I was just walking through the building and thinking about what a good season it is in the church right now. It seems like everything we put our hands to is blossoming. I cannot help but think that it ties back to our season of prayer and fasting at the beginning of the year. We have more outreach than we have ever had as a church. For the last couple of years our prayer team has been praying for this and it is coming to pass. We have outreach to the international students on the campuses. We are starting a BASIC group at the University of Rochester this fall. (For those of you who do not know BASIC stands for, “Brothers and Sisters in Christ.” It is a nationally based college ministry out of Elim Fellowship that ministers on many campuses throughout the Northeast.) BASIC will be helping us with some of their staff start a weekly Bible study on the campus tied directly to Word of Life.

Our first men’s group meeting in February had 4 men. After the teaching time we all went to our knees in prayer crying out in repentance for our own lives and our nation. It was powerful. Last Saturday our missions committee hosted a 5 hour seminar on how to minister better to our missionaries. Approximately 15 adults were there and 10 from our own church. On January 24th we had the largest attendance on a Sunday morning since we moved into the gym that I am aware of.

Many of you continue to give to our Phase 1 remodeling project. The kitchen keeps rolling along and soon you will see new appliances and flooring throughout the café area. Now we are in the process of a new chair drive to match the chairs we have for Sunday morning. The chairs are $62 each and as soon as we get enough for 200 we will order them. That will give us 300 matching chairs. Last time I bought 4 in faith for 4 good son-in-laws. This time I am buying 4 in faith for salvations this year. In faith, I am believing that at the altar or wherever, that I can lead people to the Lord. Buy a chair in faith that God will give you a desire of your heart in the future. Let each chair be an act of faith.

Thank you all for your faithfulness,
Pastor Phil

I am today on day 24 of a Daniel fast. I am so blessed by the participation of the congregation in our 21 days of payer and fasting which ended just this last Sunday evening. In all my years as pastor here at Word of Life, I have never seen anything more effective than this season. I have never seen anything that has had more anticipation from a vast majority of our congregation. On behalf of the elders and personally, thank you all so much. Many of you have shared personal testimonies of how you were blessed during this season. There has been everything from a deeper personal sense of the Lords presence, to breakthroughs in your lives. We have had financial blessings and a marriage restored. Praise the Lord!!

Personally I am going to keep going trying to make it to 40 days. I woke up this morning burdened for Haiti and that will be my prayer for the day. Specifically I will be praying for God to bring healing to that land and for one of our own, Ken Trezise who is there today. I just got a total form our accountant and a little over $1500 has come in.

I want you all to know that I love Word of Life and all of you. Your kindness and generosity are a testimony of you love for Jesus.

Have a great day.

Pastor Phil

Here we are near the end of Day 5. This has been a grueling day for my wife and I physically. I woke up this morning feeling like my tongue had become a deposit for toxic waste. Physically feeling week but somehow having this tinge of energy also.

I was joking with my wife that since she started fasting, several chocolate milk plants had shut down and Reese’s peanut butter cup production had ground to a halt. (I asked her permission before sharing this.)

Personally today the Holy Spirit has been highlighting sin. Not that I am not aware of sin or that there is some gross sin in my life. It is more that I have become tolerant to sin or desensitized to it as it flaunts itself everyday in our culture. It is not that I am angry about it but broken to the fact that it is so commonly flaunted at us in our media and culture. Things that would have been appalling even when I was a teenager are accepted as common place, live and let live tolerance. My heart again was not angry but broken as I prayed a prayer of repentance for myself and our world around us. “Lord let me not become comfortable with sin and may I not allow it to become commonplace around me because the result of it is pain and suffering. Help me Lord.” I was burdened for the lost in a fresh way. This verse came to me, Mark 6:34, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd; he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them.” They are like sheep without a shepherd.

I spoke with one of the young men in our church today he and his wife are fasting. His children are fasting candy and television which was their decision. As I spoke with him I could hear revival in his own life. He
mentioned reading scripture and praying at night. He said to me, “Pastor this is only day 5 I cannot wait until near the end.” He shared with me for at least 30 minutes what the Lord was doing during this season of prayer and fasting. I was deeply moved.

My prayer request for today has been for Harry Vellekoop and Nancy Clark’s request for financial provision for Elim Bible Institute. Although the Lord had done amazing things the school is still not out of the woods.

Again, it’s not too late if you have not jumped into this. Come on in, the water is fine.

Pastor Phil

Here we are three days into the season of prayer and fasting.  Day 1, I like to call this day “sticker shock.” That day was like the feeling you get after you buy a new car. You are caught up in the excitement and then after you own it you realize how much you paid or how much you will pay for 21 days. Day 2, rejoicing in the time you spent in prayer during day 1 with your wife and children. Day 3, first report of a breakthrough comes in from a family in the church. Hallelujah!!

Remember as we read in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms.” Also, as we read in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Let me encourage you keep fasting and praying. Maybe you haven’t started yet you can jump in right now. Just fast a meal and pray. Take the list from our family here in the church and lift them before the Lord. Or just cry out to him for more of his presence in your life and all our lives.

My personal prayer request from the list for today is for Bill Juba to find a good paying job. Can we all make that, along with the others, our prayer request of the day?

Remember we are all in this together for eternity.

Pastor Phil

It’s hard to believe that another year has flown by. As I write this article Christmas is just a few days away and our Christmas program a couple of days away. The church is full of activity as the play is being rehearsed and work is continuing on the kitchen. Special thanks to Rob Taylor and Ben Clark for their hard work. What is nice is that after the Christmas play things are usually very quiet here at the church. It gives me a chance to catch up on some things before the New Year kicks in.

The Lord has laid on my heart for this New Year to call the church to a time of prayer and fasting. It will start on Monday January 4th until Sunday January 24th. This may be new or overwhelming to you but I believe if you will bear with me I can make it possible for all of us.

First of all, let’s examine the issue of prayer. I will be asking all of us to place on a sheet of paper two needs you have in your life right now where you would like to see change this year. These will be collected and made into a master list. Then I am asking that everyone take this list and pray for as much of it as you can everyday for 21 days. (Now if you miss a day just pick it up the next day and keep going.) Some days you may only have 10 minutes other days more but let’s all covenant to pray for these items during the 21 days. As we read in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Secondly, let’s look at fasting. To be honest, I used to fast quite a lot when I was first in the Lord. Over the years I have continued to do so at times but not as often. (I hope you still respect me.) Fasting can take many forms. You can fast one meal a day. You can fast TV. It is important that we do not fast with a “works mentality” but with an understanding it helps us to hear more clearly from the Lord and also scripture commends it. During the time of fasting from food or something else, take the time to pray through the list of needs of your church family and for your own situation.

I do not want this time of Prayer and Fasting to feel like works or a burden. It should be joyful because we are expecting “God to arise and our enemies scattered.” I believe the Lord to move “suddenly” on our behalf this New Year. Praise God!!!

Pastor Phil

The birth of Jesus was prophesied hundreds of years before his eventual coming. As we read in Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Make no mistake about it, Jesus came to bring “government” to our world and to our lives. When we hear the word government as Americans we hopefully feel that the less the better. We are proud of our freedoms as a nation and want to make sure that they remain in place. We recognize we are to pray for our countries government but do not want to be overburdened or oppressed by them. Thank God for the freedoms we do have; may they always remain.

Jesus’ government in our lives is meant to bring us perfect peace. His government is not meant to oppress us but to bring us true freedom. At this time of year Jesus is almost in everything from carols to Christmas cards. However, some who are close to us fear his government in their lives. They do not understand that he did not come to oppress them but to give them true freedom and wisdom. May God give you wisdom to share with various family members graciously the love of Christ.

In closing, we are about to start another year also. There will be a 1 hour prayer meeting on New Years Ever from 6:30-7:30pm. Come join others in our church as we pray for the New Year.

Pastor Phil

Not too long ago I was watching the movie Pollyanna. I have to admit the ending always is sad but there are some classic scenes throughout the movie.

I love the scene of the minister coming into the service to preach. He climbs up a flight of stairs into the pulpit and then hammers the congregation with a sermon entitled, “Death comes unexpectedly.” The message is full of hell fire and brimstone. Then he comes back down the stairs and walks out. Latter in the movie, Pollyanna tells him that there is an abundance of verses on the goodness of God and we are encouraged to be thankful as well as reverent of God.

This is the time of year we celebrate Thanksgiving. We may be going through various things but scripture encourages us to be thankful. As we read in 1Thes 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We also read in Heb 13:15, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Thankfulness is worship. We can worship the Lord by having an attitude of thankfulness. Pollyanna was not denying that scripture speaks of judgment but she was reminding the pastor in the movie that it also speaks of the goodness of God and we are encouraged to praise him. We cannot deny that life has challenges and some of them unfair. But God still deserves our praise and thanksgiving.

During this thanksgiving season make choices to be grateful. Make the choice to be thankful. Have a great thanksgiving!

As I write this article I am remembering the sermon from Rev. Bernard Evans last Sunday. He spoke about the church being a testimony to the enemy and to the world. He spoke about living with “intent.” We are to live our lives with purpose for the Kingdom of God. As we go through the day to day of life, it is easy to get bogged down with all we carry in our workplace and family. It is important to remember that we live with a purpose and intent to see the Kingdom of God go forth even as we carry our day to day responsibilities. For me personally, I have to make sure that I do not miss out on the bigger picture. I can get so caught up with my personal concerns that I miss out on the bigger picture.

One of the things that I appreciate about all of you is that you “get it.” You understand the elements of workplace and family but also the kingdom. Last week we had an ordination service for Matt Slisher, and many of you helped. Today we are having computer trouble in the office and Gary Ahlquist and Dan Pedersen are working to fix the problem. The other night Henk DeSmidt was planting bushes and trees around the property while Fran Kreider was teaching “Kids Club.” Last Saturday our elders met for four hours to discuss and pray about the church. Jacek is meeting with me today to discuss our new missions committee. Bobby Luu is staying in touch with me about people who are physically in need within the church while Mike Slocum is meeting with me Saturday to discuss some more outreaches to the city and Henrietta. Our youth pastor, Ben Clark, this morning drove around to several of our youths’ schools to join them at the schools’ flag pole to pray. These are but a few of the people that are involved at the church during any part of the week.

It goes far beyond all of the things in the church. It’s the way you relate as people. This week I was an hour away from Rochester with Harry Vellekoop spending some time together and listening to a speaker talk to us about change. While I was away, our mini-van’s battery died. There was my wife stuck in a parking lot. She began to call some people and got a hold of Eric Pfeif who came over and got our van going and got her home. Sheryl had called a few of you before getting in touch with Eric but you were not home at the time she called. All of you called and said to her, “If we would have gotten the call we would have helped.”

In all we are doing as a church I want to encourage you that we are being the “church.” We are living with intent to see the kingdom go forth. We are loving one another and helping one another. Sometimes we only see the trees, but I want to encourage you that there is a beautiful forest here at our church. We are establishing the Kingdom of God in the world, here and in every life. The love and kindness of God is in our church family. We may have moments one with another but they are few and far between because there is a greater “intent” that goes beyond ourselves.

Thank you for being the church.

Pastor Phil

As I write this I am three days into my vacation and looking forward to the fall. We are hanging around the house for vacation. The girls have all sorts of plans for me including camping in the back yard. Rebekah daily requests the setting up of the tent that someone in the congregation has leant us with her in mind. Lauren just celebrated her 8th birthday yesterday and made her own birthday cake. She spent two hours making the cake. Much time was spent mixing various colors and flavors of icing of which Lauren had to veraciously taste test each one. I said to her, “Lauren, once this cake is made there will be no sugar left in America.” Elizabeth is working on AP history and Kathryn is adjusting to her first month of braces.

As we look to the fall I am excited about some things that are stirring in my heart to preach. I am encouraged by what I see happening in the church. Our mission’s weekend was tremendous. It is exciting to see what the Lord has done through the various missionaries and the part that we play in helping them. Our various small groups will be starting up in the fall and we have more now then ever. The youth group is doing well and is supported by other young leaders in the church. I feel like the Lord is building some momentum as we head into the fall and I am excited to see what the Lord does.

As we head into fall let me encourage you to enjoy your family time in the remains of the summer. However, in the fall get involved in a midweek commitment here at Word of Life. It will help you to grow and build relationships.

God Bless,
Pastor Phil

As I write this letter it is the middle of June. It is the middle of the day and I am at my desk in the office. I am preparing an agenda for an elders meeting that will be held for a few hours this Saturday. We will come together, pray, and talk about plans for the fall. I am personally enjoying being done school and am beginning to catch up on personal, family, and church things.

This morning I just met with some Henrietta pastors and we prayed for our area. What a great time of encouragement for all of us. God is moving in Henrietta.

I have in front of me the pledges for the building program. We have not totaled them yet but I am glad to see that many of you are participating. Ben Clark just texted me asking me if the project will be underway in August, and I said, “Probably.” Henk de Smidt and I are making plans for early next week to go down and look at a renovation project another church did on their building to get ideas about our own renovation project.

The Trezise family returns today from Brazil and may be with us even this Sunday. I just asked the church secretary to call the [ed. removed for web] who are home on furlough to tell them their children need to attend the water baptism class before the actual baptism service on Sunday August 9th. I just sent out an email to Jacek Megiel as we plan the new missions committee and make plans for the mission weekend on August 9th. How exciting to have all our missionaries here that weekend in August.

Last Sunday about 11 people were in the New Members Class. The Sunday School appreciation picnic was well done by Steve and Sue Hunter and what a great time we had. James Blake has emailed me about good things happening on the road with his ministry team out among the churches. I am making plans to attend Alex Seidlers’ wedding next month in Pennsylvania. Bob Hunt was meeting with ADT to get some work done around the building and I just emailed Gary Ahlquist concerning some electrical problems with the AC. Eric Peoples just called me and thanked me for having him here at the church a week ago and I expressed to him that he had been a blessing to us and our youth. Harry Vellekoop shared last Sunday on Connie and his trip to Paraguay and the ministry that took place. In front of me is a booklet Harry has written called “No More Free Samples-Please.” Personally, this booklet shows hunger for God’s ways and His presence which I believe is a principle our church desires.

All of this has happened just in a couple of hours on a Wednesday morning and I am looking forward to the service tonight. I believe that Michael Miller will be sharing the Word and I am looking forward to the worship by our youth and Pastor Ben Clark leading the service. I will be glad to just sit and enjoy the service and the presence of God.

As I write this I am grateful for the blessing of the Lord on our congregation. I am grateful for all that we are involved in and the fruit of the ministry here. However, I am also grateful for all of you. Take time to enjoy the Lord and enjoy the summer.

Pastor Phil