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Pastor's Window
A look at life and ministry.

Catching Up

  06/17/08 10:18, by , Categories: Family, Church Life, Stray Thoughts, Living Life
I've gone a bit between entries again. This spring is proving to be especially busy. I was very sad about Tim Russert's death. I was a big fan of his and always sought out his commentary. He was a sharp political mind. It has been good to learn what a wonderful person he was and such a committed father. It was striking to see all his colleagues so overcome with emotion because of the love and loyalty he engendered. God continues to meet our needs at Berea. While I still don't have a camp nurse for the summer, I now have more applicants for boy's counselor than I can hire. Now it is just a matter of making wise choices from the applicants. I am excited about VBS coming up. It is going to be a great week. I hope we have a good turn out. My mother in-law is retiring this year and the family is having a big retirement party for her this weekend. Sarah and I and the kids will be heading down there Thursday night and coming back Saturday night. I am sorry that it means I have to miss paintball. I really was hoping to go. I thought Sunday went really well. I am thankful to the Lord for giving me that water illustration that we used in the kids message. I think it helps all of us remember where to focus. It is so clear to see how acting in a Biblical manner and REacting in a Biblical manner helps things. It leads to peace, unity, and fellowship. When you see people reacting in other ways, trying to run others down, taking sides, complaining, and not willing to listen to Biblical counsel or respect Biblical authority, it is so sad. I am thankful for the people in leadership at BCBC who are spiritually mature and dedicated to doing things in a Biblical manner. It adds so much to the health and stability of our church family. Thank you Lord!
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Tragedy in Buckfield

  06/03/08 15:26, by , Categories: Living Life
WCSH6 has been reporting this story about two little girls hit by a truck as they rode in an horse-drawn cart. I felt physically ill as I read about it and heard that one of the girls was killed. I just learned that the parents of these little girls are people I know. They are active in the East Auburn Baptist Church. The mom was one of my campers, years and years ago. We know the Lord allows these things, and that they are one of the consequences of living in this world, but knowing that does not make sense of it. If you are reading this, please keep Bill and Teresa Legere and their daughter Deedee in prayer. Also, there is an older sister Sarah. We can at least thank God that this family knows Him and has Him to hold on to and hope in. You can be praying for Stephen Curtis Chapman and his family who lost their 5 yr old daughter in a driveway accident recently. I'm going to go hug my kids again. Esther just got home from Papa and Nana's today.
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Loving Spring

  05/28/08 21:03, by , Categories: Church Life, Stray Thoughts, LOST
I love spring. Now that is not to say that I don't enjoy the other seasons. I do. I am not one of those people who has a favorite season and suffers through the others. It is spring and I love it. I loved winter when it was here. (see this entry). I was walking home from church the other night and it was warm and you could smell the green. The peepers were going at it and it was great. I love the deep shadows under the trees and not needing a coat. Anyway, that and the fact that there have been a lot of good contacts and visits with many friends from church this week have really made my week. Today I had to lock myself in the office to get things done and there is more to do, but it has been nice to visit with people and just build relationships. After all, that is the heart of what it means to be the church. Relationships. Everything else just serves that. I am looking forward to the wedding this weekend of Ben and Melissa as well as Jason and Delia. Jason & Delia are here at BCBC at 1, then Ben & Melissa are in Gardiner at 4. Going to be a busy day! I am so happy for both couples though. It is great to see godly couples marry. Other thing I'm looking forward to is Thursday. Special speaker at youth group followed by LOST FINALE!!!! Going to be a loooong summer after Thursday waiting for 2009 and the return of Lost!
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Earthquakes & Hope

  05/25/08 22:27, by , Categories: Stray Thoughts, Living Life
The hymn goes "my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus' Name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand." Today there was another earthquake. And one in China too. Their's was physical, mine elsewhere. How often do I, and probably everyone, place our hope, our confidence, our reliance on people and/or circumstances? I too easily believe that everything will always go right. Things get going good and I assume things will continue. It never seems to work like that. I think God constantly rattles the ground I build on when I start feeling secure in people and things, rather than on Him. I lean on Jesus, but I don't think I always wholly lean on Him. So God lets other ground I've built on sink some so that I will move my hope back on to Him wholly. I wonder if I will ever get that completely right, or will I always rely more than I should on circumstances and people? I am sure God will keep working on me.
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Looking Ahead

  05/23/08 10:38, by , Categories: Announcements, Church Life
After a dry spell, two posts today!!! Friday and back in the office. This is going to be a full day! First order of business has been to catch up on email and computer tasks this morning. Got the church website updated, checked email, and of course am posting blog entries. Also high on today's agenda is recording three or four radio shows for the next month. This weeks will be Memorial Day theme. Next week will be called "Reunion" and then at least one more would be good to get done today. I am looking forward to being back this Sunday. Last Sunday was busy traveling. We will celebrate Memorial Day this Sunday with a message titled "Gift of the Dead." I am excited about this message and look forward to sharing it. COMING UP. Next Sunday is going to be a great day with a different service format. We will hear from Jan Rockwell who speaks for Gospel for Asia. This is especially timely after the tragedy in Myanmar/Burma. We will also be recognizing our graduates and having a graduate luncheon immediately following the service. That at 2pm, Western Maine Christian Academy will be hosting their graduation at BCBC. Two of our youth group girls, Emily Ross and Sophie Quigley will be graduating. On June 1st we have some more excitement. Karen and Edie are going to be with us for Sunday School. They will be doing a drama/role play that should be very interesting to everyone. Then morning service will feature the first of a new series, "Word". I am very excited about this series. I have been working on it for a month now. It is based on an in-depth word study I did on the word "word". I learned a lot doing the study and it really spoke to me so I hope that it will really speak to everybody. DID YOU KNOW we have an awesome church!!! And it's not awesome because we are such wonderful people or are especially talented, or have a great pastor, or do everything right. No, it is an awesome church because God is among us and He is working. His work is often despite of us, but it is there. I see His hand, hear His voice, and I get excited. We are GOD's people! and that is awesome!!!!!
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A look at life and ministry.

About the Author

After growing up in Maine, Ira graduated from Bible College and wandered into Western Maine and has never found his way back out. He has a deep love for the rural churches of Maine and the people who make up this great state. He loves Truth over Tradition, Christ over Culture, and People over Process. He love to equip, teach, and disciple and longs to see the Maine church grow healthy and make disciples.


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