Camping Weekend

Yes, it is almost here! Camping season 2008! I am extremely pumped to dean a camp this year (Mommy, Daddy & Me.) http://www.jumonville.org/ My two girls will get to go to my camp and Aaron will be able to go to an adventure camp the same week at Jumonville.

This weekend at Baldwin Community, we are celebrating camping ministries. Friday evening will be a "campout" at church, where our Parenting class and Date Night families will set up tents in Asbury Hall and have smores, camp songs, movies and just enjoy the night with each other. This weekend, we will get to have testimony from parents and kids regarding their camping experiences from last year and we will have an opportunity to give towards Baldwin Community's Camp Aid Program. Last year, in our first year of this special offering, we were able to cover 67% of our camper's costs to go to camp!

Let's see if we can do even more this year! Camping brochures will be throughout the church as well as passed out during the Children's time at the Asbury Alternative and at 11 a.m. Sanctuary worship.

Officiating a Wedding

I have never been asked to perform a beach wedding before. Last week, Jennifer, the kids, my parents and in-laws accompanied one of my dearest friends, Brian Carr and his now wife, Karen to the beautiful island of St. Thomas for the beach wedding at Magen's Bay.

On the island we had the opportunity to join together for one of the most memorable days of my life.

Brian is a dear friend, dating back to the days of middle school in Belle Vernon. Brian and I worked, played baseball and hung out on the weekends together. I was honored to have been asked by Brian and Karen to officiate this wedding.

One of the greatest joys is knowing that these two individuals, Brian and Karen have a saving relationship in Jesus Christ. This couple has put Christ first and foremost in their relationship. As a friend and as the pastor officiating this wedding, to know they love the Lord with all their heart, with all their mind and with all their strength brings me great joy.

As a family, we were able to share some of our greatest memories. Weeks prior to going, Aaron, our son experienced some great difficulty breathing, thinking and told by the pediatrician, asthma (It turned out not!). We were questioning if this would be a good trip. It turned out that the warm tropical air did him the greatest good! He came back with a tan, sandy blond hair and no cough or breathing trouble. Praise God for the time away!

Here's Aaron "living it up" on the beach. No signs of sickness there!

Thank God for the time away. A time to celebrate, refresh and gain our health back!