Special Guests

Our home has been filled with family, old friends and some special new ones since we have been back from West Virginia.  Our daughter Debbie came home for a couple days over the Fourth of July before heading up to Vermont.  We had a great Fourth watching fireworks from at least 5 communities along the river.
Then it was so good to be back in worship with our PCMK family.  Matt Brewster shared some thoughts and memories from the mission trip and we celebrated Communion.  The message was the first of our Summer Sunday School Series based on the story of Moses in the Bull rushes.
But the real treat of the day was the visit from dear friends from Erie, PA and their Brooklyn son.  Dave and Sandy Herman were some of the first people in the building for worship.  I have so many wonderful memories with them.  Dave's hearty laugh was a daily inspiration.  I had performed the wedding ceremony for their son Jimmy and Megan in State College, PA in 2011.  After lunch we visited back at the manse before they had to head home.  They all thought PCMK was not only a beautiful church building, but they commented on the friendliness of the people.
While they were still here Elisabeth went and picked up our two special guests.  We are home stay sponsors for these two girls visiting their moms at Bedford Correctional Facility.  They are 9 and 8 years old and we have been having fun together.  We love having kids around to take to McDonald's, make S'mores, watch Disney movies and eat pizza.  Elisabeth has a passion for social justice and she has been getting very involved in prison issues in our area.  She is an inspiration to me.  I love watching her with these little girls.
So, as you can see, we love having guests in our home.  In August, we want all of the PCMK family to be our guests.  We are going to host an open house on Sunday, August 18th, in the afternoon.
Until then, enjoy your summer and see you in church.
Pastor Dale

Matt Brewster sharing his WV experience with the congregation

Home!

We are home.  The sleepy passengers woke up with excitement as we made the final stretch up the Sawmill.  The two vans came to the light at Reader's Digest and the race was on!  Of course we were just having fun (but Dale won!).  When we pulled into the parking lot parents' cars started arriving right away.  There were smiles and happy reunions all around.  We even have received emails from grateful parents already.  Not just grateful that their teenager is home safely, but that they seem to be different--in a good way!
They are the best group of high schoolers I have ever been around.  On behalf of Elisabeth and Sarah I want to thank parents for their trust and everyone for their prayers and support.  It was a successful trip in every way possible.  My usual standard is to come home with the same number of youth that I left with.  We brought the same number back, but not the same people.  We were all changed.  We look forward to telling you more about it.
Come to church each Sunday during the summer and one of the youth will share their experience.  Then in the fall we will plan to show make a more complete report.
See you in church,
Pastor Dale

We leave you with avideo (our version of Call Me Maybe) and a picture of the road home.  What a beautiful sky!

Finally home!