “not be forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2) So it seems that one of our callings as Christians is to invite others to our table so that we can invite them to the Lord’s table also. May God help us all to open our hearts and allow His grace to empower us to embrace those around us with Christian hospitality and love.
Housekeeping Notes:
Youth Camp & YC Car wash - It begins on Saturday, June 22 at 10 am and carries until early afternoon. Please support our young people by attending and having your car washed. This year we have added a way for people to pay directly through our church website for those who do not have cash. Those students participating in the car was will receive $145 reduction in their Youth Camp fee ($285) making the amount due for them on Sunday, $140. For those not participating they will need to pay the full fee. Applications and fees are due on Sunday, June 23.
Potluck/Graduation Celebration – On Sunday afternoon we will celebrate our three High School graduates with an International Potluck and American Graduation cake. The Potluck will be followed by a 35 minute video presentation of the Apostolic Faith work in the Philippines which will inspire you. There will be no night service on Sunday.
Campmeeting Schedule – Sunday, June 23 will be our final service before Camp meeting. Regular Sunday services will resume in Seattle on June 21 and Bible Studies will resume on Wednesday, August 14. Please feel free to watch any and all Camp meeting services on live stream at apostolicfaith.org.
Communication/Contributions - I will be checking my email regularly during the Camp meeting and will also be available by text or message. I will be slow to answer the phone because of the busy schedule of meetings. For those concerned about paying tithes/offerings during this time, please do not put in the Portland tithes box as it will not get to me for deposit in Seattle. You may mail to the parsonage address (I will have the mail held so it will be safe), or give online, or hand to me personally at the Camp meeting. Thank you.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
We have been blessed with guests from South Korea the past few days and will soon have guests from the Philippines, all in anticipation of our upcoming International Camp Meeting Convention which begins on June 30 in Portland, OR. That, along with anticipation for our upcoming International potluck dinner, graduation celebration, and Philippine missions video have all caused me to reflect on the issue of hospitality. It seems that one of the things which we suffered from the loss of during the fairly recent pandemic was hospitality. The simple getting together with others and sharing a meal or snack or the offering of our home as a safe place for guests to stay. Yet the scripture suggests that Christians should be given to hospitality with examples of the same in both the Old and New Testaments. Elisha was offered hospitality by a woman from Shunem (near modern day Tyre) and was blessed mightily with a son. When David was fleeing from Saul he was offered shelter along the way several times. Jesus told a parable about how a Samaritan cared for one who had been brutally beaten and robbed, offering him not only comfort, but paying for a place for him to stay until he recovered. Interestingly, the Apostle Paul told Timothy that ministers needed to be “given to hospitality” (1 Timothy 3:2) and the Apostle Peter told church members in general to “use hospitality one to another without grudging/complaint”. The writer of Hebrews suggests that we should “not be forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2) So it seems that one of our callings as Christians is to invite others to our table so that we can invite them to the Lord’s table also. May God help us all to open our hearts and allow His grace to empower us to embrace those around us with Christian hospitality and love.
Housekeeping Notes:
Youth Camp & YC Car wash - It begins on Saturday, June 22 at 10 am and carries until early afternoon. Please support our young people by attending and having your car washed. This year we have added a way for people to pay directly through our church website for those who do not have cash. Those students participating in the car was will receive $145 reduction in their Youth Camp fee ($285) making the amount due for them on Sunday, $140. For those not participating they will need to pay the full fee. Applications and fees are due on Sunday, June 23.
Potluck/Graduation Celebration – On Sunday afternoon we will celebrate our three High School graduates with an International Potluck and American Graduation cake. The Potluck will be followed by a 35 minute video presentation of the Apostolic Faith work in the Philippines which will inspire you. There will be no night service on Sunday.
Campmeeting Schedule – Sunday, June 23 will be our final service before Camp meeting. Regular Sunday services will resume in Seattle on June 21 and Bible Studies will resume on Wednesday, August 14. Please feel free to watch any and all Camp meeting services on live stream at apostolicfaith.org.
Communication/Contributions - I will be checking my email regularly during the Camp meeting and will also be available by text or message. I will be slow to answer the phone because of the busy schedule of meetings. For those concerned about paying tithes/offerings during this time, please do not put in the Portland tithes box as it will not get to me for deposit in Seattle. You may mail to the parsonage address (I will have the mail held so it will be safe), or give online, or hand to me personally at the Camp meeting. Thank you.
God bless you all,
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
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