Terry and I spent the weekend ministering to the wonderful people of Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, LA. pastored by Dino and Delynn Rizzo. While we always miss being at home on the weekends with our phenomenal church family at Church of the Redeemer, we appreciated the opportunity to renew relationships with the pastoral staff and friends at HPC. God is doing some incredible things through the ministries and outreaches of this great church. It is wonderful to know that Jesus is at work all around the nation and the world through strong local churches. Being an active part of church life truly is the way to make a difference! HPC is making a difference in Lousiana, and we (COR) are seeking to make a difference for Jesus Christ in Maryland.
While I was away this weekend, Pastor Steve Homcy did a great job sharing God’s Word at our Gaithersburg campus and Steve Rivera, one of our campus pastors in Frederick did a great job teaching at our Frederick weekend service. We are blessed to have some wonderful team members on staff providing strong help and assistance in ministry to our church family.
This past weekend we also had almost 200 teenagers and leaders away on a youth retreat. Pastor Adam Durso from Christ Tabernacle in Queens, NY was the primary speaker. I received an exciting report about all the kids who committed themselves freshly to the Lord. It was tremendous to hear about kids pouring their hearts out to God in worship and in the study of God’s Word. There is nothing more important than pouring spiritual values into the next generation. It is great to be a part of a church that prioritizes ministry to children and youth.
By the way, if you have teenagers, let me encourage you to get them to our midweek youth service and all the various small groups and activities of the youth ministry. If you don’t have teenagers, perhaps there are kids in your neighborhood you could bring to our youth services. It is one way you can contribute to reaching the next generation.
Youth ministry happens Wednesday evenings at our Gaithersburg campus and on Thursday evenings in Frederick. Check out the youth link on our website (church-redeemer.org) for more information about this ministry.
Church life truly is a great life!
Pastor Dale
