What a terrific church this and we love coming here every
time we’re in the area. The music is outstanding (beloved hymns played by 10-14
quality musicians and a small choir); the pastor leads the congregation in
prayers (which include needs in the congregation as well as the pressing issues
of the day); the audience stands not for the songs but rather the Scripture readings;
alerts are shared about missionaries the church supports; there is a lively
time with parishioners greeting one another; and then there’s a dynamic,
culturally relevant, and biblically-centered sermon from Pastor Monty Dunn. It
is truly an inspiring and very helpful service.
After church, we changed into shorts and tennis shoes for
our regular hike along Table Rock Lake, one of our favorite activities when we’re
down here. It was gloriously bright afternoon with temperatures hovering around
60 degrees and the lake was high from storms that hit the area last week. I got
in 5.8 miles and Claire was right there with me for 3 of them. There were a lot
of other people (and dogs) taking advantage of the day and we enjoyed several
brief conversations along the hike.
The evening involved salami salad that Claire made at the condo, watching a couple of sermons that friends had asked us to check out, finishing Malcolm Muggeridge’s Confessions of a Twentieth-Century Pilgrim, and our night prayers together. It was a very good day.
And now today? It began with another early morning coffee at
Panera, breakfast at home, and Claire doing the typing the edits I had made on
a couple of posts and letters while I read 10 Books that Screwed Up the World:
And 5 Others That Didn't Help by Benjamin Wiker. (It’s another good one.) And
soon we’re off for a few errands, a little shopping, another hike at the Lake
and, who knows, maybe our first session of feeding ducks over at Lake Taneycomo. Lord, may all of our time here be invested wisely and then blessed by Your Spirit.
