Screwtape and Endless End of Summer

 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart”  (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

 I have had a C.S. Lewis summer.  Carol O’Malley loaned me a copy of The Great Courses lectures that featured Lewis’ writings and his life.  I had twelve hours of  Lewis on my drive to Michigan. This past Wednesday a group from the church went down to the city to see Max Mclean in Lewis’ Screwtape Letters.  Lewis is a theologian of pleasure and of longing.  He sees in pleasure the hand of God’s touch upon humanity with everything that is beautiful.  Our deepest joy points us to the even deeper joy that is at the center of creation and is “the serious business of heaven.”  Our deepest longings point us to our deepest needs.  We have a longing for eternity.  It is planted in our hearts.  For Lewis this speaks to us of the truth that we were made forever. Read more »

“Dreams of Youth Ministry”

 I have been welcomed back from vacation by hundreds of kids having a blast under the tent.  It is VBS week at HRC.  A truly awesome week as intergenerational ministry comes together to touch lives of kids in our church and in our community.  I look at the future of our youth ministry as I see the eyes of these young children that very soon will be teenagers. Read more »

A Painting Party- Saturday, 8 AM , July 31, August 7, 14, 21, 28

 Every time I drive by the Flatbush Reformed Church in Saugerties I will check out how my corner of the kingdom work is holding up to the wind and weather of Northern Ulster County.  Hopewell helped that struggling church put a face lift on its building.  That small church inspired us to do the same thing.  Starting next Saturday (July 31) you will have a chance to paint our corner of the kingdom on Clove Branch and Beekman Roads.  Instead of spending a ton of money hiring somebody to paint our building, we are putting 167 into practice and asking people to use some of those hours to paint our church. Read more »