I am really excited about the schedule of fall ministries for White Oak ARP! We have our usual slate of youth retreats (Senior High Retreat – September 26-28; Junior High Retreat – November 14-16) at Bonclarken. The Senior High retreat looks to be a great time this year. With the new students rising up from junior high joining us, and our many seniors, this fall retreat has the possibility of being one that generates a lot of memories.

A great addition to our fall calendar is the Covenant Family Retreat at Bonclarken, October 31^st – November 2^nd. With over 80 people signed up, and Dr. Gordon Reed as our main speaker, this retreat is one that will be sorely missed by all those that missed the deadline. I am excited about the fellowship, the teaching, the worship, the nature and the family time together. Fall time at Bonclarken … with my family … and my church family … and solid Biblical teaching – a retreat that has the promise of being a memorable one!

Another great opportunity this fall is the return of Red Mountain Music, November 8-9. This is the group that performed for us last April, and also helped out with morning worship. I am really looking forward to the tremendous music and texts this group will bring to us. Great music, great lyrics, great worship – yet another opportunity for memories!

Looking over our fall schedule, one thing keeps on coming to mind – God’s covenantal faithfulness. Jeremiah 31:33 tells us the truth of the covenant, “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” God promises to his people that He will be their God, and they will be his people. It is a promise of eternal faithfulness, fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

When I began here at White Oak in October ’06, I came into a youth group that had good dynamics and even better potential. Our first youth group meeting had 5 people, and that was including me and Beth! Starting this fall, our senior high group is averaging 15 youth. I wish I could put myself on a pedestal and scream “look at what I did!” … but I can’t. Any good that is done is all done by God. I am merely an instrument. God has proven to be faithful to our covenant youth. He has increased us in numbers and faith. At Appalachia, I saw our youth step up to the plate and take on spiritual leadership. In youth group and Sunday School, I see our youth really grappling with the truths of the Gospel. I am seeing God’s covenantal faithfulness to our youth.

We also see His faithfulness in the covenant family retreat. Marana Basie, Tom and I started off praying for 30 people to attend. We had to cap attendance at 80! Marana had to scramble and twist some arms to get more rooms for us! Did all of these people decide to come because of what we did? No – it was because of God’s covenantal faithfulness to his people. His great love and devotion resulted in 80 people participating in the first annual White Oak Covenant Family Retreat.

I am truly encouraged by seeing how God is at work in this congregation. There aren’t too many churches that can visibly see how God is at work – but White Oak ARP has that privilege. From the class “Becoming a Contagious Christian” to the Appalachia Mission trip to the Covenant Family Retreat, God’s covenantal faithfulness is in full bloom in our church. I would encourage you to take some time to praise God from whom all blessings flow – we are seeing his blessings flow graciously onto our church. It is a wonderful time to be a part of this family – may we praise God’s covenantal faithfulness to our church, our witness and our mission.