Dear Church Family,
I hope that you all realize what a blessing it is to serve as the pastor of Hoffman United Methodist Church. August 1st marks the beginning of my 5th year at Hoffman. I am so thankful that this is where God has called me to serve, and it is all because of you. The people of this church are what makes it a great place to serve. You make Hoffman what it is through your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. I just want each of you know how much my family and I appreciate each of you.
As you may have heard, Chanda has recently accepted a job at Milton Union Medical Center. She will be working there 2 days each week. As our family moves into this new schedule, my day off may fluctuate between Monday and Friday. However, if you need me, I plan to be in the office Tuesday-Thursday each week. In July, I found a new hobby that quickly became a spiritual practice for me. I began running every morning. It has become a time of prayer for me. As I run I pray for our church, the needs of our community, specific prayer requests, and whatever else comes to mind. I had been running daily until I had some issues with my back. I am praying that I can get these resolved soon so that I can get back to running.
July was a great month for Hoffman UMC. The Art Show was a huge success. Our pictorial directories arrived. A group went to see a Dayton Dragons game together. Then, of course, we talked about Water. We didn't just talk about it, but we had the opportunity to witness several baptisms this past month. We had 3 baptisms during our worship services. Then, we concluded our time focusing on water down at the river this past Sunday with 8 more baptisms. It is amazing to see God at work in the lives of so many who are part of our church.
This coming Sunday (August 3rd) will be Membership Sunday. We have several people who are looking forward to joining the church on that day. Then, after church, we are going to gather at the water again for our Annual Church Picnic at Wendy and Marty Black's home. Swimming will begin at 2:30. The dinner will start at 5:30. This is an excellent time for people from our two worship services to mingle together. Please join us for this special day and make sure that you talk to some folks that you do not know while you are there.
In August, we are going to be starting a new sermon series looking at the book of Galatians. Through our sermons and daily scripture readings, we are going to study the entire book together. The book of Galatians tells about the gospel of grace. I am excited about what God is going to teach us as we explore this book together.
August also marks the time when everyone is going back to school. That tends to mark the end of summer for most of us. So, as we get back into a routine, we want to be sure to invite people to include church into their routine. So, we are going to participate in Back to Church Sunday on September 21st, where we will invite everyone to come back to church. Prepare to invite your friends for that special day.
This past month our Maximizing Mission and Ministry Team and Nominations Committee have been working diligently to prepare for our new structure in 2015. I am getting very excited about the work that we have been able to accomplish so far. If anyone has specific questions about this new structure, please let me know. I am more than happy to share with you. It is something that I truly believe will allow us to maximize our mission and ministry, but we are going to need your help to make that happen. Please continue to be in prayer as our new Church Board is formed and we make this important transition.
Yours in Christ’s Service,
Pastor Justin
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