As many of you know by now, our family is in the process of relocating my father from independent living to a nursing facility. If you have ever walked through this experience with a loved one dealing with dementia and/or sundowning, you understand the struggles and heartache that come not only for the individual, but also for those who love and care for them. It can be a difficult and emotionally exhausting season. Last week, I was able to get away for a little while and spend some much-needed time with friends and family at the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum. Knowing that Dad was safe and being well cared for at the nursing facility allowed me to relax, clear my mind, and simply enjoy some time away. It was a blessing to be able to decompress and recharge. With that in mind, I want to encourage each of you to carve out some time in your schedule to visit these incredible attractions. There is something special about seeing the biblical story and the truth of Scripture presented right before your eyes. If you have been before, consider going again! There are always new attractions, lectures, concerts, and conferences to experience. In fact, if there is enough interest, perhaps we could plan a church road trip together. If we can find a date that works for a group of us, I think it would be a wonderful opportunity not only to visit these attractions, but also to enjoy some good Christian fellowship along the way. We could make it a one-day trip, although that would make for a fairly long day, or we could consider staying overnight, keeping in mind that would add to the cost.  Another possibility would be to plan our trip closer to Christmas and enjoy the incredible Christmas lights and displays. What a great way to combine fellowship, fun, and an opportunity to be reminded of the truth and beauty of God's Word. If this is something you would be interested in, please let me know. I would love to see if we can get a group together and make it happen!

I know I mentioned this during our announcement time on Sunday, but I want to once again express my sincere thanks to everyone who came out and helped staff our booth at the Carroll Community Festival. Your willingness to give of your time and represent Wildermuth Memorial Church in our community made a real difference. I am especially encouraged by the opportunities God gave us to connect with people. I know of at least four new families who have asked to be added to our church newsletter email list— welcome to all of you! Several people also asked for information about our Gospel sings, and a few who found us through our website have reached out wanting to learn more about Wildermuth Church. One particularly interesting encounter involved one of the festival vendors. Their last name is Wildermuth, but they had never heard of our church or knew much about the Wildermuth family history in this area. I was able to share some of what I knew, and they are now planning to research their family history further. Perhaps that connection will even lead them to join us for one of our upcoming events! All in all, I truly believe we can be both thankful and proud of our efforts to reach out to our neighbors during the festival. More importantly, I hope we see this as an example of how God can use simple opportunities when we are willing to step outside our walls and engage with our community. Let's start making plans now to be ready for next year's festival. Perhaps we can even have sign-up sheets ahead of time so that more of us can share in the opportunity to staff our booth. Looking Ahead to Fall As summer begins to wind down and the kids head back to school, our concert schedule also begins to slow down. We have a couple of events planned for the last weekend of August, the monthly Lemley and Friends sing will be our only concert in September, and we have a couple more events planned for October. That doesn't mean we are slowing down in our desire to reach people, however! We are beginning to explore the possibility of a Fall Festival-type event, perhaps with another outdoor concert, a campfire, and—if we're lucky—maybe even some more of that delicious ice cream! Please stay tuned as we look at schedules and availability and see what we can put together. My hope is that these events will not simply be opportunities for fellowship, but also opportunities to invite our neighbors, build relationships, and share the love of Christ with those around us.

This weekend is the Carroll Community Festival, and I am excited about another opportunity for us to reach out to our community! We will have our church booth set up Friday evening and throughout the day Saturday. We will be handing out information about our church and upcoming events, but most importantly, we will have an opportunity to share the love of Christ with our neighbors. I also have some exciting news! During the Baltimore Festival, the Ministerial Association handed out school supplies, and we have the extras available to give away at our booth this weekend. What a wonderful opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus by meeting a practical need in the lives of families in our community! I want to thank Laurenda for taking time from her schedule to join us in Baltimore, and I also want to proactively thank everyone who has already said they will be joining us at the Carroll Community Festival. Your willingness to serve and represent our church is greatly appreciated. As we have been challenged throughout this year to be Kingdom-minded and reach the lost in our area, we know that it takes far more commitment than simply attending a Worship Service on Sunday morning. I am thankful for each of you who continues to rise to this challenge. Together, we are seeking to reach “the One” whom God has placed in our path and help that person grow in a relationship with Him. I also want to give you an update on another matter for which I previously asked you to pray. We have been seeking God’s will concerning whether some of the property around our church could and should be used by the Bloom-Carroll Youth Football League.  There is significant interest in making this happen from the league, our church leadership, and the Foundation. Unfortunately, it does not appear that all of the necessary logistics can be properly addressed in time for anything to happen this year. However, all of the necessary parties plan to meet after the first of the year to work toward making it possible for next year’s season. Let’s continue looking for opportunities to reach our Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth! There are people all around us who need to experience the love of Christ, and I believe God is calling us to be His hands, His feet, and His witnesses wherever He places us.

July has certainly been an exciting month filled with events which have created some great memories. I am still reflecting on the Holy Spirit filled week of services at Camp Meeting earlier this month. I would like to strongly encourage each of you to join us next year for at least a portion of this great event which is held in the beautiful rolling hills of Hocking County. Then we had the Lemley and Friends concert, which in my opinion was our best one yet. We have had new families visiting our Worship Services. I had the pleasure of meeting the Wildermuth Foundation Board. Then this past weekend, I believe you will agree that a great time was had by all at the Ice Cream Social/Won Peace concert? Then, just when one starts to question how things could get any better, God opens up even more doors. Last Wednesday, at the GPS service in Somerset, we did a little different format than our normal service. Everyone who normally attends our Wednesday service had attended some portion of the Camp Meeting the previous week. We spent time sharing what our greatest take-away’s were. What impacted each of us individually the most by having attended. Then about a third of the way thru our time together, a patron at the bar decided to nervously ask us if it was ok to join us. Turns out he has been on the fringes most every week and, in his words, eavesdropping on our discussions. He stated that for some reason this particular week, he was feeling compelled to join us and talk with us. He even shared how he would never feel comfortable going into a church because of who he is and what he has done but appreciated that he could join us and learn more about Jesus.  Will you join me in praying that he continues to join us on Wednesday’s and grows through Discipleship to the point that he understands that he can go to a brick and mortar church. That God loves him just as he is, but also loves him too much to allow him to stay as he is.

One of the greatest blessings God gives His church is the opportunity to build relationships that can open doors for the Gospel. This Saturday's Ice Cream Social on July 25 is much more than a fun community event—it is an opportunity for us to be the hands and feet of Christ to those who may not yet know Him. We're also excited to welcome Won Peace, who will be providing some outstanding music throughout the evening. Their Christ-centered gospel songs as well as their toe-tapping Bluegrass songs will add to the joyful atmosphere. As followers of Jesus, our desire should be to become more like Him every day. Scripture reminds us that God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). If we are growing to reflect the heart of Christ, then His concern for those who are far from Him should become our concern as well. We should never be content knowing that friends, neighbors, coworkers, or family members are living without the hope of Christ and facing an eternity separated from God. This event provides a simple but meaningful opportunity to meet new people, enjoy fellowship, listen to uplifting music, and begin conversations that may eventually lead to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Never underestimate what God can do through a smile, a listening ear, or a simple invitation. For someone in our community, an invitation to an evening of ice cream and bluegrass music may be the first step toward hearing the message of salvation. As you come on Saturday, I encourage you to pray that God would bring people who need encouragement, hope, and salvation. Better yet, don't wait for them to come—personally invite someone to join you. Ask God to help you see each person through His eyes and to give you the courage to love them well. May our church be known not only for serving ice cream and enjoying great music, but for sharing the love of Christ and pointing people to the only One who can truly satisfy the deepest hunger of the human heart.  I look forward to seeing you there as we enjoy a wonderful evening of fellowship, delicious ice cream, inspiring music from Won Peace, and, most importantly, seek to make an eternal difference for the Kingdom of God—one invitation and one conversation at a time.

One of the blessings of spending time in God's Word is discovering how often it speaks directly into everyday life. I've also noticed that when God is teaching me something or calling me to grow, He reinforces that lesson from several different directions. That has certainly been true this week. Sunday's message focused on coming to God with a thirsty heart. During Camp Meeting this week, the messages have challenged us to put our faith into action. Then, at our Tuesday morning Bible Study at Carroll Cup Coffee House, we studied the end of John 4, where a father demonstrated his faith by traveling twenty miles to seek Jesus and ask Him to heal his son. The common theme is clear: faith isn't meant to remain still—it is meant to move. Faith-InAction. As a church, we have much to be thankful for. God has allowed us to host concerts and community events, participate in outreach opportunities like the Baltimore Eggstravaganza and the Lancaster Sarcoma 5K, and prepare for the Carroll and Baltimore Festivals. He has also blessed us with resources, including our beautiful grand piano, to help us share the love of Christ through music. Yet I can't help but wonder if God is calling us to take another step of faith. This Sunday, I'd like us to spend special time in prayer for wisdom and discernment regarding an exciting outreach opportunity. As many of you know, we have been exploring the possibility of partnering with the Bloom-Carroll Youth Football League by providing the use of church property for their practices. While there are still some details to work through, I believe God may be opening a new door for Wildermuth Memorial Church to connect with families in our community.  Please join me in praying that God will open the right doors, remove every obstacle, and give us the courage to follow wherever He leads. May we be a church that not only believes God's promises but also puts our faith into action as we share His love with our neighbors.

Can you believe that we have reached the one-year anniversary of Lisa and me being called to serve as the Shephard at Wildermuth Memorial Church? I was asked to provide an annual report to the Foundation which helps us in so many ways and as I worked on my annual ministry report this past week, I found myself reflecting on all that God has done through this great church over the past year. Looking back, I am reminded that ministry is about much more than counting attendance or listing events. It is about seeing lives touched by the love of Christ. God has blessed us with opportunities to grow in many ways. We have seen our Sunday morning attendance more than double since I first came to Wildermuth, and through our worship services, Bible studies, concerts, outreach ministries, and online presence, we now connect with an average of more than 50 people each week. That is something to celebrate—not because of numbers, but because each number represents a person who matters to God. This year has included new sermon series, Bible studies at Carroll Cup Coffee House, outreach through GPS Ministries, our monthly Gospel sings, special concerts, and opportunities to serve our community. Some new ministries have flourished, while others have reminded us that not every idea succeeds on the first attempt. Even so, each experience has helped us better understand where God is leading our church. As I reflected on everything that has taken place, I was reminded that the true measure of our ministry is not found in a report but in transformed lives. Every worship service, Bible study, concert, and outreach event exists for one purpose— to help people know Jesus Christ and grow in their relationship with Him. Thank you for your prayers, your faithful service, your generosity, and your willingness to be part of what God is doing through Wildermuth Memorial Church. I believe our greatest days are still ahead, and I look forward to seeing how God will continue to use each of us to share His love and hope with our community.

As we celebrate Independence Day this year, my thoughts naturally turn to the blessings of living in a nation founded on the ideals of liberty, justice, and the God-given dignity of every person. This Fourth of July is especially meaningful as our nation begins commemorating the 250th anniversary of the birth of America. For two and a half centuries, generations of Americans have sacrificed, served, and prayed so that the freedoms we enjoy today might be preserved for those who follow. As Christians, we recognize that while we are grateful citizens of the United States, our highest allegiance is to the Kingdom of God. The freedoms we enjoy give us the opportunity to worship openly, proclaim the Gospel boldly, and serve our neighbors generously. These are blessings we should never take for granted. The Bible reminds us in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray..." Throughout our nation's history, times of spiritual awakening have often begun when God's people sought Him in humility and repentance. As America enters this 250th year of remembrance and celebration, perhaps there is no greater gift we can offer our country than to faithfully pray for her. (Also, you may hear more about this during the message this coming Sunday.) This Independence Day, enjoy the parades, picnics, family gatherings, and fireworks. But also take a few moments to thank God for those who have defended our freedoms, to pray for our leaders, our military, first responders, and our communities, and to ask the Lord to guide our nation with His wisdom and truth. May God continue to bless America—not simply because of our history, but because His people continue to seek His face and faithfully share the hope of Jesus Christ. As we celebrate 250 years of our nation's story, may we also recommit ourselves to advancing God's eternal Kingdom, one life at a time. Have a safe and blessed Fourth of July!

Over the past few weeks, I have shared about an opportunity to highlight the ministry of Wildermuth Memorial Church on local television. This past week, that opportunity became a reality as the episode of Fairfield Today featuring Don Lemley and me aired on local cable television. As a reminder, Don and I were interviewed on June 16 and had the privilege of discussing the many ministries, concerts, and special events taking place at Wildermuth Church throughout the year. We took time to discuss our monthly Don and Sylvia Lemley and Friends gospel sings, which continue this Saturday at 5:00 PM, followed by a potluck dinner. These gatherings will vary in which artists will appear each month but all of them will provide a wonderful opportunity for fellowship, worship, and encouragement through Southern Gospel music. If you were unable to watch the program on Spectrum Channel 1021, or if you are unfamiliar with Fairfield Today, you can still view the episode online by searching for "CLN – Your Hometown Connection" on YouTube or by using the QR code included below in this newsletter. I encourage you to watch the program and share it with others in your spheres of influence. We never know how God may use a simple invitation or shared video to touch someone's heart.