I wanted to provide some my thoughts about the worship services we have had for A Legacy of Worship.  These services had a significant impact on my thinking and I hope that they did yours as well.  These are my thoughts but please feel free to write to any of the Staff or the Elders regarding your own responses as we move forward into the next steps of the campaign.

The prayer services were a special time of reflection on what God is doing through the ministries of Fellowship Church.  The prayer service visiting the stations throughout the church and the locations outside were a time to consider what is possible in the future.  Both services focused on our ministry impacts in the Back Mountain, Wyoming Valley, and the world.

These services have been very impactful.   The Legacy Service on March 26 was an opportunity to look at our past legacy, and fellowship with some of our former members.  It was also a time to consider what we hope to do in the future through A Legacy of Worship campaign, imagining the possibility of a dedicated worship space and welcome center.  The luncheon was an informal time to fellowship with both past and present members and attenders at the newly constructed dining facility at Camp Orchard Hill.  It was very good to reconnect with individuals and couples I had not seen or spoken to for quite a few years.  The service and luncheon provided the opportunity to talk about current ministries and our hopes for the future.

The April 2 service concluded with the congregation outside in the proposed worship center space.  The flow from inside the current worship center to the outside space was done efficiently and with an attitude of worship.  God gave us an absolutely beautiful morning for our first worship experience in the space that is to be the new worship center.  It was a very meaningful way to close the service and to anticipate God’s providence.   Several new families attending for the first time remarked how welcomed they were made to feel and how meaningful the service was.

The In-Gathering service on April 9 was another powerful service.  It was the culmination of several months of work and preparation.  In late January, Pastor Marc’s message was about consecrating ourselves.   The e-mail devotionals and prayer guides carried the same theme, “40 Days of Consecration”.  It was apparent to me from conversations with fellow members and attenders that these messages were being heard, considered, and thought about deeply as people considered how they could participate in the campaign.

This is a significant time for our church.  We have never done anything like this capital campaign.  The focus was based on biblical principles of giving and sacrifice.   It was taught in children’s church, Sparkz, TNT, and in worship services.   Attitudes and perspectives changed as we studied scripture, prayed, and asked for God’s wisdom.  It was about much more than just raising the necessary funds to build the worship center and welcome space.  I look forward to what God has in store for us.

Steve Schweitzer