Steel City Mennonite Church

October 27, 2020 Disclaimer: Having traveled to over 40 nations of the world and 49 out of 50 states in the US, I know how great it is to live in America. I love my country of birth and want only the best for her. That said, I believe our only hope is in Jesus. One Week Remaining... I hardly ever awake during the night, especially between the hours of midnight and five o'clock. Last night was the exception, and the night I made up for many previous nights of solid slumber. At 3:30, I awoke to these words, "If my people who are called by my name." You may have already completed the rest of II Chronicles 7:14. "Will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Wide awake, it was as if I was hearing these words for the first time"If MY people who are called by MY name." A national revival does not flow from the arena of politics or the Supreme Court's steps. A national revival begins with each individual who identifies themselves as a Christian. So with one week remaining before the US elections, will you join me in: Humbling ourselves: Far too often, we are guilty of exalting ourselves while devaluing others who don't share our particular ideologies. We must get to the place where we can state, "I am no better than you." Praying: While I may have opinions about what needs to happen in our nation, I am limited in knowledge, wisdom, and discernment. I must pray for God's will as it relates to our country. Seeking God's face: Daniel Henderson has challenged my thinking about what it means to seek God's face. Often we seek God's hand to get what we can from God. Seeking God's face focuses on who God is (worship) rather than what God does. Repenting: Turning from our wicked ways requires repentance. Repentance is more than saying, "Sorry," it is a determination not to do that again. May we, you and I, become the embodiment of II Chronicles 7:14. And may we be the catalyst to see the healing of our land. ******** Please share it with others if this blessed you in some way. David K. Kochsmeier is the Senior Pastor of Steel City Mennonite Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His email is [email protected].

Please register your children by Wed. Oct. 28th for Heroes Unmasked event next Saturday

Starting this weekend, October 3 and 4, SCMC will be implementing the following: For the Sunday Morning Worship Gatherings (10:00 am), face masks will be required. This will be our practice through at least November. SCMC will also offer a Saturday Evening Worship Gathering (7:00 pm). Face masks will NOT be required, but you are encouraged to wear one if you desire.... Adult Bible Study and Backyard Bible Clubs will continue to meet through October. Also, SCMC will be starting Small Groups by mid-October. Be anticipating the opportunities available to you which are in the process of being finalized.

CHANGE OF DATE- Heroes Unmasked Event for Ages 3 - 5th grade will be held on Sat. Oct. 31 from 10am - 12pm at Steel City Mennonite Church. Play games, make a craft, eat snack, and learn about Bible heroes. Pre-registration required. Please email child's name and age/grade, any allergies or medical conditions, and a contact phone number to [email protected] or call 610-865-4899 by Wed. October 28th. No walk-ins will be accepted. Invite your friends! All children will receive a face mask and a goodie bag.

September 25, 2020 You Always Have Options You always have options, proclaimed my video coach during my morning exercise session. In context, she said, if you can’t do each movement or exercise the way they do, you always have an option to use less weight or lessen the number of reps. ... Since then, that statement has become the fodder for my mental digestion. I can’t think of any situation where options are present. Albeit, we may not like any of the options available. When our boys were younger, occasionally one would chase another around the house. Why are you running in the house? Bev would ask. Inevitably the answer was, Because he’s chasing me! Bev countered by saying, If you just stopped running, he couldn’t chase you. Parental logic was lost on energized boys. Once again, options were always available. For today, consider these options: We have the option to react or respond in any given situation. We have the option to get angry over a slight or to extend mercy. We have the option to unleash my tongue or to control my words. We have the option to give my opinion as fact or to share my thoughts as a possibility to consider. We have the option to comment on a Facebook post hastily or to move along without comment. We have the option to curse or to bless. We have the option to tear down or to build up. We have the option to be dogmatic or diplomatic. We have the option to find fault or find gold. Remember, you always have options! ******** Please share it with others if this blessed you in some way. David K. Kochsmeier is the Senior Pastor of Steel City Mennonite Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His email is [email protected].

September 24, 2020 Forty Days The phrase forty days carries biblical significance. Forty days - the length of Noah’s rainstorm. Forty days - Mose’s stay on Mount Sinai. Forty days - duration of the Israelite spies scoped out Canaan. Forty days - the time of Goliath’s taunting the Israelites. Jesus wandered the wilderness. Forty days in the Bible seems to be synonymous with trials of significant proportion.... Here we are forty days away from November 3, and according to the calendar, that is the U.S. Election Day. Talk about forty days representing trials of significant proportion. In full transparency, this election is disconcerting to me. The discord this election cycle has created is exceptionally troublesome. I am concerned that, as a nation, we are on the cusp of another civil war. Unfortunately, the political venom has worked itself into the Church. Brother attacking brother. Sister berating sister. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to do better than that. The world is watching how Christians act toward each other and especially toward those with differing political ideologies. There is another period of forty days referenced in the Bible. This reference (Deuteronomy 9) is where Moses prayed and fasted on behalf of the Israelites. They had committed grievous acts against God. Moses contended for the sparing of God’s wrath upon the Israelites. Now, it is our turn to stand in the gap for our nation. Here is my call to action. Throughout the next forty days, I want you to: Pray and fast for the unity of America. Daily prayers for the healing of divisions. Daily ask God to unite our nation. Daily repent where you have sown seeds of discord. Select one day or one meal each week you are not going to eat so that you may devote that time to prayer. Carefully select what you post to social media. If our mandate is to know God and make Him known, our witness is sullied when we resort to personal attacks, name-calling, and other sundry offenses. Spend more time reading your Bible or faith-based book than you interact with daily news. Zig Ziglar once said, I begin my day by reading both the Bible and the newspaper. That way, I know what both sides are up to. I think we already know what the world’s agenda is. May God help us! ******** Please share it with others if this blessed you in some way. David K. Kochsmeier is the Senior Pastor of Steel City Mennonite Church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His email is [email protected].