Rev. Greg Wood Mexico Orphanage

We the Commerce family are blessed to support several Missionaries. Dr. Janet MacArthur who just returned from Nepal. We features her report a couple of weeks ago and rejoiced at what the Lord has done through her work in the nations and especially these past weeks in Nepal. Dr. Gene and Mary Lois who live most of the year in Jerusalem. They keep us abreast of what is happening in our beloved Israel.  Rev. Eva Couglin who is several months at a time in Burma [Myanmar]. She serves there in various avenues of Ministry and with an Orphanage also.  Rev. Debra Slight who has returned to Liberia. These are Ministers of Shalom Ministry.  We also remember in Prayer along with the above another Shalom Minister who is a Pastor in Japan, Rev. Ruth Wehrer. We are also blessed to have a Home Missions Program. Headed up by our Assistant Pastor Jewelly Hyden and Members of our Church Family which serve every Thursday as people come into the Commerce Cupboard to receive groceries. We especially want to thank these folks who faithfully serve the Food Ministry – Beverly Smith, Lennert Boecher, and Rev. Doug Messiner along with many other volunteers. Under Rev. Doug Messeger’s Ministry, members of our Congregation serve three Saturdays a month at the Homeless shelter and under his direction we serve several Tent Communities. Today we welcome our Missionary from Mexico.  We are blessed to have Bro. Wood with us in service and look forward to his report from the Orphanage in Mexico. Bro. Wood served with his Father in Mexico as a young boy. Pastor was blessed to have Greg in her home while he finished high school. Greg is her son in the faith. A several teams from Commerce has been blessed to visit the work in Mexico several times. On the last visit we were able to teach in the Bible College, the Church and Minister with Dr. Wood.  We were honored to visit the grave of Greg’s Father. Bro. Greg’s Father and our Pastor were Teachers together at Bible College many years ago. The Wood Family is very special to Pastor and we are pleased to have him in service with us today.  Commerce Community Church has a Mission Heart and God continues to bless our efforts.

Celebration of 33 Years

How awesome it is to Celebrate 33 years with the Commerce Family! It rejoices my heart to walk among you all and to be your Pastor. As I muse over the past 33 years I immediately note quite a few of our Commerce Family has continued on into Eternal Life. I remember them and most often the place where they sat and worshiped with us. When I came to you those many years ago there were 12 members and I was shocked that they had decided they wanted me to Pastor and I didn’t even know I was a candidate.  It was my first Pastorate, and O how green I was!  God has blessed us as we have sought to fulfill His will in this little country Church.  We are no longer a little country Church for the city has caught up to us big time. But what you see here on this hill is truly not what we are, for we are blessed to be so much more.  In these 33 years, with the Commerce Family’s faithfulness to the Lord’s House – your servitude, your giving, your concern for the less fortunate – together we have taken the Gospel of Jesus Christ into many nations, into many prisons, and all around the good old USA. And in our midst, God has raised up Teachers, Ministers, Missionaries, and Servants for the Kingdom of God. Together we have done exploits for Jesus; with about 35 people we added on to the Church in 2000 at a cost of approximately $150,000. The Lord met the need daily as we worked. And in 2012 we burned the mortgage! We continue to have a “vision” to expand one more time!  At the 25^th year we opened the Corner Stone and saw pictures of the past – but the most important item was: One Page of the Bible and circled in red on this page was “I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt 16:18 – We are a Blessed People as we sought to obey the Word of God!  Our Quest Matt. 25:34-36; It is our quest to send forth the Word of the Lord and to Minister to the less fortunate and together we have accomplished this. Our desire is to be a Lighthouse on this Hill and to send forth the Message of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour! On a personal note, thank you for always voting one hundred percent each year, when a vote of confidence as comes before the congregation. I am overwhelmed at your trust and love for me!    Loving you, Pastor

Song of the Ages

What an Awesome sight; Amid the host of heaven, thousands upon thousands stand before the Lamb, singing a New Song: “Thou art worthy, to open the seals: for Thou wast slain, and hast Redeemed us to God by Thy Blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests:...”  O God give us a  longing for the “time” to just sit in Your presence, with no agenda and take in the majestic awesomeness of His Holiness.  The hour is upon us wherein we must take the time to commune with Him, to see Him high and lifted up – a time when we are caught away from the cares of this life and focused upon this Glorious Lamb that was slain from the foundations of the world for us – for you & I!  As we focus on Jesus the Lamb of God, a song arises   ♪“Behold the Lamb, Slain from the foundation of the world!♬  As we look to the Old Testament we see the origin of a Blood Sacrifice, “The Day of Atonement” – however it had to be repeated and repeated, every year there must be an offering for the sins of mankind. Jesus’ God’s Lamb was Sacrificed once and for “all!”  The writer of Hebrews wrote regarding the New Testament Sacrifice of Christ’s life: “Not by the blood of goats and calves, but by Jesus own Blood, He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained Eternal Redemption for us!”  How often do we think about this Sacrifice of our God and His Son?  There should be a daily remembrance of this precious Gift. Many military men and women have sacrificed for which we are grateful — but the Sacrifice of the Ages liberated the world!  Not only are we free today, but because of Jesus’ we are made complete and our soul has an Eternal destination. Worshiping with you and loving you, Pastor – Ps 105:1