May 2003 Message   by Rev. David McKinley

Dear Church Family:

During the Month of May, there is so much going on in the life of Central Schwenkfelder Church. Mother's Day brings with it many memories, as we honor those present and passed who God has used to bring us into this world. We also celebrate Memorial Day, recognizing those close to us who are now gone. Moreover, it is a time to remember our service men and women. With this in mind, I was recently loaned a set of recordings of the sermons entitled, What America Means To Me, by the late pastor of Central, Dr. Bert Jacksteit.

Many of you remember this sermon series from 1970. I was gripped as I heard him tell of the need for food in his former Prussia; how he was forced to leave his elderly grandfather behind when the family was uprooted from their home. He spoke of the hatred between the German and Polish peoples of that area in Europe; how people were treated as property, and how he was so grateful to eat his first orange as a teenager. As I listened, I could not help but feel blessed to have grown up under the peace and protection of the United States. I also thought, why do I have it so good?

None of us can claim credit for the blessings we have received. In fact, we are ill deserving of such things. This Memorial Day, I draw your attention to the statement God made to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 7:6-10. They too, were ill deserving of God's favor. Nonetheless, God is good and His mercies are never obligated. The Lord told Moses, "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face" (NKJ).
May your hearts be filled with thankfulness this month, as you count your blessings.

Yours Because of Him,

Pastor David

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