Author Archives: JonSmith

Any pastor truly appreciates feedback from the flock! Someone sent me these letters that children sent to their pastor. I thought I would share them to let you see how delightful it is to grow in the Lord! Dear Pastor, … Continue reading →

At the turn of the 20th century, one of the greatest piano masters was Jan Paderewski. When he had a concert, the elegant symphony halls were “sold out” weeks in advance. At one of his performances, a child from the … Continue reading →

One of the houses on our block decided to do a “remodel.” I was surprised when I watched them tear down everything but one inside wall of the garage. That’s a re-model??? That’s what they call it in California. As … Continue reading →

This past week, I was doubly blessed. First, I was able as a pastor to view with pride the beautiful, spontaneous Christian response of the church to a family in need. And secondly, I was able to feel that love … Continue reading →

Remember to be lifting up the daily prayers that were inserted into your bulletin last week.  For those who were not in worship, the last half of the week is listed below. We will collect our UNICEF boxes Sunday, November … Continue reading →

Thanks to Cindy and her task force for the great stewardship campaign going on this month! I love the theme: “Service over Self.” There are many scriptures that lift up this theme, but I think one of the best comes … Continue reading →

Recently, I was counseling a young man who had made some significant poor choices. As we talked, I suspected there were some deep seated self-esteem issues that might well have led to those choices. So, I asked him about his … Continue reading →

As the story goes, a woman came to Thomas Edison after he had told of the 1500 times he had failed in his experiments to invent the electric light bulb. She said: “Wasn’t it awful that you had to fail … Continue reading →

On Tuesday nights, Wanda and I join our friends Wilma and Dale at a Quiet Communion worship service in San Jose. It’s a refreshing time for us as we enjoy an evening out and a reflective time for our spirits. … Continue reading →