401 Elm Street

Chillicothe, MO  64601

(660)646-4009

The Pastor's Page

"As the deer pants for water, so I pant for you, O Lord." Psalm 42:1

Meet the Pastor...

 Reverend Molina hails from Paola, Kansas. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1988. He attended Central Baptist Theological Seminary for one year and received his Master of Divinity from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. David has been a pastor for nine years. He was the Associate Pastor of Burnt Store Presbyterian Church in Punta Gorda, Florida before becoming the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Chillicothe, Missouri where he has been since 2000.

 

 Pastor David and his lovely wife Jacqui have four wonderful children: Nathanael, Gabrielle, Anneliese, and Stephanie Joy (not pictured).

          Hmmm, why do many kids have that “deer in the headlights”
look about them...  Oh, that’s right.  It’s August and school will be
starting rather soon.  We should have known.  Media ads have
been pushing “back to school sales” for much of July, which just
never seems very fair to the school kids.  For the church, we are
going to give everyone all of August to enjoy summer, meaning -
we will begin our fall schedule the 2nd week in September
(Labor Day weekend being the 1st Sunday in September).
          BUT, before we get there, we are here at the beginning of VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL!!  That’s right. V.B.S. launches August 1st and runs through the 5th.  We are the host this year and are again teaming up with Grace Episcopal Church and First Christian Church.  And, this year our V.B.S. is Route 254.  It is a “drive” across America with the 254 standing for Psalm 25:4 which reads:  “Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths.”  The schedule for V.B.S. is as follows:  we begin each night with dinner at 5:30 PM.  At 6:00 PM we move to the sanctuary for our opening.  From 6:20 PM to 8:20 PM are the rotations for the Program, including Bible Study Campsite, Recreation Park, Crafts Souvenir Shop, and Car Tunes (get it - Car Tunes - [Cartoons] & Music).  We end with the Closing 254 Worship Rally at 8:20-30 PM.  As always, we can use your help - just show up with yourself.  Also, you can talk to David or Janice (who are the co-coordinators this year), Judi, and Jacqui.  Lauren Crawford has been the main creator/painter of the sets this year and has done an awesome work of art.  Hope to see you Sunday afternoon.
          There are a few more things we need to keep before us.  On Saturday, August 14th is our Church Rummage Sale.  That is the reason for the collection of things in our Fellowship Hall.  As soon as we have the time frame for the sale we will let you know.  And thank you to everyone who has provided things for us to sell.
          Very soon we will have an evangelism meeting.  There are ideas and activities in which we can engage to fulfill Christ’s call to us.  Stay tuned for details.
          Additionally, in the fall, we will have our Ice Cream Social.  There are several aspects of the social that are still in progress.  Again, as soon as we know, we’ll let everyone know.
          And, we are receiving $1.00 donations for the tickets for the opportunity to take home the beautiful quilt.  This is our 3rd annual quilt give-away with the donations going again to Operation Help.  We will have several more occasions on which to show the quilt and receive donations.  If you can help with one or more of these please let us know.
          Lastly, I turn to a theological thought and will use the beginning of the school year as an example.  Whenever we have the restarting of some process of which we are a part, we have a real opportunity.  Some people are very good about understanding that we make the best of whatever circumstances are before us.  This, also, holds true for our Christian lives.  Just as important is the fact that our past actions do not dictate who we are.  As Christians, we are always in the process of Sanctification.  That means, by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit and by our striving to improve, we are always becoming more Christ-like.  We can’t help this.  If Christ lives in our hearts, He continually beckons us to be closer to Him.  Paul tells us that the old life is gone, and the new life in Christ has begun.  There is tremendous freedom in that truth.  We are free to each and every day, be more like the Christian Christ desires that we be.  As we evaluate where we are, may we also be recommitted to seeking Him, and becoming more like our Lord every day.
          May God Bless You and Keep you.


In Christ,

David