• Painting Party from 10 a.m. - Noon
• Painting Party from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
We will be painting the hallway leading to the elementary kids’ room. Because there is carpet in the hallway, we need experienced painters

• Day of prayer and fasting
Fast from food after dinner on Wednesday and break the fast with dinner on Thursday. Use normal meal times for focused prayer. 

• Reflection and Worship at 6 p.m.
For the entire family! Begin in the sanctuary, move through several stations to consider the love of God given to us through Christ, and finish in the sanctuary with a time of worship. 

• Morning worship at 10:45 p.m.
Gather to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior and remember his sacrifrice through communion. If the weather permits, Sadie Cosco will be taking photos outside after the service.

For weeks, I have felt unsettled. God is moving in so many ways in me and in the lives of so many around me. I am as excited about the future of my own family and our church family as I have ever been. There is much for which I am thankful.

At the same time, our nation is in a state of unrest. This is why I’ve felt unsettled. I don’t watch the news. I read from a variety of sources to learn what’s going on in my country and to a lesser extent, around the world. I typically don’t read anything until I’ve spent time with Jesus in the morning, communing with him through prayer, reading of Scripture, and more recently, writing down what I’ve experienced during my time with him.

The last few weeks, I have been asking him to guide me as I felt him leading me to write something about what it looks like to follow Jesus in America at this moment in our history. I feel a responsibility to lead our church to stay focused on Jesus through every season we experience together. I much prefer personal conversations, but there are times that a written letter such as this is needed. I believe this is one of those times.

Our country has become an angry nation. As we have plugged into the 24-hour news channels and engaged in social media, we have lost sight of valuing other human beings. And as our leaders and influencers have become increasingly divided, we have followed their example. Many of them argue and blame one another on camera and in their posts. They characterize people who are unlike them as less than human. This has become the norm. And many Americans do the same. The result is a level of brokenness that continues as an undercurrent in our society.

Public acts of violence fill our screens and feeds. Many have chosen this as their method of taking care of their perceived problems. People have charged into government buildings. Assassinations have been attempted, with some carried out. Protests have turned chaotic and citizens have been killed by those who have been entrusted to stand for justice. National leaders have placed blame without taking the time to find out what truly happened. We see all of this unfolding in front of us, and it affects us … sometimes in ways we don’t even fully understand.

If we aren’t careful, we form our own opinions about it all without asking God to lead us. We are compromised without a deep connection to Him. And even if we do invite God to lead us, we wonder if we can talk about how we feel with others we are close to. We are afraid it might lead to more conflict. If we disagree, will it cause brokenness in our relationship with the other person?

We carry all of this, every day.

Church family, we need a vibrant, active, daily relationship with God. This is the only way forward for us. Without this, we will fall victim to the anger in our culture. This deep relationship with God must mold who we are. We must invite Jesus to change us daily. We must experience the truth of the Bible as transformational. Our time with Jesus must form our thoughts about life in America, in our cities, towns and neighborhoods. It must form the content we allow into our lives and our reactions to that content. We must ask Jesus to form how we view our leaders, our influencers, government agents, illegal and legal immigrants, protesters and criminals. We must invite him to form how we treat our neighbors, coworkers, classmates, family members, friends and fellow believers. We must allow him to lead us in how we respond to events that take place locally, nationally and internationally.

Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is an excellent place to start. In this amazing sermon, found in Matthew 5-7, Jesus clearly lays out what it looks like to have a right relationship with God, and right relationships with other people. It’s no accident that this is where God has led our church these last few months. Lean into your relationship with Jesus. Grow in him. Grow with the believers in your life. Experience his love, rest in his love, share his love with the people you come into contact with. Push back against the temptation to cast people as villains and heroes. We are all flawed. Compare the voices of those you’ve supported with the teachings of your Savior. Pray for people you agree with and people you disagree with.

Love God. Love people. This is the way of Jesus. It must be our way, too.

As I’ve shared on several Sundays and through our church email newsletter, I am taking a sabbatical that will run from May 26-July 20 (eight weeks). This is designed as an extended time away from my pastoral responsibilities to allow me to grow stronger in my relationship with God, spend time with my family and prepare for the next phase of ministry God has for us here at Pea Ridge. In addition, it is a time for our church to grow stronger as our congregation comes together to carry on our mission and vision while I am away.

I first discussed this with church council in September 2024 and they approved it later in the fall. Since then, I have been making preparations so that our ministry will thrive during this 8-week period. I’m sharing these details so each church member will know how things will work.

Sunday Worship Service Schedules
June 1
Worship led by Render The Hearts
Kids time led by Zach Stevens, youth director
Message by Rob Ely, West Virginia Baptist Convention director of student ministries and young leader development

June 8
Worship led by Pea Ridge Praise Band
Message by Joe Hutchinson, pastor and traveling preacher
Communion led by Brent Beckett, Pea Ridge deacon

June 15
Worship led by Pea Ridge Praise Band
Message by Mike Sisson, West Virginia Baptist Convention executive minister

June 22
Worship led by Pea Ridge Praise Band
Message by Rob Ely, West Virginia Baptist Convention director of student ministries and young leader development

June 29
Worship led by Pea Ridge Praise Band
Message by Brian Morrison, Pea Ridge Deacon

July 6
Worship led by Kentucky Christian University worship collective
Kids time led by Levi Casto, children’s director
Message by Joey Heck, Pea Ridge Deacon

July 13
Worship led by Pea Ridge Praise Band
Message by Chuck Fry, missionary with The Navigators
Communion led by Ron Brownfield, Pea Ridge deacon

July 20
Worship led by Pea Ridge Praise Band
Message by Chris Atkins, Pea Ridge deacon

Our deacons and deaconesses will be providing regular pastoral care during this time, so you are encouraged to keep in close touch with them. If you have an emergency need for pastoral care on weekdays during the hours of 8 a.m.-2 p.m., please call the church office and Cari will work to help you. For all needs outside of regular office hours or if Cari is out of the office, please call the emergency number at 304-394-2670. This number will be forwarded to the deacon on call.

I won’t be answering calls or texts related to church activities while on sabbatical; please call the church office for anything church-related. Jennifer and I are not planning to be present on Sundays, though you may see Emma and Claire from time to time. We will likely worship at other local churches to allow for us to worship God and receive His Word without thinking about ministry responsibilities. We love serving Him with you, and we believe this break will help us recharge so we can be even stronger when my sabbatical is over. While my goal is to disconnect from church ministry for these eight weeks, I am not trying to completely disconnect from our church family. I’m sure there will be times we see some of you and we will be glad to catch up when that happens!

I have a few other thoughts to share about these next eight weeks:

• This is a time to lean into your faith and your church family, not check out. As you continue to invest in the relationships you are building with God and others here at Pea Ridge, you will continue to grow!
• Connect with God daily. Our summer reading plan will take you through the book of Psalms and help you consider the goodness of God how we as His people should open our hearts to Him in the good times and the hard times. And if you’re interested in deeper study, check out the “resources” tab in the main menu of our website. The online reading plan gives you a link to the BibleProject Psalms guide and other helps for Bible study and meditation also are available.
• Join a life group. These are listed on our website under the “ministries” tab on the main menu. Contact the church office to get connected to a life group leader and plan a time to attend the group.
• Make Sunday morning worship gatherings a priority. If you aren’t sick or on vacation, be here! We have a great series planned and solid Bible teachers scheduled each week. And while you’re here, invite someone to lunch with you after the service! This is a great way to get to know others in your church family.
• If you’re not already serving in our church ministry, ask God to show you how He wants you to serve here at Pea Ridge. You can join the welcome team and greet people as they come in. Serve in Ridge Kids and make a difference in the life of a child. Work in our media ministry and help enhance the service live and send it out online. Use your musical abilities on the worship team and help lead our church as we praise God together. There are many more ways to serve at Pea Ridge … call the main office to get started!
• Give generously to support our local church ministry and missionaries and mission agencies in our country and abroad. Using the biblical principle of the tithe, give 10% of what God provides for you and trust Him as you live on the other 90%. Or take a step of faith give beyond that as He leads! You can give online using our mobile app or website, or place your tithe and offering in the black box mounted on the wall next to the main sanctuary doors.
• Pray for the people you’re connected to … your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. Ask God to give you opportunities to show them the love of Jesus and share the good news about him. Invite your neighbors over for dinner and get to know them better!
• Pray for and encourage our church staff and leadership teams. Cari, Zach, Levi, Kelci, church council, deacons, deaconesses, trustees, ministry leaders, life group leaders, church renewal team … they need your prayer and support. Our church staff and renewal team will also have the extra support of Ed Rogers with Renew Transformational Strategies.
• Pray for our kids and adults who are going to Camp Cowen this summer, and for all those who will be serving there. Ask God to work in and through each of them as they grow in their faith.
• Pray for those who are preaching God’s Word this summer here at Pea Ridge, and ask God to prepare your heart to receive His Word each Sunday.
• Pray for our Saints Prison Ministry softball team as they travel to share the good news of Jesus with inmates in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky, and specifically for Brian Morrison as he leads this ministry.
• Be faithful to God and expect Him to do great things in your life and in our church this summer!

I will be following these principles as well, with the exception of attending and serving at Pea Ridge on Sundays. I intend to use our Psalms reading plan for my own personal time with God.

On a personal note, I want to express my love for each of you. My desire is that for all of us, the next eight weeks will bring us closer to Jesus and closer to one another. As I type this, I have each of you in my heart. Thank you for understanding that I need this time away so that I can return to you stronger in my personal walk with Jesus and better able to lead our church as we fulfill the calling God has placed on our lives.

Restored hearts.
Renewed relationships.
Revived compassion.
Reliable foundation.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. (Hebrews 12:1–2)

As we approach Holy Week and specifically our annual day of prayer and fasting, it is important for us to turn to the Bible to guide the way.

In Matthew 9:14, we see disciples of John the Baptist approach Jesus with a question, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

John’s disciples and even the Pharisees sometimes fasted more than once a week. The Old Testament law only required one fast a year, which was on the Day of Atonement described in Leviticus 16:19-20. They thought that doing more than the Law required would make them holy and bring them closer to God.

Jesus responded by telling them that as long he was with them, there was no need to fast. Instead it was a time to walk with him, to celebrate his presence, to learn from him first hand. But there would come a day that he would leave them, and then they would be right to fast.

Fasting is a biblical practice of denying ourselves so that we can focus more on Jesus and draw closer to him.

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost and the early church was launched. Then in Acts 13:4 we see followers of Jesus fasting and praying as part of their way of life. As a result, they heard the Spirit give them specific direction for a new ministry.

Fasting allows us to more clearly hear the voice of God.

How do we fast? There is some liberty in this, but typically we follow the pattern in Leviticus 16 and fast from all food from one evening to the following evening. This means eating dinner on Wednesday, then only drinking water until breaking the fast at dinner on Thursday. Use your normal meal times on Thursday to pray. It’s also important to remember what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:16-18, that when we fast we do not draw attention to ourselves. Our goal is to simply draw closer to Jesus, not to have others think we are holy.

Let’s journey together this week and choose to give up one thing so that we may gain something even greater!

Join us on Saturday, April 12 at 3 p.m. in the fellowship hall for an afternoon of fun games, good friends, and bowls and bowls of ice cream as we celebrate Katie Losh and her upcoming marriage to Jacob Campbell! Click below to access their wedding registry. RSVP to Leah at 304-638-5497.

Join us on Sunday, April 13 at 5 p.m. in the fellowship hall as we celebrate the upcoming arrival of Caleb & Kali Wise’s baby girl. The Atkins Life Group is hosting a potluck dinner. While gifts are not necessary, if you would like to purchase a gift, they are registered at Target and Amazon and links to each are below.

Palm Sunday, April 13 at 10:45 a.m.
This is our way of remembering how Jesus transformed an instrument of death into the means of receiving eternal life.

We will begin our fast after dinner on Wednesday, April 16 and end with dinner on Thursday, April 17. The sanctuary will be open for anyone to come and pray:
Wednesday, April 16 from 6:30-8 p.m.
Thursday, April 17 from 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Barboursville Park Amphitheater. Our church will partner with Christ Presbyterian and Pea Ridge United Methodist to hand out bags, a Bible resource, snacks and water. Come at 9:30 a.m. to help!

Sunday, April 20 at 10:45 a.m.

Our worship gathering will look a lot different tomorrow! Due to the condition of our parking lot and secondary roads in our area, we encourage you to stay home and connect to our live stream. Pastor Dan will lead a live service, though the music portions will be recordings from recent worship gatherings.

You are welcome to come If you feel comfortable driving, but please be careful on the parking lot. Please note we will not have childcare or children’s classes.

We appreciate our hard-working snow crews! Unfortunately, there are still large areas of our parking lot that have a layer of ice and overnight temperatures will cause these to be extra slick tomorrow morning. Thank you for understanding and make sure to join us live on our website or through Facebook.

With below freezing temperatures, the secondary roads are not melting. We have chosen to cancel our Wednesday ministries for January 8 and plan to resume next week. Stay safe and please let us know if you need help while we deal with the effects of this winter storm!

Our church renewal process is now in full swing, and we are inviting you, our congregation, to begin asking God two specific questions:

• Lord, who do you want us to be?
• Lord, what do you want us to do?

These questions are placed in this order for a reason:  who we are determines what we do. Our tendency is to focus on doing rather than being, because we humans are generally task-oriented in nature. As we do this, our identity becomes wrapped up in what we do instead of who we are. In fact, when we first meet someone new and they ask us about ourselves, we often share our profession as our identity.

Jesus did not find his identity in how many people followed him or what types of miracles he did. His identity was firmly rooted in the words of his Father, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” (Matthew 3:17). God the Father said this about Jesus before he called any disciples and before he performed any wonders. His identity as the Son was already established, and this identity then moved him to do the Father’s will. His heart determined his actions.

As individuals, we are people who have trusted in Jesus and follow him. Our identity as children of God determines what we do. In the power of the Spirit, we exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). As a local church body, we are a Jesus community that exhibits this fruit in our relationships with one another and demonstrates them to the world around us. Our identity is in Christ and the fruit of the Spirit is an outflow of this identity, as we are submitted to Christ.

As you pray, I ask you start with that first question as a personal prayer of, “Lord, who do you want me to be?” Meditate on the fruit of the Spirit, and seek to cultivate these characteristics into your life throughout the day. Then move to the collective question, “Lord, who do you want us to be?” Envision what it looks like to exhibit that fruit as you interact with members of your church family, and what it looks like for us as a larger group to exhibit it as we interact with our community. Pray over these pictures in your mind, and then ask, "Lord what do you want me to do?" and as He reveals this, continue with the final question, "Lord, what do you want us to do?"

As God answers these prayers for you, write them on a prayer card and place it in the basket in front of the connection center in the sanctuary on Sunday or Wednesday, or type them in the online prayer card and send them. Keep in mind, you can submit more than one. The renewal leadership team will look at these and pray over them as we continue to develop the vision for our church.

Together, let’s trust the Lord to lead us.

It’s Thursday. It’s been four full days since we experienced a moving time of worshiping God together. You turned out for the first day of “Sunday Strong” in May and it was clear that so many of you had prepared your hearts. There seemed to be an expectant spirit among us; a belief that God was going to do something special.

And He did. His love was on display in so many ways as He worked in and through each of you. We sang praises to Him, showed appreciation for our brothers and sisters who serve with our kids and teens, gave generously, and then we settled in for some time in His Word as we focused on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. He is the one who produces love, joy and peace in our lives! We cannot do it on our own.

Four days later, I wonder if you’ve experienced what I’ve experienced:  as the week has moved on, I’ve found myself not relying as much on the Spirit as I did on Sunday. It’s almost as if I’m slipping a bit each day. So this morning, I went back to John 14-16 and spent some time reading Jesus’ words about abiding in him and the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit. That was time well spent.

As I said a few weeks ago, I understand that living and working in this world is difficult. Many of you spend hours each day with people who do not know Jesus and have no real desire to follow him. That presents opportunities to share the Gospel, but it also puts pressure on you that can pull you down. Know that I’m praying for you as you seek to abide in Christ each day. And if you need someone who will listen and pray with you, I’m a phone call away. Though far better than that is the direct line you have to God in prayer!

I encourage you to once again purpose in your heart this week to be Sunday Strong and gather together at Pea Ridge to grow in your relationship with God and other believers. Also, it’s important that you prepare your heart for this very important time of your week. This Sunday is Mother’s Day so of course we will be celebrating our moms while also focusing on the next three types of fruit produced by the Spirit in our lives:  patience, kindness and goodness. I’ll see you on Sunday morning!

-Pastor Dan